CHIPPENHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR: Honours shared in top of table clash (From Wiltshire Times)

CHIPPENHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR: Honours shared in top of table clash

3:30pm Monday 18th March 2013 in Sport

WITH Stanley Park being shut due to rain on Saturday, the top of the table Division Four clash between leaders FC North Wiltshire and second placed Sportzcoach Dragonz United was moved to Leafy Lane, Corsham.

Neither team wanted to lose the fixture to the weather, as both teams had put together line-ups capable of producing something very special and the game lived up to pre-match expectations and predictions as it turned out to be a thriller that ended 4-4.

FC North Wiltshire, known to be somewhat of slow starters in games, gave Sportzcoach a great start to the game.

A defensive mistake on a boggy pitch by Lloyd Brown allowed hot shot Daniel Kovacs to score the opening goal after five minutes.

Shortly after Kovacs was at it again, shooting well from outside the area to beat Richard Toghill.

And if it were not for the keeper, North Wilts would have found themselves further behind in the opening 25 minutes as Sportzcoach tried to turn their dominance into goals.

As the half progressed North Wilts slowly got back into the game, and captain, Luke Denham pulled a goal back from a corner.

The equaliser to make it 2-2 also arrived from a corner, with Simon Gray scoring a rare headed goal.

The momentum shifted again in the second half, with Sportzcoach taking the lead after a well-taken goal after a great cross field ball from left to right allowed Ross Mather to slot home.

North Wilts were patient with possession but lacked their usual clinical finishing and touch inside the box which resulted in much frustration within the team.

Jason Brooks-Stevens equalised for North Wilts who thought that after pulling it back they might be able to push on and take the win. But a brilliant strike from all of 35 yards by Alex Shaftoe handed the lead back to Sportzcoach.

The equalising goal was also something of pure class. James Bamford gathered the ball on the edge of the area and expertly placed his shot in the corner of the goal away from the diving keeper.

Both teams pushed for a winner in the final ten minutes, and North Wilts probably had the best of the opportunities, but in the end the draw was a fair result, and one that keeps the two teams locked together at the top of the table.

Trowbridge Rangers (Sunday) 4 FC United of Chippenham 4

AFTER a delay of nearly 30 minutes, the time it took to mark their Whaddon Lane pitch out, Trowbridge Rangers (Sunday) and guests FC United of Chippenham played out the second eight-goal thriller of the morning it was probably right that the spoils were shared.

Chippenham took the lead through Alex James only for his effort to be cancelled out by Nathan Ball. Fabian Prangle regained the lead for Chippenham only for a second from Ball to get Rangers back on level terms yet again.

As the game ebbed and flowed a third of the morning from Bell put Rangers ahead for the first time, but it was the turn of the visitors to come from behind and a second from James squared things up before half time.

The second period failed to live up to the highs of the first half and a wonder volley from Chippenham’s player-manager Dudley Philpott looked to have won his side victory.

But with three minutes remaining, Sam Miller bagged the eighth goal of the morning and give the hosts a point for their efforts in what was an entertaining game of football.

MATCHES OFF: Old Road v Oakhill, Trowbridge Town Supporters Club v Melksham Cosmos, Worton & Cheverell (Sunday) v Crossblades FC.

CHIPPENHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE ROUNDUP, STATS AND PICTURES IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @gazsport and @WTSport