PREMIER DIVISION ROUND UP – 12th November 2023
PF Loco FC 3 FC Devizes United 4
LEADERS SURVIVE LOCO FIGHTBACK
Chippenham & Bath League, Premier division leaders, FC Devizes United visited Bath based PF Loco FC who had beaten them 1-0 in last year’s Memorial Cup Final no doubt intent on revenge.
Indeed, they raced into a 4-0 lead with two goals from Jordan Kirk. Another from top scorer Oscar Webster and a fourth from Kieron Gleed. Aaron Fowler then pulled a goal back for the home team leaving them with a 4-1 deficit at half time.
Goals from Nico Ingles and Matt Curnock must have given Devizes a fright as PF Loco fought back. However Devizes held out to take a 4-3 away win and remain top of the Division for now.
Lavis FC 2 Kingsmead FC 9
WOEFUL LAVIS THUMPED BY RAMPANT KINGSMEAD
In what can only be described as a woeful performance from hosts Lavis FC against a very good Kingsmead side which saw them outplayed in every department they suffered a crushing 9-2 defeat and were thankful that the visitors to the Lye did have the services of Rhys Talmash and new signing Junior Smart on the day otherwise the damage could have been a lot worse.
Lavis made a positive start that saw Olly Sterling pick out Arthur Dolan on 7 minutes and when the burly striker headed over from close range, the miss set the pattern for the rest of the game as a combination of poor finishing and even worse defending led to Kingsmead cutting them apart at will.
Kingmead broke the deadlock on 15 minutes when a long range strike from Jon Dolman that looked to be a harmless strike on goal was misjudged by keeper Ryan Stevens and ended up in the net, leaving the keeper more than bemused as to how he never stopped it.
The visitors doubled their lead on 25 minutes, a clumsy challenge from Lavis captain Darren Jones led to Kingsmead being awarded a penalty which Charlie Saunders tucked away despite keeper Stevens getting a hand close to his effort.
Just after the half hour mark, Kingmead added a third, Charlie Saunders picked up a loose pass before skipping past a defender and delivering an inch perfect cross for Ryan Rudland to make it 3-0.
Rudland then had a chance to make it 4-0, but fluffed his lines, however a fourth arrived on 33 minutes, keeper Stevens fumbled a Antony Conradi shot into the path of Jon Dolman who turned the ball home to put Kingsmead in total control.
Lavis keeper, Ryan Stevens who had so far, had a match to forget produced a good stop to deny Sam Whitson a fifth for the visitors while at the other end and in what was a rare attack from the hosts Arthur Dolan’s snap shot from close range was cleared to safety in what was the last action of a very one-sided first half.
Lavis were much better at the start of the second period and had an early chance to reduce the arrears through Arthur Dolan, but he miscued his effort, however on 52 minutes he did find the net when he was on hand to tuck the ball away following an error by Kingsmead keeper Graeme Lawton.
Just 3 minutes later, Lavis thought they had pulled another goal back, but their joy was short lived as Olly Sterling saw his effort ruled out for handball.
This gave Kingsmead a wakeup call and on 60 minutes Ryan Rudland headed over when unmarked, but in a bizarre 3 minute spell that saw own goals from Nick Taylor and Dolan, Lavis were 6-1 down and any hopes of a comeback had gone.
Having had the stuffing knocked out of them, Lavis had all but given up when poor defending led to Ryan Rudland walking the ball into the net to make it 7-1 on 70 minutes. Rudland completed his hat trick in the 78th minute, a through ball from Lewis Baldwin saw him make it 8-1 before he turned home his fourth of the morning, scooping the ball in after his initial effort hit the bar.
9-1 up and with the points already in the bag, Kingsmead switched off at the back to allow Lavis to score a late consolation, Olly Sterling finding Dolan whose mishit shot crept over the line to make it 9-2.
Although not the close game that was predicated, it was played in a great sporting manner between the teams and well refereed by Pete Lowe who won’t have many easier days this season.
POSTPONED MATCH
Hourglass FC v Scoop FC
REPORTS COURTESY OF GEOFF THOMPSON