Premier Division

Kintbury Rangers march on at the top of the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League registering their 13^th win in 15 unbeaten games with a 3-0 home success over Pewsey Vale. The victory saw them complete a quick-fire league double over their opponents and open up a nine point lead at the top of the  Premier Division, as both teams who started the day just below them in the table were beaten. A 12^th of the season from Kye Williams plus further strikes from Terry Patton and Danny Hale, who scored his second goal for Kintbury following his transfer from Blunsdon, did the damage for Kintbury. Visitors Pewsey Vale have now lost four games in a row in all competitions which has seen them slip down the table.

Second placed Wroughton lost ground in the title race when they were surprisingly beaten at home by Salisbury Development who made it three wins in their last four league games as they continue their climb away from the relegation positions.  Salisbury went ahead on 25 minutes, Naman Gurung with a fine individual goal to open the scoring. Salisbury then doubled their lead when Daniel Bazen fired in following good work by Joshua Ngombi to lead 2-0 at the break. It remained that way until just after the hour mark when Max Scholefield pulled one back for Wroughton, but the home side were unable to find an equaliser as it finished 2-1 to the visitors, who recorded their best result of the season to date.

Letcombe also lost ground in the title race when they were beaten 1-0 by Park United, Lewis McCarron getting the only goal of the game ten minutes from time to inflict a third defeat of the season on Letcombe. Letcombe dropped one place in the table to fourth spot as a result of the defeat whilst the win for Park saw them move up to fifth place level on points with their beaten opponents having played one game more. Your Sport Swindon were at the game and subscribers can view highlights by clicking on the link below or using the link from the Your Sport Swindon page of the League Website where you can also access all other games in the league that have been covered by Your Sport Swindon.

Melksham Town Reserves moved up to third spot after securing their second draw of the week. In midweek they had been held to a 1-1 draw by improving Shrivenham, Kegan Smart bagging his 15^th of the season with an equaliser for Melksham after Shrivenham’s Jacob Newdick had given his side the lead. On Saturday Melksham Town Reserves made the short journey to Trowbridge Town in a battle between two sides who have promotion aspirations this season. Ahead of the game Trowbridge had kissed and made up with former manager and talented play-maker Jamie Jordan who had left them partway through their championship season in 2022-23 to join Bradford Town. Returning with Jordan was their top scorer from that title winning season Ben Wickens as they continue to build a side designed to try and ensure a top five finish. It started well for the home side, having gone close in the very first minute they got themselves in front with just 11 minutes on the clock, Jordan Kirk heading in from a cross from captain Jamie Lyons. Despite Trowbridge going close to getting s second on a couple of occasions the lead did not last long though, as Liam Brooks brought Melksham back level just eight minutes later following an error from another new Trowbridge signing, goalkeeper Zak Beard who was playing against the club where he started his senior career. However, following a sending off Melksham found themselves down to ten men and faced the prospect of 70 minutes one man short. Trowbridge sought to take advantage of the extra man and went close on a couple of occasions before the break to restore their lead, but it remained 1-1 at the interval. Trowbridge continued to push for a second after the restart and regained the lead just before the hour mark, Wickens setting up Connor McKay who fired home for his first Trowbridge goal of the season. Trowbridge continued to pressurise the Melksham goal but could not find that elusive third which would have secured the three points, with the Melksham keeper having an excellent game. However, there was to be late drama with the award of a penalty in the final minute of the match to visitors Melksham. Leo Rendell duly put the spot kick away to give his side a share of the points as they ended the game with just nine men following another sending off, with Trowbridge also having manager Wayne Thorne sent off for comments made to the referee following the award of the late penalty. The point for Melskham sees them sit third in the table but they have played more games than all of the sides around them. Trowbridge Town meanwhile sit down in tenth place but with games in hand over all but two of the sides above them in the table.

More of Alwyn Bodman's pictures from this game can be found on the League Facebook Page.

Shrewton United were not at their best according to manager George Plank on social media but were still too good for visitors Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development on the day as goals from Jordan Cross, Charlie Utterson and a ninth of the season from Brennan Knowles secured a 3-0 home win that saw Shrewton move above Calne Town Reserves, up into seventh spot with their eighth win of the campaign.

