Premier Division

This weekend’s fixtures in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League were curtailed due to the impact of Storm Bert and were also overshadowed by the sad passing of Shrewton Chairman and League Vice Chairman, Stuart Withers who was knocked down and killed in an accident on Friday morning in Salisbury. Stuart had been a member of the Wiltshire Senior League Committee since 1999 and had taken over the position of Vice Chairman in 2006. However, he is best known in the world of football for his exploits with Shrewton United, firstly as a player and then a highly successful manager who took the club from junior football all the way to the Western League. After consultation with the family, the scheduled match at Shrewton where Trowbridge Town were the opponents went ahead, in what must have been an emotionally difficult day for both sides. The two sides wore black arm bands and held a minute’s silence before their game on Saturday as a mark of respect.

The same afternoon Shrivenham were also paying tribute to their own club legend, Roger Sheppard, who passed away during the week after a short illness, with a minute’s silence before their Premier Division game with Calne Town Reserves on a sombre day in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. As a mark of respect Shrivenham had decided not to ‘man the gate’ for the fixture, instead, suggesting spectators pay their entrance fee through the way of a donation in Roger’s name and after the game specifically wanted to thank Calne Town for their understanding and support on what was a difficult afternoon for the club. Both games were badly impacted by the effects of Storm Bert making conditions very difficult for all the sides.

The game at Shrewton United was played in front of a large crowd who had all come to pay their respects, but the game itself did not start well for the home side, Shrewton having a man sent off in the very first minute of the game and then falling behind to a Ben Wickens goal for Trowbridge Town. Jack Vallis, who was part of last season’s championship winning side at Amesbury, has returned to Shrewton this season and brought his side back on level terms with a trademark powerful header on 15 minutes to make it 1-1. It remained that way at half time as the conditions continued to deteriorate due to the persistent rain.  There was concern that the game would have to be abandoned but credit to the match officials and the two teams that the game would be played to a conclusion. It remained all square until just before the hour mark when Charlie Utterson was brought down in the box and Vallis made no mistake from the penalty spot for his second of the game. Shrewton finally made sure of all three points four minutes from time when Utterson grabbed a third to make the final score 3-1, a fitting performance from Shrewton as they paid tribute to their Chairman.  

More of Alwyn's pictures from the Shrewton v Trowbridge Town game can be found on the League Facebook Page.

Whilst the game at Shrewton would go the full duration, unfortunately the game at Shrivenham had to be abandoned by the referee 20 minutes from due to the deteriorating conditions with the score at 1-1. Calne having gone ahead through Sean Bailey, Bailey getting on the end of a defence splitting pass from Jack Smith, but James Hirst brought Shrivenham back level with a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box. Your Sport Swindon were at the game with their cameras and subscribers can view highlights of the game before its abandonment by clicking on the link below or the link on the Your Sport Swindon page of the League Website where all other games covered by Your Sport Swindon can also be accessed.

The action in the Premier Division had got underway on Friday night on the 3G at Stanley Park under lights where Park United entertained Malmesbury Victoria Development. Park started the night in fifth spot in the table whilst visitors Malmesbury sat bottom of the table with just the one point to their name from their opening 13 games but now under new management, with Krystian Hext having taken over in the dugout. The new manager has strengthened the squad with new signings as they seek to get points on the board and try and escape the relegation zone. The two sides served up an entertaining game sharing six goals and the points, Ben Pring, Adam Mitchell and Lewis McCarron scoring for Park, Sam Parker, Rob Collier and Joe Tranter replying for Malmesbury. The point for Park was enough to see them climb up to fourth place in the table, whilst despite doubling their tally for the season, Malmesbury remain rooted to the bottom of the table, nine points adrift of the team above them in the table but with four games in hand and plenty of home games still to come.

The only other game to be played in the Premier Division this weekend was another game on 3G, this time at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground where Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development were at home to Salisbury Development in a big game at the bottom end of the table in the fight to avoid relegation. With the wind and rain making things difficult for both sides, even on an artificial surface, the story of the game is really one of the home side capitalising on mistakes at the back with a high-press. They went in front playing against the wind in the first half, George Staten intercepting a ball played across the Salisbury back line to fire home. They doubled their lead when Flynn Walters this time capitalised on another defensive mistake to put Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development two goals to the good. Salisbury got themselves back into the game early in the second half with an excellent goal from Joshua Ngombi following some tricky play down the wing from Naman Gurung. First half Royal Wootton Bassett full back Oliver Smith had kept Gurung quiet but second half Gurung started to cause all kinds of problems to the Bassett defence as Salisbury went in search of an equaliser. Having avoided conceding a second, the home side with the wind behind them, upped their pressing game as they sought a third but found Salisbury keeper Ernest Osei was having an excellent game and they only made sure of the points when once again they capitalised on another defensive error, Flynn Walters the beneficiary for his second of the game as it finished 3-1.

