Robson Taylor Chippenham Sunday League News 2007/08  RSS feed | About

Sam Sibbick

With Corsham Centre in Wiltshire Sunday Cup action, both Biddestone Social and Westbury Rangers A seized their opportunity to move above the defending champions, courtesy of victories over Dog and Fox Ashley and Maud Heath Sports respectively.

But with 26 points apiece they are having to share the number one spot for the time being.

Dog and Fox Ashley 2, Biddestone Social 3

WESTBURY Rangers A and Biddestone Social might be locked together on 26 points, but it's Biddestone Social who are on top of the pile by virtue of a better goal difference.

Dan Lardner and Danny Jones's side took over at the summit with a 3-2 victory over Dog and Fox Ashley that saw them stretch their unbeaten run to 10 matches, but what looked like being a comfortable victory for Lardner and co almost ended in disaster as the Dog and Fox struck two late goals to leave their guests at St Laurence School facing a few nervy moments late on.

Biddestone Social took the lead after 16 minutes when Jamie Lyons fired home from 25 yards. They doubled their lead in the 32nd minute through Dan Lardner, who bent a superb free kick over the defensive wall and into the net.

Danny Jones thought that he had wrapped up the win after 73 minutes when he volleyed home a John O'Meara cross. With the points seemingly won complacency set in and Biddestone Social conceded a goal in the 84th minute as Steve Wickings gave the Dog and Fox hope of a late fight back. And when Steve Roddy reduced the arrears to the odd goal two minutes from time the Dog and Fox sensed they might be able to snatch a point from the game they should have been out off, but time ran out and Biddestone Social were content with their victory, even if it was a lot closer than they had expected.

Maud Heath Sports 1, Westbury Rangers A 2

WESTBURY Rangers A remain in the hunt for the title after they came from behind to beat Maud Heath Sports 2-1 at the Rec in Calne.

Ali Duncan put Maud Heath one up and they looked as if they would hold the slight advantage going into the second period, but just as half-time approached Sam Tucker struck only his second goal of the season to put Shaun Gardiner's side back on level terms.

Both teams had chances to take the lead in the second half before Marc Lanfear bagged his 19th goal of the campaign to give Rangers their fourth win on the bounce and their first away from Meadow Lane in five matches, which also came in Calne when they beat North Star A 2-1 back in October.

Box Rovers 5, FC Colerne 4

BOX Rovers returned to action for the first time in three weeks with a 5-4 home win over near neighbours FC Colerne in a nine-goal thriller.

Rovers, who had been unable to raise a team for recent games against Winsley and Dog and Fox Ashley, were near full strength for their local derby which saw both teams going at each other from the off as they were keen to draw first blood.

It was Rovers who forced the opening after seven minutes when a harmless looking back pass from Dave Leask, under pressure from Pete Tye, to Colerne goalkeeper Guy Chamberlain saw the ball bobble badly and evade the boot of the keeper and trickle into the empty net.

Within five minutes Colerne were back on level terms. Dave Roderick played in Matty Campbell on the right and he tormented the Box left back, Sam Puckett, before crossing for Ross Hall to volley home.

Box Rovers regained the lead after poor defending by Colerne, which allowed Jason Walsh to make it 2-1. On the stroke of half-time Colerne squared things up. They were awarded a free kick on the right and Sam Courtnage floated a cross into the area which Dave Roderick met and swept in to the net to make it 2-2.

The first 20 minutes of the second half were dominated by Rovers and the home side took a two goal lead at 4-2 with Adam Taylor and Sam Sibbick scoring.

Sibbick's goal was controversial. A Colerne player was down injured and Colerne played the ball out so the player could get treatment. From the restart a Rovers player threw the ball to Colerne's keeper but before it arrived to Guy Chamberlain, Sibbick nipped in and put the ball in the net.

This fired up the Colerne players and with seven minutes left Liam Fullam deflected a Jamie Bowler shot past his goalkeeper to bring Colerne within one goal at 4-3.

From the restart Rover reclaimed a two goal advantage. From the kick-off Rovers touched the ball to Luke Wolf who looked up and saw the Colerne goalkeeper on his six yard line and he punted the ball towards goal and it sailed in to make the score 5-3.

With five minutes left Ross Hall made it 5-4 with his second goal of the game and for the remainder of the game Colerne did everything but snatch an equaliser.

Referee Ollie Ballinger handled the game well after being subjected to much abuse, which might have seen other officials brandish many yellow or even red cards in order to keep a grip on the game.

Winsley 2. Miller Sports 3

IT was a tale of two goalkeepers in the match at Freshford between Winsley and Miller Sports.

Miller Sports' shot-stopper Nick Evans was outstanding for the Melksham-based side, as his heroics helped Sports extend their unbeaten run to five matches, while his opposite number, Mike Thorpe, had a game he would prefer to forget as his errors proved very costly.

Winsley took the lead through Neil Hannaford's fine strike but the lead didn't last long as Sports' other outstanding performer on the day, James Eatough, brought them level when he powered home a free kick - even if it did beat goalkeeper Thorpe with a slight deflection.

Thorpe was at fault for Miller Sports' second goal when he failed to hold onto a Royston Aust shot and even helped the ball over the line.

Another good finish from distance from Hannaford brought the scores level again before the second half turned into the Nick Evans' show.

Pete Barkley, who was making his final appearance for the club, took over the spot kick duties from Neil Kirkpatrick and wished he hadn't as Evans produced a great save to keep out his effort.

Evans also produced world class saves to deny Hannaford his hat-trick and he saved the best until last when he thwarted Paul Ranger with a breathtaking save when Ranger looked to have fired Winsley ahead.

With Evans unbeatable it was left Eatough to win the game for Miller Sports when he bagged his second goal of the contest to earn Miller their 3-2 victory.

12:11pm Monday 10th March 2008

Print   Email this