Premier Division

With second place Letcombe having to postpone their game due to the state of their pitch, Kintbury Rangers  were given the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table if they could secure a result at home against Kingsdown. Last season Kingsdown had done the double over Kintbury Rangers, ending any hopes Kintbury had of the league title last season, winning 2-0 in Swindon in Kintbury's penultimate game. They had also won on their last visit to the Recreation Ground returning home with all three points following a 3-2 win. With Kintbury having won 3-2 in Swindon in the first meeting this season between the two sides, there was to be no repeat of last season’s double for Kingsdown and this time it was to be Kintbury’s turn to complete a league double over their opponents. Two first half goals from Kye Williams and one from George Armstrong put them in a commanding position at the break and Armstrong made sure of all three points with his second of the game in the second half. The 4-0 win for Kintbury saw them move 11 points clear at the top of the table although Letcombe had two games in hand with the two teams set to meet in the first week of the New Year.

Park United  climbed two places in the table up into third spot, their highest position of the season, after recording their biggest league win of the season and becoming the division’s leading scorers in the process with a 9-1 home success over Blunsdon. Ben Pring led the way for Park helping himself to a hat-trick to move onto 15 for the season, Adam Mitchell and Jamie Norman both bagged a brace, Ben Selman and leading scorer Lewis McCarron with his 18^th of the season, also finding the back of the net for Park. The consolation goal for Blunsdon was scored by Nick Craft who moved his total for the season on to 11.

Melksham Town Reserves also climbed a couple of places in the table to fourth spot with a hard fought 2-1 win away against Larkhall Athletic Development. Leo Rendell put Melksham ahead from the penalty spot and the same player then doubled their lead scoring from a free kick to give Melksham a 2-0 half time lead. Judah Oyelumade pulled one back for Larkhall midway through the second half and despite Larkhall pushing Melksham hard for an equaliser some resolute defending ensured it would be Melksham who secured all three points.

Wroughton were the side to drop a couple of places in the table after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Trowbridge Town at the Weir Field. With Wroughton trailing 2-0 going into the closing stages of the game, managers Ben Jarrett and Nick Salter will no doubt view this as a point gained rather than two points dropped. They had goalkeeper Luke Kuczynski to thank for going into the half time break all square at 0-0, the Wroughton keeper twice denying Trowbridge Town’s Jamie Jordan from close range and then turning over an effort from Jamie Lyons that looked destined for the net. Trowbridge also missed a golden chance from the penalty spot following a foul in the box, but Ben Wickens sent his spot kick high over the bar as the chance was spurned. The deadlock was finally broken midway through the second half and the goal had a touch of controversy about it as the ball seemed to strike Trowbridge’s Ryan Baggs on the hand before being played forward to Jake Samuel who made no mistake as Trowbridge finally found a way past Kuczynski. Wroughton’s Max Scholefield was sent to the sin bin for disputing the decision not to award a free kick for handball. Trowbridge then extended their lead when Wickens outpaced the Wroughton defence and finished in style to give his side what looked to be an unassailable 2-0 lead which was probably deserved on the balance of chances created. As the game moved into its closing stages Wroughton were given a lifeline when Joe Herbert hit a stunning strike from distance into the top far corner of the net that gave Zak Beard in the Trowbridge goal no chance.  With the game moving into injury time Wroughton were given a chance to steal a point when a corner into the box was adjudged to have struck the hand of Trowbridge player Owen Pearce and a penalty was given. Leading scorer Jonathan Peachey-Score fired home for his 22^nd goal of the season to give Wroughton a fortuitous share of the spoils on a day when they had not been at their best. Pearce was then sent to the sin bin for what little was left of the game for his comments about the decision. Pictures from this game will be available on the League Facebook Group Page   in due course.

The other three games all involved sides battling to avoid relegation with two of the games ending in 1-1 draws. At Shrivenham visitors Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development  were looking to bounce back from the previous week’s defeat at the hands of leaders Kintbury. In a tight contest both teams found the net in the first half, Will Close putting the visitors ahead before Zac Skinner equalised for Shrivenham. That was to be the end of the afternoon’s scoring as the two sides had to settle for a point apiece. The point for Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development means they currently sit two points above the drop zone but have played more games than all of the bottom four sides. Shrivenham are now unbeaten in their last eight league games.

It was a similar scoreline at Bremhill View where Calne Town Reserves entertained another relegation threatened side, Faringdon Town. Faringdon went into the game still looking for their first points on the road in the league this season and they finally ended that unwelcome record at the seventh attempt. It was Faringdon who had the better of things in the opening 15 minutes and it was no surprise when they went in front with 18 minutes on the clock, leading scorer Kyle Bowyer hitting a stunning volley from 25 yards to put Faringdon 1-0 up. Calne went close to levelling matters just before the half hour mark, Faringdon keeper Jack Gibson pulling off a save to deny the home side. Calne were to eventually get themselves back on level terms a minute before the break, Owen Jones heading in from a ball into the box after a corner had initially been cleared. The early exchanges in the second half saw both teams go close to getting a lead and Faringdon thought they achieved just that on the hour mark, Daniel Loyden heading in from a Max Wills free kick only to see the goal struck off for a push. It was the visitors who continued to create the goal scoring opportunities but that first away win of the season in the league was to prove elusive and, in the end, they had to settle for a point that saw them edge closer to Blunsdon, they are now just two points behind them but with three games in hand. The point for Calne saw them move level on points with Shrewton United.

