Wiltshire FA Women's County Cup

The main focus of the teams from the Ladies Premier Division Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League this weekend was the Wiltshire FA Women’s County Cup with all three of the ties played involving teams from the league.  Premier Division leaders Bemerton Heath Harlequins were looking to complete what would have been a unique double for the club over both senior sides of Swindon Town in the same season. Bemerton had beaten Swindon Town in the men’s Premier Shield and the ladies’ team were looking to emulate the achievement of their men’s side. In the last round Swindon Town had fielded their Development side against Westbury Youth, whilst the first team played a league fixture in the FA Women’s National League but for this quarter final tie Swindon fielded a much stronger side with just one of the starting lineup from the earlier round starting on this occasion, with three of the others coming on as substitutes later in the game. In the end, Bemerton found the the three-division gap between the sides too much to overcome but gave a good account of themselves. Swindon went in front on 22 minutes, Mia Mugford setting up Tori St Clair who rounded the keeper to slot home for 1-0. Swindon then doubled their lead four minutes later courtesy of an own goal. Swindon went further ahead three minutes before the half time break, Stephaney Bent getting on the end of a cross from Elise Haines to make it 3-0.  It remained that way until just after the hour mark, Mia Mugford adding a fourth for Swindon, lobbing the Bemerton keeper from the edge of the box. That was to be the end of the afternoon’s scoring as it finished 4-0 to Swindon who progress to the semi final of the competition they won last season. Barbara Swan was at the game with her camera and more of her excellent pictures can be found on the League Facebook Group page.

Whilst Bemerton were up against last season’s winners, Swindon Supermarine were away to last season’s beaten finalists Purton from the South West Regional Division One North. An impressive first half showing saw Supermarine take the lead through Chanel Crewe but Lisa Coe equalised for Purton as the two sides turned around with all to play for. Unfortunately for Supermarine, Purton went in front for the first time in the game within a minute of the restart, Chloe Neate giving her side the lead. The rest of the second half though turned into the Hayley Huckin show as the experienced striker helped herself to a hat-trick as Purton ran out 5-1 winners to secure their place in the last four.  

The other quarter final tie played on Sunday was an all Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League affair with Development Division league leaders at the start of the day, Trowbridge Wanderers, looking to cause an upset against Premier Division opposition in Calne Town. At half time it looked like a cup upset could be on the cards with Wanderers leading 1-0 thanks to a goal on 25 minutes from Nathalie Mullis. However, Helen Turley had Calne back on level terms within five minutes of the restart. It remained that way until the game entered its closing stages with it looking like penalties would be needed to settle matters but there was to be late drama. Two minutes from time Turley bagged her second of the game to break Wanderers hearts as the Premier Division side secured a narrow 2-1 win over the Development Division side to join Swindon Town and Purton in that semi final draw.

The final quarter final game between Royal Wootton Bassett Town and FC Chippenham was postponed with FC Chippenham unable to raise a side. However, the Wiltshire FA stipulated that the game needs to be played and it has now been rescheduled for Thursday night at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. The full details of the County Cup to date is shown below:

League Cup

As well as the County Cup action the two outstanding games in the League Cup to complete the First Round were played on Sunday. In the game at Salisbury Premier Division side Melksham Town proved too strong for their Development Division opponents. Rhiannon Smart put them 1-0 up with half an hour on the clock with what proved to be the only goal of the first half. Melksham Town stepped up their game after the break and doubled their lead seven minutes into the second half through Sarah Ward. Four minutes later Jade Wozniak put Melksham well and truly in command of the tie before India Mulliss added a fourth eleven minutes of time to ensure it was Melksham who progressed to the last eight where they would be home to Ferndale Rodbourne. Unfortunately, Ferndale have advised the league they cannot raise a side for Sunday’s quarter final tie and Melksham will consequently get a free pass into the last four.

The other cup tie was an all Development Division affair between Blunsdon and South Newton and Barford Hornets. When the two sides had met in the league back in October Blunsdon ran out 3-1 winners but on Sunday South Newton and Barford avenged that earlier defeat with a narrow 2-1 win. It was all square at 1-1 at half time but a second goal after the break ensured it would be South Newton and Barford who would progress to the quarter final thanks to goals from Maelin Hayes and Molly McCarthy, Kerri Abbley with the Blunsdon goal. South Newton and Barford Hornets will now host Premier Division side AFC Brislington in the quarter final this coming Sunday.

The other two quarter final ties in the League Cup this coming Sunday see Calne Town host league leaders Bemerton Heath Harlequins and a big local derby between Highworth Town and Swindon Supermarine. Bemerton and Calne have yet to meet in the league and, whilst Bemerton will start as favourites, Calne will be encouraged by last Sunday’s win in the County Cup semi final against Trowbridge Wanderers. Highworth Town and Swindon Supermarine have also yet to meet in the league but did play each other in the County Cup with Swindon Supermarine coming out on top, winning 2-1 in a tight contest between the near neighbours who are set to get familiar with each other with a league meeting set to take place in a couple of weeks and then again at the beginning of March. The full details of the League Cup to date is shown below:

With the cup action, there was just the one league game in the Premier Division and it saw Highworth Town move up to second place in the table with a 5-0 home win over Westbury Youth  with Bethan Harris scoring four of the Highworth goals to take her total for the season up to 15, although she also scored six times against Durrington and would have been the division’s top scorer if these had not been expunged from the record books. Highworth are now just three points behind leaders Bemerton having played one game more.

There will again be just the one game in the Premier Division this coming Sunday with Westbury Youth again in action when they host Kingsdown. When they met in Swindon in November Kingsdown came out on top, winning 4-2 and will be looking to complete a league double over Westbury.

There were two games in the Development Division on Sunday with games impacting both the top and bottom ends of the division. At the top of the division there are now new league leaders as Marlborough Town moved above Trowbridge Wanderers following a 3-1 away win at Malmesbury Victoria which saw them move level on points with Trowbridge, but they head the division by reason of a superior goal difference. Two goals for Elyssia O'Keeffe plus one from Sienna Lewis did the damage for Marlborough, Laura Deacon with the reply for Malmesbury.

At the other end of the table the bottom two were in action at Moredon and in a close encounter two goals from Charlotte Saunders, one in each half, saw Staverton Rangers  edge it 2-1 over Ferndale Rodbourne, Lily-May Jones with the Ferndale goal. The win for Staverton saw them move off the bottom to be replaced by their beaten opponents.

There will again be just two league games this coming Sunday with Blunsdon entertaining Malmesbury Victoria in the first of the two games. The other game involves the top two Marlborough Town and Trowbridge Wanderers who are currently separated only on goal difference and the game could prove pivotal in this season's title race. Both teams go into the game unbeaten and having won six of their seven league games to date.