CHIPPENHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE DIVISION TWO: Staverton claim derby day spoils (From Wiltshire Times)

CHIPPENHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE DIVISION TWO: Staverton claim derby day spoils

2:30pm Monday 4th February 2013 in Sport

STAVERTON consolidated their number one spot in Division Two thanks to a 6-1 win over near-neighbours Southwick Wanderers.

The win see Aaron Latchem’s side open top the table thanks to a better goal difference of plus two over Goatacre.

Levi Wood put Staverton ahead from the penalty spot, Zac Manna doubled the leaders' advantage and a second from Manna gave them a 3-0 half time lead.

The second half started as the first had finish with Staverton in the ascendancy and number four wasn’t long in coming, Jason Povey finding the target.

A second penalty of the afternoon from Wood made it 5-0 before Southwick substitute Bradley King-Taylor pounced on a defensive error to pull a goal back for the visitors.

Staverton’s sixth of the morning came from the returning Dan Mercer who came of the bench to score his first goal for the club after his recent switch from Southwick. 

GRFC 0 Goatacre CC FC 3

GOATACRE CC FC remain on the coat tails of leaders Staverton, but their 3-0 win away at GRFC means that they are now in second spot by virtue of an inferior goal difference.

Goatacre may have stretched their winning run to seven matches but they will have been disappointed that they didn’t score more goals especially after they got off to a great start.

Ross Chrichton’s double put them into a 2-0 lead but they were unable to add to their tally as GRFC responded well in the first half.

Rob Murphy added a third for Goatacre in the second half to seal their latest success, but come the end of the season if the lose out on a top two placing though goal difference this will be one game that they will look back and think what might have been.

Miller Sports 1 Kings Arms (All Cannings) 1

WITH their pitch at The Beeches, Shaw, again being unplayable, Mike Stevens' Miller Sports switched their home game against Kings Arms (All Cannings) to the Melksham Oak Community School and the better surface seemed to suit their game as took an unexpected point from Jim Wilson’s side, leaving late before claiming their 1-1 draw.

Miller, who were forced into an unforeseen change before kick off, never let it really affect them, but it was their guests who had the slightly better of what was otherwise an fairly even first with Kings Arms creating the better chances.

The second half was the opposite with Miller creating more chances although not really testing the Kings Arms keeper.

Arms took the lead on 75 minutes when a cross from the right saw the unfortunate Kevin Snow head into his own goal.

With Miller pressing for an equaliser they saw one controversially disallowed for offside when a cross from the right was flicked on by James Webb for Nick Groves to bundle home.

Miller didn’t give up and their reward came when a long throw wasn’t properly dealt with by the Kings Arms defence and Nick Groves again found the back of the net to leave both sides having to settle for a share of the spoils.

Somerford FC 2 Sutton Benger 1

AFTER avoiding a potential banana skin last weekend when they beat Southwick Wanderers, Somerford avoided another one when they hosted fellow villagers Sutton Benger, who played their part in a thrilling contest which was a great advert for grass roots and Sunday football.

Sadly for Benger they lost on getting something from the game as a late winner earned Somerford a 2-1 win.

After a goalless but eventful first half it was Benger who took the lead in the second period when Matt White put their in front.

Somerford fought back and dragged themselves level through Louis Gough and with both teams looking for a winner it looked as if one wouldn’t come.

But with 86 minutes on the clock Somerford’s top scorer Ashley Monaghan popped up to score his 18th goal of the campaign to seal another crucial win for Spike Chandler’s side.

White Horse FC 7 Wren FC 1

WITH the elements having put pay to any action at Beversbrook, bottom club Wren FC accepted the invitation of reversing their fixture against high-flying White Horse.

But the trip to Westbury, as per their previous 12 league games this season, proved fruitless as the pre-game favourites eventually ran out 7-1 winners.

With the division’s most prolific attack pitched against the frailest defence it was no surprise that there were goals, but despite their basement position the Wren fought fire with fire in an open and attacking game.

Horse started in their traditional high tempo fashion and their hunger in the opening minutes would have had the visitors fearing the worst.

With just over a minute on the clock Dale Rowland latched onto a Paul Whale pass and caused panic within the visitors’ defence, culminating in a timid back pass to stand-in keeper Mike McKellar, who scuffed his clearance to a grateful Pete Ayton who slotted into a gaping net from the edge of the area. 

It was 2-0 just two minutes later when Ayton and Rowland combined again to set up the marauding Dave Appleyard, whose left footed effort found the bottom corner, and 3-0 in the 10th minute when McKellar couldn’t keep hold of Ayton’s cross, allowing Tom Oakley to bundle home.

With the floodgates threatening to burst open the away side defied both their league position and the scoreline to not only stifle the White Horse attack, but also start creating chances of their own.

The impressive Craig Garner forced the best out of Horse keeper Rich Hunt at the midway point in the half with a 25-yard free kick, prompting a manic four minutes that saw Rowland denied at the near post by McKellar.

Hunt saved well again from Steve Roberts and finally Ayton set up Rowland to make it 4-0 and make it 11 games on the spin that the lively striker has found the net.

McKellar’s reaction save to deny Appleyard a second just after the half hour mark was the final goalmouth action of a frantic first half, with both sides going into the break with reason to be satisfied.

The Wren’s keeper was forced into action almost immediately in the second half, his save from Appleyard proving crucial as his side went straight up the other end and got the goal their efforts had deserved.

Garner’s free kick picked out an unmarked Chris Hiscock, who sent a looping half volley back over Hunt’s head to drag his side back into the game.

The goal gave the Calne side renewed confidence, but further chances were not forthcoming as Horse’s centre back pairing of Rob Hart and Danny Clarkson took control.

The home side finally put the game to bed in the 73rd minute when Ayton got his second, passing the ball into the net as the visitors failed to clear.

The woodwork then came to the rescue of the Wren, firstly denying Rowland then substitute Chris Stiles, but the respite was shortlived as the goal kick that resulted from the latter was fluffed by McKellar and gifted Rowland his second, to make it 6-1.

Hunt then saved well form both Dan Brown and Hiscock, before McKellar mirrored his opposite number’s antics to keep out Stiles.

The final goal of the game came deep in injury time as Jack Miluk raced clean through and finished clinically to wrap up the 7-1 win, with McKellar then thwarting Rowland’s hat-trick attempts with another good save.

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