WILTSHIRE SUNDAY CUP – Semi-Final Report
Lacock, lit up by Bright treble
FC Lacock 5 AFC Melksham 2
With the shoestrings-chargrill – sponsored Chippenham Sunday League guaranteed at least one Wiltshire Sunday Cup finalist for the first time since Worton & Cheverell reached the ill-fated 2019/2020 final which was cancelled, firstly due to Covid19 and then declared Null & Void after Worton disbanded at the end of that season.
With top flight rivals AFC Melksham and FC Lacock paired together in one semi-final, the question was which of the two top flight heavyweights would progress to the final looking to emulate Lion & Fiddle who in 2017 were the last league club to lift the sought after silverware when they destroyed AFC Gas 9-0.
After beating Lacock 4-3 just a couple of weeks ago, it would be fair to say that Melksham started the tie as favourites, but on the day Lacock rose to the occasion and the hosts were undone by a brilliant first half display from the villagers that saw them take a 3-0 lead on their way to a well-deserved 5-2 success, which was the first time they had tasted success over their rivals since them beat them 9-2 way back in March 2020.
Josh Bright who put in a man of the match performance scored a hat trick, with his first 2 goals coming in a destructive opening 20 minute spell for the visitors, that put the hosts on the back foot. Bright opened the scoring on 8 minutes and doubled Lacock’s lead in the 20th minute.
Lacock stretched their lead further when the unfortunate Sam Tallis put through his own net to make it 3-0 on 38 minutes and give the visitors a 3-0 interval lead.
Although Paul Gittins pulled a goal back for Melksham, midway through the second half, any though of a revival was quickly killed off as Josh Bright completed his hat trick to restore Lacock’s 3-goal cushion.
Melksham lost Jack Baker to a second yellow card, and when Mark Dolman headed home a fifth for Lacock it was game over, and although Seth Wain grabbed a late goal for the hosts, it was little more than a consolation as the tie finished 5-2 in favour of Lacock who will play either fellow Chippenham League side FC Devizes United or Swindon League outfit DPR FC in the final.
Devizes & DPR FC to try again next week
FC Devizes United P DPR FC P
The other Sunday Cup semi-final, which was due to see a third Chippenham Sunday League side in action was postponed, due to a waterlogged pitch at Beversbrook, Calne. FC Devizes United whoknow that Lacock await them in the Final will be trying that much harder to beat Swindon League, First division pacesetters DPR FC next week and set up a first ever all CDSFL final.
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