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

Marc Harewood

Trowbridge-based The Ship remain on top, but Lee Hayward's title favourites missed out on a game that had they won would have seen them open up a five point lead over second placed Potterne FC who were without a game.

The Ship were due to host Christian Malford at the Stallards Playing Fields, and for once the pitch looked to have beaten the elements and would have been ok to play on, but work commitments meant that Malford had to postpone the match.

Foresters Arms 5, Rowde FC 2

THIRD-placed Rowde FC suffered a massive blow to the hopes of finishing as champions and their 5-2 loss away at Foresters Arms has also dented their chances of finishing in an automatic promotion place.

Rowde had already defeated Foresters 7-1 earlier in the campaign and they were expected to wrap up an easy league double, but the Melksham-based side tore up the form book as they produced their best football of the season to claim a fully deserved victory.

Marc Harewood fired Foresters into the lead in the 15th minute but their advantage didn't last long as Rowde hit back to square things up with the villagers' leading scorer Jamie Mullings hitting the target.

Mullings was on target with Rowde's second goal that gave them a 2-1 lead and at this stage it looked as if normal service had been resumed and that Rowde were on course for win number 12 of the season.

But on the stroke of half-time Foresters were given a lifeline when Greg Wilmot drove home an equaliser to make it 2-2.

The second half was totally dominated by Foresters who built on their late first half equaliser as they took the lead 10 minutes after the restart when Chris Turk made it 3-2. Foresters opened up a two-goal lead after 70 minutes with the goal of the game from Leigh Rowles-Hitchcock whose delightful diving header put the hosts in charge of proceedings and when Greg Wilmot turned home a Luke Turvey corner 10 minutes from time Rowde knew they had been beaten by a better side.

They had no excuses for their loss and were graceful in defeat as club secretary John Dalley said they had been beaten on the day by the better club.

Dalley also praised match referee Mark Sammut who had an excellent game in the middle.

Chippenham Sports and Social Club 3, North Bradley 2

CHIPPENHAM Sports and Social Club moved off the foot of the table for the first time since September following their 3-2 victory over North Bradley which avenged their 4-3 loss from the start of the year.

Jason Bull led Chippenham Sports to a great escape from the drop this time last season and although there are still a half a dozen games to be played by Christian Malford, who are now bottom, and Bull's Chippenham Sports outfit it looks as if Bull has guided his team to a second great escape in as many seasons.

Karl Sharrett put Chippenham Sports ahead, but goals from Kieran Baggs and Ryan Baggs gave Bradley, who also included Mickey Baggs in their line-up, a 2-1 lead. Nick Still netted to bring Chippenham Sports level before Adie White scored a hotly disputed late winner for the home team when he scored from the penalty spot to earn his team only their third win of the season.

It took their unbeaten run to three matches but more importantly claimed the two points that moves them on to seven points with Malford at the bottom, but their better goal difference will be vital as the season reaches its climax.

Atworth United 0, British Lion 7

ATWORTH United entertained an in-form British Lion side with a weakened side and will hope that most of their missing players will be back for next week's WG Parr Trophy semi-final against Coyote, otherwise they could suffer the same fate as they did against their Devizes-based opponents who eased home to a 7-0 success that some might say was a little flattering as Atworth had held out for 25 minutes and had chances of their own to take the lead.

With a the wind and slope in their favour, Atworth started well and after six minutes Ross Menghini weaved past four players before sending a rasping left foot drive just wide.

Three minutes later Sean Fordham found space at the back of the Lion box and his curled effort just missed the far post.

After 16 minutes right back Craig Rees' cross-field ball was well met by Rikki Sullivan but his header fizzed over the bar.

The Lion's first real chance came after 18 minutes when Nathan West turned Paul Burns but goalkeeper Joe Menghini saved well at his feet. Four minutes later Lion's inspirational midfielder Darren Brown blazed over from 25-yards.

The Lion slowly adapted to the conditions and look the lead after 28 minutes with a moment of brilliance from Luke Enderby. Seemingly isolated 45 yards from goal, the Devizes Town ace saw the Atworth goalkeeper off his line and sublimely chipped home to make it 1-0.

The goal stirred Atworth and Steve Lye was denied an equaliser on 33 minutes when Lee Campbell cleared his shot off the Lion goal line.

It was the Lion who scored next and again it was another superb finish that came from nowhere when the maverick Nathan West unleashed a trademark 25-yard thunderbolt.

Playing against the wind and the slope in the second period, Atworth were always going to struggle and their task was made even harder within a minute of the restart. West's deft pass released Luke Hunneyball and John Stockman calmly slotted home the cross at the back post to make 3-0 to the Lion.

It was 4-0 after 52 minutes. Atworth goalkeeper Menghini had his wall well placed but was powerless to stop Darren Brown's 25-yard free kick from curling into the top corner.

The Lion were now roaring at their best and it needed smart work from goalkeeper Menghini to prevent Enderby on several occasions from increasing the lead. After 72 minutes, West's through ball left Hunneyball one-on-one with the keeper and it was the Lion midfielder who produced the champagne moment of the day when he managed to trip himself up just as he was about to shoot.

The Lion's central defenders have made a habit of scoring goals from set pieces and it was therefore surprising that Atworth's defence left Dave Crawford and Andy Stonestreet unmarked on several corners. After 74 minutes Crawford produced a top class save from Menghini who somehow clawed his header out from the top corner. West finished his morning's work a minute later with his second and the Lion's fifth goal when he swiftly turned home Brown's pass from six yards out. Hunneyball then made it 6-0 with 12 minutes left when he latched onto Mikey O'Donnell's pass to calmly rounded Menghini to tap in and put to bed the earlier debacle.

After 85 minutes, Crawford finally got on the scoresheet when Enderby's corner was powerfully headed home to make it 7-0.

Ross Menghini nearly pulled a goal back for Atworth in the dying seconds but his 20-yard strike bent wide of Mark Stonestreet's goal.

Biddestone Arms 0, Coyote 4

CHRIS Carr took his Trowbridge-based Coyote side to face Biddestone Arms, but on the way to Cuttle Lane, Carr realised that he had forgotten his team's kit.

Left with the decision of whether to carry on or turn back he decided to turn up and hope that Biddestone had a spare strip that his team could use.

Luckily for Carr and Coyote, their hosts were able to oblige and in return for their generosity Coyote beat the home team 4-0.

Sam McQueen thought that he had put Coyote ahead but his effort didn't count after it appeared to go though the side netting. Jason Povey kept his good run of form going for Coyote as he eventually opened the scoring. Povey scored two further goals to complete his hat-trick before and after Darren Jones bagged a great individual strike.

Jones picked the ball up on the halfway line and went on a mazy run before firing home from 18 yards.

Both Jones and Povey might have scored the goals that earned Coyote their third maximum points haul in six games, but goalkeeper Ashley Haynes was their man-of-the-match producing a number of great saves to deny Biddestone Arms at crucial times in the game.

11:09am Monday 24th March 2008

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