Having secured that point in midweek away at Melksham Town Reserves, Shrivenham continued their resurgence with a 2-1 away win at Calne Town Reserves which means they are now unbeaten in six games in all competitions. Calne Town Reserves had also been in action in midweek becoming the final side through to the last 16 of the Fountain Trophies Cup with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Malmesbury Victoria Development. On target for Calne in their cup win were Edward Summers with two, Matthew Robinson, Lewis Royston and substitute Harry Stiles. Calne will now be home to Letcombe in the next round.  In Saturday’s league encounter with Shrivenham it was the visitors Shrivenham who led 1-0 at the break thanks to a James Hirst goal and a second from Corey Francome in the second half secured the three points, Matt Robinson with his second goal of the week with the reply for Calne Town Reserves.

There was a close affair on the 3G at Plain Ham where Larkhall Athletic Development’s visitors to the new 3G pitch were Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves. In a game which could have gone either way, in the end it finished up honours even at one goal apiece, James Okell scoring for the home side Larkhall and Archie Downes with the Bemerton reply. The point for Larkhall leaves them seven points adrift of third from bottom Faringdon Town, whilst Bemerton remain in eleventh spot, well clear of the relegation positions.

More of Tony Smith's pictures from this game can be found at www.efc.smugmug.com

Biggest winners of the day were Kingsdown who ran out 7-0 winners in their local derby game against an out of sorts Blunsdon side. The only blemish on the afternoon for Kingsdown was having manager Adrian Wilkinson sent off for comments made to the referee, the second Premier Division side to suffer that fate on an eventful afternoon in the Premier Division. Star of the show for Kingsdown was Antonio Gerrish who helped himself to a hat-trick, Aiden Miller bagged a brace and there were further goals from Tyler Preedy and Finley Merchant as Kingsdown recorded their biggest win of the season.

Division One

With it being Third Round day in the Wiltshire Junior Cup there were just four league games played in Division One of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. With league leaders Cricklade Town supposed to be in County Cup action, both Bishops Cannings and Down Ampney had the opportunity to close the gap at the top of the table and both took full advantage of the opportunity, although in Down Ampney’s case it was a close-run thing.

Down Ampney were at home to another of the promotion chasing sides Devizes Town Reserves, which ahead of the game looked to be the top match of the day, and it certainly lived up to its billing with the two sides sharing nine goals with Down Ampney, in the end, just edging it by the odd goal. Devizes Town Reserves had much the better of things in the first half, leading 3-1 at the break but Down Ampney came back strongly in the second half to level matters up at 3-3 only to see Devizes go back in front with a fourth goal. However, two goals late on ensured it would be the home side celebrating as they took the three points courtesy of a 5-4 victory. Two more goals for Charlie McCuish saw him move joint top of the goal scorer chart with 19 goals, moving level with Cricklade Town’s Josh Parsons, to be joined by two others by the end of the day. The other Down Ampney goals were scored by Steve Algar, George Bailey and an 18^th of the season from Harvey Coster who sits just one goal behind the foursome on 19 in the goal scoring chart. In reply for Devizes Town Reserves there was two for Harvey Swain and one apiece for Rowan Anning and Theo Corbin. There could have been more Devizes' goals but for some tremendous saves from the Down Ampney keeper and their man of the match Nathan Townsend. The win for Down Ampney consolidated their third place position and they are now just five points behind leaders Cricklade Town having played the same number of games and with the two sides still to play each other this season. Devizes Town dropped to sixth due to results elsewhere but will be back in action on Wednesday night looking to return to winning ways with a Wiltshire Junior Cup tie under lights against near neighbours Bishops Cannings with a big crowd anticipated. Your Sport Swindon were again at the Down Ampney v Devizes Town Res game and subscribers can again view highlights by clicking on the link below or using the link from the Your Sport Swindon page of the League Website where you can also access all other games in the league that have been covered by Your Sport Swindon.