All the other games in the Premier Division and the Fountain Trophies Cup game between Melksham Town Reserves and Larkhall Athletic Devlopment, a repeat of last season's cup final, were postponed.

Division One

Division One leaders Cricklade Town were in action both in midweek and on Saturday with mixed results, a win in midweek against their nearest challengers Down Ampney being followed by a surprise defeat on Saturday at the hands of Kingsdown Development on Saturday. On Tuesday night against Down Ampney, despite plenty of chances at both ends in the first half, including a penalty for Cricklade Town, it took until the stroke of half time for either side to find the net.  The penalty for Cricklade had been awarded for a foul on Devan Bryan but Harry Ayres saw his spot kick well saved by Down Ampney keeper Nathan Townsend, diving to his left and turning the ball around the post. Down Ampney broke the deadlock when a high ball into the box was only half cleared and fell to Nick Mason just inside the box and the former Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development player made no mistake with a low shot into the far corner to give Down Ampney a half time lead.  Cricklade upped their game after the break scoring three times. Chris Jackson brought them back level heading in from a free kick to the far post by Ayres to make it 1-1. Cricklade them went in front for the first time Josh Parsons sliding the ball in at the far post after Levi Cox had put a dangerous ball in from the left to make it 2-1. Cricklade made sure of the points with a third with the goal again coming from a free kick into the box from Ayres, which was headed on by Cox, although the ball appeared to go in off a Down Ampney defender, but Cricklade have credited the goal to Cox. The win for Cricklade saw them open up an eight-point lead over their beaten opponents at the top of the table having played one game more than Down Ampney.  Your Sport Swindon were at the game with their cameras and subscribers can view highlights of the game by clicking on the link below or the link on the Your Sport Swindon page of the League Website where all other games covered by Your Sport Swindon can be accessed.

On Saturday Cricklade Town  were back on the 3G at Cirencester Town for another home game with Kingsdown Development the visitors on this occasion but the result did not go Cricklade’s way. Trailing 1-0 at the break, Devan Bryan brought Cricklade back level within a minute of the restart. Having got back on level terms Cricklade were then reduced to ten men, goal scorer Bryan being dismissed for a second yellow card. Despite the numerical disadvantage Callum Parsons put Cricklade 2-1 up shortly after but the numerical disadvantage was to get worse for Cricklade when they had a player sent to the sin bin. Whilst down to nine men, Kingsdown got back on level terms and were then to go in front form the penalty spot, Josh Atwell with two and former Wroughton player Francesco Michienzi getting the Kingsdown goals. Restored to ten men Cricklade could not find an equaliser as improving Kingsdown Development held out to become only the second side to lower Cricklade’s colours this season. 

Lambourn Sports are up to fourth spot in the table after a comfortable 9-0 home win over Purton. Thomas Whitham led the way with a hat-trick, Brady Adams and Lewis Shaw both scored twice, with Kias Bonner-Shea and San Broadbank also amongst the goals.

The only other game to survive the weather was at Trowbridge Road, Bradford-on-Avon where Bradford Town Reserves were home to Shrivenham Development. Wiktor Wnuk put Bradford Town ahead but Jamie McGahey equalised for Shrivenham as the two teams turned around all square at the break. The second half would belong to the home side as they scored three unanswered goals to secure a 4-1 win, leading scorer Kieran Balchin putting them ahead with his 15^th goal of the season before two goals from Joel Kirby made sure of the points for the home side who remain in ninth spot in the table but moved to within two points of Bratton who sit just above them in the table.

The Fountain Trophies Cup game between Redhouse and Bratton was abandoned at half-time by the referee due to the deteriorating conditions with Bratton leading 5-1 at the time. Down Ampney saw their County Cup game postponed and the league fixture between Pewsey Vale Development and Stratton Juniors was also postponed.

For exclusive insight from the team managers of our clubs read Your Sport's Swindon weekly coverage of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. For details of how to subscribe see the advert below.

23 November 2024