SCOOP BATTLE TO HOLD OFF CHASING PACK
MATCH DAY 10 -Sunday 13th November 2022
No scheduled League games in the Premier Division of the Shoestrings sponsored Chippenham & Bath League as the majority of Clubs were in either Knockout or Memorial Cup action.
MATCH DAY 11 – Sunday 20 November 2022
Team Nathan AFC 0 Kingsmead FC 30
Team Nathan AFC who had struggled in previous weeks to raise a team bravely took on high flying Kingsmead FC with only eight players on the field. Predictably they suffered a heavy mauling from their opponents, going down 30-0.
Substitute Andrew Keen hit seven goals, Ben Wych scored six, Jed Benjamin and Charlie Saunders five each, Callum Davies and Rickie Scott two each with one each from Ritchie Chandler, Johnathan Dolman and Jordan Reeves to complete the rout.
Credit must go to the home team for their approach to the game.
Scoop FC 3 FC Devizes 2
In an eagerly awaited clash between these two teams, Scoop gained an early 2-0 half time advantage. Although FC Devizes United fought back, they eventually went down 3-2 with both keepers having had good performances.
Two goals from Ed Summers and one from Rory Davis were enough for Scoop to see off the second half goals from Jamie Walters and then Keiron Gleed.
PF Loco FC 2 AFC Melksham 4
In AFC Melksham’s first visit to Lansdown, they quickly took the lead when DJ Wheeler opened the scoring after two minutes. PF Loco then put AFC Meksham under pressure from a lively attacking performance but could not stop DJ Wheeler scoring his second just before half time with a low drive to give Melksham a 2-0 lead.
A fierce shot from distance by Angus Williamson gave PF Loco hope of a revival but it was quickly overturned when Joe Lamb’s header restored the visitors two goal lead.
Simon Smith brought PF Loco back into the game after scoring from a rebound. Melksham’s keeper Adam Dhinsa was then forced into a couple of saves to deny PF Loco before DJ Wheeler completed his hat trick to give Melksham the victory in what was a well contested game.
Gringos FC 4 Royal Oak FC 3
Steve Wilkinson scored twice for Gringos FC, for whom Ted Kirkham and Jose Morales were also on target as after being level 1-1 at the half they ground out a 4-3 win in an entertaining game. Jed Kirkwood, Liam Moffat and Sam Chapman netted for the losers.
MATCH DAY 12 – Sunday 27 November 2022
Royal Oak FC 1 Scoop FC 4
After holding leaders Scoop to a 1-1 score at half time courtesy of a Richard Tandy strike, Royal Oak conceded three more in the second period to go down 4-1.
Two goals from Lewis McCarron and one each from Rory Davis and Ed Summers for Scoop maintained their push for a trophy.
Lansdown FC 5 Team Nathan AFC 1
Lansdown FC had a comfortable 5-1 win over Team Nathan after leading 4-0 at the interval.
A hat trick from Richard Evans and two from Alex Chapman accounted for the Lansdown tally with a second half reply from substitute Jack Rowlands for Team Nathan. The match was played in the perfect spirit.
FC Devizes 2 AFC Melksham 3
In a clash of the division’s long-standing rivals, AFC Melksham narrowly edged out FC Devizes United 3-2 despite finishing with ten men after a second yellow card.
The match on Beversbrook’s 3G did have a fair few interruptions due to the ball hitting the overhead wires.
Devizes took an early lead after 15 minutes when Jordan Anning’s cross was deflected into the net. Just before the break Joe Lamb equalised from close range after a goalmouth scramble.
Melksham’s Rhys Talmarsh quickly gave the visitors the lead after good work by DJ Wheeler. This was quickly followed by another goal from Talmarsh with a low shot past the keeper.
Jamie Walters brought Devizes back into the game, scoring on 55 minutes. Devizes then pressed hard for an equalizer but the Melksham defence stood firm they kept hold their 3-2 lead.
MATCH DAY 13 – Sunday 4 December 2022
Royal Oak FC 0 PF Loco FC 3
After holding PF Loco to a goalless first half, Royal Oak went down to a 3-0 defeat with goals for PF Loco coming from Dan Bond, Nico Inglis and substitute Pete Davies.
Kingsmead FC 5 Gringos FC 0
Gringos managed to hold free scoring Kingsmead to single goal lead in the first half but conceded four more in the second as Kingsmead ran out 5-0 winners.