After five straight wins in the league, it was to prove to be a bad day at the office for Shrewton United  when they made the short journey to Bulford to take on Salisbury Development. Shrewton got off a bad start finding themselves behind with just four minutes on the clock, Jack Stacey running through the defence before slotting home for 1-0 to Salisbury. It remained just the one goal in it until seven minutes before the break, a clearance from Shrewton keeper Sam Gates going in off Salisbury’s Harry Guy to double the home side’s lead. A second of the game for Stacey after the break put Salisbury in a commanding position and it remained 3-0 until 15 minutes from time when there was a flurry of goals. Naman Gurung with his eighth of the season put Salisbury 4-0 up and whilst Shrewton pulled one back through Lewis Cross, late goals from Omario Henry and Ferhat Canlier rounded off a good afternoon for Salisbury as they recorded their biggest win of the season against their near neighbours. The win for Salisbury saw them move above Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development and they are now three points clear of the drop zone with games in hand over the two sides immediately below them in the table.  

Wiltshire Senior Cup Draw

The draw for the Wiltshire Senior Cup semi-finals was made on Thursday and published on social media on Friday and it has guaranteed that the final will involve a side from the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League, with Wroughton and Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development having drawn each other. At the moment there is uncertainly regarding the date and venue as Swindon Supermarine was shown as the venue on the social media video, which makes absolute sense, but the Wiltshire FA website and hence FA Full-Time is showing the game at Salisbury. Hopefully matters will be clarified on Monday when the Wilts FA are back in the office and hopefully the game will be at Swindon Supermarine.

Division One

With rearranged County Cup fixtures there were just four league games in Division One of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. With second placed Down Ampney and Bishops Cannings in third spot both in County Cup action, and with their own County Cup game having been rescheduled by the Wilts FA for next week, Cricklade Town had the chance to increase their lead at the top of the table when they entertained Kintbury Rangers Development. In a tight first half the league leaders led 2-1 at the break but stepped it up after the interval to score three more unanswered goals to run out 5-1 winners and go 11 points clear at the top of the table. Whilst it looks a healthy lead at this stage of the season,  Down Ampney have three games in hand and would move to within two points of the leaders if they won all three games. On target for Cricklade were Levi Cox, Harry Ayres, Chris Jackson, Emmanuel Kwarteng-Abrokwa and Josh Coombe, Alfie Davis-Ellard with that first half Kintbury goal.

Marlborough Town, who are under new management, climbed above Kintbury Rangers Development into sixth spot with a 6-0 home win over bottom of the table Purton. Two goals apiece for Tom Womersley and Kieran Maidment, Jake Farrell and Ben Tylee getting the other goals as Marlborough recorded their eighth league victory of the season.

At the other end of the table Pewsey Vale Development picked up three vital points with a 1-0 home win over Stratton Juniors which saw them move to within six points of their beaten opponents and five points of Redhouse who sit just above the re-election line. The all-important goal was scored by Andy Rossiter.

Kingsdown Development continue to be one of the form sides in the division and they made it five games unbeaten, four of which have been won, with a hard fought 1-0 victory over Shrivenham Development, Finn Broadbank with the all-important goal in the first half which was enough to secure the three points. The win for Kingsdown saw them move level on points with Bratton who sit in eighth spot in the table. Your Sport Swindon were at the game with their cameras and subscribers can view the highlights of the game by clicking on the link below or accessing from the Your Sport Swindon page of the League Website where all other games in the league covered by Your Sport Swindon can be accessed.

County Cups for Division One Sides

Down Ampney finally got to play their Gloucestershire County Intermediate North Cup 3^rd Round tie at the third attempt, the game having been postponed a fortnight ago and then again on Thursday night. When the game was finally played it was to prove to be a comfortable afternoon for the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League side as they hit six without reply against Longlevens 4ths from the Stroud & District League Division 3. Paddy Cripps and Harvey Coster both scored twice and there were further goals from Charlie McCuish and Connor Hibbs. Down Ampney will now be away to Hatherop in the quarter final with the game set to be played on Saturday 18^th January.

In the Wiltshire Junior Cup just two of the three scheduled games went ahead as the tie between Bratton  and Coleview from the Swindon & District League Premier Division being postponed due to the referee not turning up, meaning Bratton are once again falling behind with their fixtures due to the County Cup for the second season running.

In the two games that were played, it was to prove to be a good afternoon for Bishops Cannings  who secured a comfortable 7-1 win over Trowbridge & District League Premier Division side Holt. Holt had lost just the one game so far this season in the league, so this was an impressive result for Bishops Cannings who are now through to the quarter final stage. Tom Sharples set them on their way with the opener on 28 minutes, but the teams would turn round with just the one goal in it with all to play for. However, a storming second half from Bishops Cannings saw them score six times before Holt bagged a late consolation goal five minutes from time. Harry Drewitt led the way in the second half goal rush helping himself to a hat-trick, Jack Spanswick bagged a brace with Oliver Barnes getting the other Bishops Cannings goal. 

It was not such a good afternoon for the other Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League side, Bradford Town Reserves, as they fell to a 4-0 away defeat against Laverstock & Ford Reserves from the Premier Division of the Hampshire Combination & Development Football League.

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.

14 December 2024