Wickings turns on the style for Dog and Fox

10:45am Monday 15th September 2008

Dog and Fox Ashley are the outright leaders following their 7-0 success over Holt and Corsham Centre A's 4-2 defeat at Biddestone Social.

The opening 20 minutes of the game at Holt was very evenly matched with both teams having chances and both keepers being equal to anything that came their way and this was despite the fact that Steve Roddy had put the Dog and Fox in front on 15 minutes which was shortly after they had lost defender Weissenbrunch with a head injury.

The Dog and Fox doubled their lead after 33 minutes when Alex Pollitt diverted Mark Gerrish's flick on beyond his own goalkeeper, Nick Corbett.

Within a minute Roddy added his second of the game to give the visitors a commanding 3-0 lead.

The second half saw the Dog and Fox hit four further goals as Russell Whatley's Bradford-based side took their winning run to three games.

Steve Wickings scored after 52 minutes, the same player added number five after 57 minutes and he completed his hat-trick after a great interchange of play between himself and Dan Fowler who after taking a short corner with Wickings played a couple of one-twos before Wickings finished off a great move.

Fowler scored the seventh when he went on a mazy run and rode the challenge of a few players before firing home a cool finish to give the Dog and Fox their biggest win since the 2006/07 season.

Biddestone Social 4, Corsham Centre A 2

CORSHAM Centre A remain in second spot on goal difference from both Maud Heath Sports and Biddestone Social, whose 4-2 success over the Centre was the first time in seven attempts that they have managed to beat their fierce rivals in a league match.

Danny Jones's and Dan Lardner's side had twice before beaten the Centre in the Knockout Cup but after finally ending their league hoodoo they will fancy their chances of going on and claiming their first ever top flight title.

The match played at Yatton Road was a credit to the league and grass roots football and will be one the Biddestone Social boys will remember for a long time.

Gary Banks was the Centre's tormentor-in-chief and the Calne Town man gave his team a dream start when he put them in front after eight minutes when he pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area to fire home from 10 yards.

Banks doubled Biddestone Social's advantage in the 26th minutes as a series of headed one-twos between Banks and Danny Jones resulted in Banks slotting home from eight yards.

Biddestone Social couldn't believe what was happening when on 42 minutes they were awarded a penalty after Rob Pocock was bundled over and up stepped Dan Lardner to fire home and give they a three-goal lead.

Even though they had a commanding lead Biddestone Social were taking nothing for granted as they had been in a similar position before and the Centre had hit back to win 4-3. But on this occasion they showed they had learned from their previous experience and although Tim Jefferies pulled a goal back for the Centre in the 70th minute Biddestone Social responded by regaining their three goal advantage when Rob Pocock was played into the penalty area where he beat a couple of players before he finished with composure to make it 4-1.

James Lye scored a second late on for the Centre but for once it was a case of too little, too late as the defending champions suffered only a second league defeat in well over 100 games.

Biddestone Social will take pleasure in their victory that could mean that they are now the new kids on the block.

The Ship FC 3, Box Rovers 5

WITH their home pitch at Woodmarsh unplayable, The Ship desperately searched for an alternative pitch to host their game with Box Rovers and due to the match between North Bradley and Rowde being off they were able to use Bradley's pitch.

The result might not have been the one that the Ship would have wanted as they suffered a 5-3 defeat, but manager Lee Hayward will be pleased that the game was played.

Wiltshire trials and a number of injuries left Hayward with a very depleted side but they shocked Rovers when they took the lead through Hayward who scored after good work from Shaun Percival. Adam Taylor scored the first of his three goals for Rovers when he drew them level and Taylor then gave Rovers the lead with his second of the match.

The second period saw Rovers take a 5-1 lead as Liam Fullam made it 3-1 before Taylor completed his treble and Tom Smith bagged number five.

The Ship rallied for a while, with late goals from Shaun Percival, who headed home a Scott Cunningham shot, and Jamie Amorouso, who followed up after the Box goalkeeper had failed to hold onto a Jake Hiscocks's shot.

The Ship could have suffered a heavier defeat had it not been for the efforts of their young goalkeeper Glenn Murley who was outstanding and veteran 45-year-old Adie Hiscock who had to play the whole 90 minutes for the losers.

Potterne 3, Westbury Rangers A 0

FOLLOWING two weeks of inactivity newly-promoted Potterne finally got their campaign underway and they started with a 3-0 victory over a depleted Westbury Rangers A side who had to call up a number of their reserve team players to make up the numbers.

Rangers found themselves two goals and two players down at half-time following the dismissal of both Darren Fryer and Ian Young.

The first 15 minutes of the match, which was played at Bromham after Potterne's pitch at Northbrook was declared unplayable, was uneventful as both teams attempted to keep things tight.

After 15 minutes the whole complexion of the game changed as Westbury Rangers were reduced to ten men after an off the ball incident led to Young getting his marching orders.

This seemed to kick-start Potterne into action and after 20 minutes they took the lead when Wayne House played the ball through to Jamie Bayes who beat the Rangers keeper with a shot into the roof of the net.

Rangers then hit the self-destruct button as on 22 minutes they were reduced to nine men when a reckless stamp from Fryer resulted in him becoming the second player to receive a red card.

Potterne then began to dictate the play and after 30 minutes Jamie Bayes scored his second goal after good work from Ben House. Westbury held on for the final minutes of the half, with Pete Ayton marshalling their defence really well, but with a two man advantage going into the second half Potterne were expected to build on their lead.

Both teams struggled in the second half but Westbury's talisman striker Marc Lanfear was kept quiet by Potterne's Matt Hale and Westbury struggled to create anything.

Potterne's third and final goal came courtesy of a well-taken goal by Julian Alexander, who took the ball around the keeper before placing it into an empty net.

FC Colerne 0, Miller Sports 2

FC COLERNE and Miller Sports went into their game at Colerne's Bath Road ground without a win and struggling with a lack of confidence having lost both of their opening two games.

And it was Miller Sports who claimed a morale-boosting win as they came up trumps with a 2-0 victory over a Colerne side who have not won in 10 games.

Miller Sports player-manager Tim Knight led by example as he gave his team the lead and Steve Cleverly made the points safe with their second.

Winsley 2, Maud Heath Sports 3

CALNE-based Maud Heath Sports travelled to Freshford where they claimed maximum points from a Winsley side who have yet to really get going this season and have just one victory from their first three outings.

Darren Holcombe scored the opener for Sports, which was cancelled out by Mike Little. Holcombe regained the lead for the Sports and he made it 3-1 with his hat-trick goal before Mike Little netted his second for Winsley which proved to be just another consolation.