Down Ampney remain two points behind Bishops Cannings but with three games in hand, this after Bishops Cannings picked up a 3-1 away win at Shrivenham Dev to move to within three points of leaders Cricklade but having played those three more games. At Shrivenham the sides turned around with the game still looking for its first goal mainly due to Bishops Cannings keeper saving a penalty from Ryan Bragg and the home side missing a number of other chances that came their way. The goals came in the second half though and for Bishops Cannings leading scorer Szymon Raczek it was to prove to be a very productive 45 minutes as he helped himself to a hat-trick to join Parsons and McCuish at the top of the goal scoring chart, Henry Phillips with the Shrivenham Dev goal as the home side were left to rue those missed chances.

Kintbury Rangers Development are one of the form teams in the division and they made it five straight wins in the league with a 3-1 away win at Kingsdown Development. Leading 1-0 at half time thanks to a Harry Murtagh goal, Kintbury added two more after the break.  A second for Murtagh meant he was the fourth player to move onto 19 goals for the season, with Jamie Wallin getting the other Kintbury goal, Liam Geraghty with the solitary reply for Kingsdown. The win for Kintbury saw them move up to fifth place in the table.

The final league game in Division One was a Swindon derby game at Moredon where Redhouse’s visitors were Stratton Juniors. When the sides had met at the start of the season Redhouse had won 3-1 at Merton Fields but Stratton avenged that earlier home defeat running out 4-2 winners in the return fixture thanks to a hat-trick from Ogedi Uzokwe and a Ben Wells goal, Reece Pithers and a 14^th of the season from Cameron Shrubb in reply for Redhouse.

Wiltshire FA Junior County Cup

Five sides were set to be in action in the Third Round of the Wiltshire Junior Cup but in the end the tie, which looked to be the tie of the round, between Cricklade Town and Swindon Supermarine did not take place with Supermarine unable to raise a side and the tie awarded to Cricklade Town by the Wiltshire FA.

The four games that did go ahead resulted in mixed fortunes for the sides from the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with two joining Cricklade in the fourth round and two exiting the competition. Safely through are Bratton who comfortably defeated Trowbridge & District League Division Two side Durrington, who have won all ten of their league games to date, but who had lost in the last round of this cup against Warminster Town Reserves only to be given a reprieve by the Wiltshire FA. Two goals from Joe Whiteman and one apiece from Louis Wilkins and Adam Kenich did the damage for Bratton in a 4-0 win.

The other side joining Cricklade Town and Bratton in the Fourth Round are Bradford Town Reserves who came from 2-0 down against Durrington Reserves to win 5-3. They were back on level terms at half time thanks to an 11^th of the season from Kieran Balchin and a penalty from Harry Ledbury. Ledbury and Balchin then both scored a second after the break and although Durrington Reserves pulled one back, a fifth for Bradford Town Reserves from Shay Grant ensured it was they who progressed to Round Four.

The two sides who exited the competition were Marlborough Town and Pewsey Vale Development. Marlborough Town had a tough looking away tie against Mere Town who sit second in the Dorset Senior League having won all six of their league games to date. They proved too strong on the day for Marlborough running out 5-3 winners, Jake Farrell with his 16^th of the season, Harry Womersley and Henry Johnstone with the Marlborough Town goals.

Pewsey Vale Development went out of the cup at the hands of Swindon & District League Premier Division side Coleview but penalties were needed to settle matters after it had finished 2-2 at the end of 90 minutes, Kierron Kiff and Charlie Dorland with the Pewsey Vale goals. The penalty shootout saw Coleview hold their nerve to win the spot kick contest 4-3.

With one of either Devizes Town Reserves or Bishops Cannings set to join Cricklade Town, Bratton and Bradford Town Reserves in the Fourth Round the Wiltshire FA have already made the draw. Cricklade Town have been given a tough home draw with Mere Town set to visit the Leisure Centre on the first Saturday in December. Bratton meanwhile have a home draw with Pewsey Vale Development's conquerors Coleview set to be their visitors, whilst Bradford Town Reserves will be away to Laverstock & Ford Reserves. The winner of the Devizes Town Reserves Bishops Cannings game will be home to Holt from the Trowbridge & District League. All the results to date in the cup and full Fourth Round draw is shown below:

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3 November 2024