Two goals came from Ryan Rudland and one each from Daniel Rosser, Charlie Saunders and Jack O’Brien as Kingsmead maintained their fine form this season.
Team Nathan FC 1 Lansdown FC 1
Team Nathan AFC finally broke their duck and took a point from an entertaining 1-1 draw with Lansdown FC despitebeing 1-0 down at the half from a Ryan Metcalf strike. 10 minutes after the restart, Bradley Blackmore equalised. Lansdown had chances to retake the lead but Team Nathan held on for their first point of the season.
MATCH DAY 14 – Sunday 11 December 2022
Due to frozen pitches and the heavy overnight snow no matches were given the green light leading to the second wipe out of the season.
MATCH DAY 15 – Sunday 18 December 2022
Scoop FC v Lansdown FC H/W
Lansdown unable to raise a team – Game awarded to Scoop FC
In view of weather conditions, Committee cancelled all remaining games for safety reasons.
Sunday 25 December 2022 & Sunday 1 January 2023
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
MATCH DAY 16 – Sunday 8 January 2023
Lansdown FC 2 Royal Oak FC 1
Despite the terrible conditions, Lansdown FC overcame a strong performance from Royal Oak to take the points with a 2-1 triumph after being level at half time 1-1.
Royal Oak’s goal coming from Benjamin Strange. Ewan Barnes and an unfortunate own goal after a Will Hardy effort providing Lansdown with the points.
Kingsmead FC 4 Scoop FC 1
League leaders Scoop FC came unstuck on their visit to in-form Kingsmead FC, going behind 2-1 at the half and losing 4-1 by the end.
Ever reliable Ed Summers scoring for Scoop as James Michael Alan Payton, Charlie Saunders, Rickie Scott and substitute Anthony Conradi responded for the home team to keep their hopes of a title alive.
MATCH DAY 17 – Sunday 15 January 2023
Gringos FC 2 Team Nathan AFC 2
Both teams had to battle the elements at Lansdown with both a cold wind, hailstones and rain. Leyton Sharp and substitute Bradley Blackmore had given the Team Nathan a 2-1 half time lead after Ted Kirkham had opened the scoring for Gringos.
A second half goal from Callum Parfitt resulted in a hard-fought draw and Team Nathan’s second point of the season.
MATCH DAY 18 -Sunday 22 January 2023
Scoop FC Royal Oak FC – H/W
As Royal Oak FC were unable to raise a team, game was awarded to Scoop FC.
No other League Matches played.
MATCH DAY 19 – Sunday 29 January 2023
Gringos FC 1 Scoop FC 14
League leaders Scoop FC got back to winning ways as they outclassed Gringos 14-1 at the home team’s Lansdown pitch after leading 5-0 at the half.
Daniel Harrison provided a second half reply for Gringos. Scoop’s Ed Summers hat trick, two each from Adam Butterworth, Will Baguley and Josh Bright, along with goals from Harrison Green, Ethan Jones, Davin Selkridge-Carty, and substitutes Luke Child and Thomas Richards completed the scoring for the visitors who maintained their top spot in the division.
MATCH DAY 20 – Sunday 5 February 2023
FC Devizes United v Gringos FC – H/W
As Gringos FC were unable to raise a team, game was awarded to FC Devizes United.
Kingsmead FC 16 Team Nathan FC 0
Having scored 30 goals against their under-strength opponents in the reverse fixture last November, Kingsmead were held to a 3-0 lead at the half but took control in the second period winning by 16-0 at the final whistle.
In addition to an own goal, Ryan Rudland and Andy Keen scored four apiece, James Payton and Ben Wych added two each and Charlie Saunders, Mark Wall and Archie Morris got their name on the scoresheet as they maintained the pressure on leaders Scoop FC.
PF Loco FC 0 Scoop FC 2
A hard-fought game saw league leaders Scoop FC triumph 2-0 after leading by the odd goal at Lansdown pitch of PF Loco. Nathan Baldwin and Rory Davis providing the away team’s goals.
With just four league games left, Scoop will need to maintain top form if they are to take the title. All three teams below them can catch the leaders if they win their games in hand, although only one (Kingsmead) have both a better goal difference and could take more points.
Reports Courtesy of Geoff Thompson