Biddestone Social hit back for vital win

10:54am Monday 28th April 2008

Pacesetters Biddestone Social preserved their five point advantage over defending champions Corsham Centre A after both sides picked up two victories in four days.

Biddestone beat third placed Westbury Rangers A 2-1 on Thursday night to all but end Rangers' interest in the title race.

An own goal from Nick Mead, who helped Danny Jones's shot into the net early on, put Biddestone Social ahead, Marc Lanfear brought Rangers level before the break and a rare goal from Mike Few four minutes from time won Biddestone Social another vital two points.

On Sunday Biddestone Social defeated Maud Heath Sports 5-1, but the scoreline could have been a lot more had the woodwork not saved the Sports on numerous occasions after Darren Holcombe had put them ahead from the penalty spot after 25 minutes.

Shortly after Holcombe's spot kick Danny Jones headed against the bar and when Jamie Lyons's snap shot crashed against the woodwork after 49 minutes Biddestone Social could have been forgiven for thinking that it might be their day.

But on 65 minutes they fashioned an equaliser which saw Lyons fire home from 14 yards. They then took the lead in the 78th minute when Steve Casey's shot deflected in and from then on Sports' heads dropped and Dan Lardner made it 3-1 two minutes later. Within a minute Biddestone Social were 4-1 in front when Lyons scored his second goal of the game when he converted from the penalty spot after Rob Pocock had been upended.

Danny Jones completed the scoring in the 86th minute when he finished off well at the far post and that came after Mike Few hit the frame with a 25 yard effort.

Biddestone Social missed out on a sixth goal, when for a fourth time the woodwork came to the rescue of Maud Heath. This time Gary Banks was the unlucky player who saw his long-range effort rattle the post.

Corsham Centre A 4, Semington Rovers 1

CORSHAM Centre A are breathing down the necks of Biddestone Social and with the two teams matching each other win for win there is still a lot of football to be played before the campaign reaches its climax.

Goals from Shane Godsell and Simon Gray earned the Centre a 2-0 success over fierce rivals Box Rovers in midweek that saw them overcome a potential banana skin to their hopes of claiming a third straight top flight winners crown.

On Sunday the Centre were set for another tricky game when they hosted Semington Rovers, whose player-manager Allan Clarke was a colossus. But his efforts and that of his players were unable to prevent the visitors to Meriton Avenue from losing 4-1.

The first 45 minutes saw the Centre full of enterprise and Simon Gray's looping header from an inch perfect cross from the impressive Ben Moore opened the scoring after 20 minutes.

Dan King played in fellow 16-year-old Tom Lye for number two and Tom Lye headed home number three after 40 minutes for his 10th goal in just seven appearances for the Centre's first team after making his name while playing for the reserves in Division Four.

The Centre changed things around in the second period and Dan Young was one of three substitutes introduced by manager Pete Ralph and although he didn't score he continued his rich vein of form and had another fine game.

The Centre added their fourth goal after 70 minutes when James Lye, who had played the first 55 minutes in goal, headed home a Ross Lye corner.

Semington scored a deserve consolation in the 85th minute through Bobby Mitchell and only a smart save from replacement goalkeeper Matt Ralph denied Semington a second.

Bradford News 0, Westbury Rangers A 1

WESTBURY Rangers A bounced back from their Thursday night defeat against Biddestone Social with a 1-0 win away at Bradford News who had defeated North Star A 5-1 in midweek to move off the foot of the table.

But Sunday's loss, coupled with a win for North Star, saw them drop back to the basement.

Mark Maguire and Tom Downing scored doubles against the Star and Harry Hamlin's single made up the five that gave the newsmen their first victory on the road since December 2006.

Marc Lanfear scored Rangers's goal against a depleted Bradford side after six minutes, but not for the first time this term had Bradford had someone who knew where the net was then they might have got something from the game.

Martin Powell had a good chance for the newsmen but hit the post and when the ball game back to him he knocked the rebound wide.

Ashley Merchant also went close but shot straight at Rangers' goalkeeper Nathan Taylor when he should have done better.

The newsmen have two matches left in which to get out of trouble, one against local rivals Dog and Fox Ashley and the other against leaders Biddestone, and it will be a big ask to get anything from either game.

North Star A 7, Dog and Fox Ashley 1

NORTH Star A have had a mixed eight days.

Having beaten Bradford News 2-0 last Sunday, they saw them newsmen turn the tables on them on Thursday night when they lost 5-2, but they had an amazing victory on Sunday when they defeated Dog and Fox Ashley 7-1 to move out of the relegation zone and put the onus on both Maud Heath Sports and Bradford News to come up with the results to deny them another season in the top flight.

The Dog and Fox arrived at Priestley Grove with only nine players and, despite the numerical disadvantage, held their hosts to a goal-less scoreline a long time.

After half an hour they were up to 10 men but soon after they fell behind to a goal from Michael Bell who drove home a 30 yard thunderbolt to give the Star a 1-0 half-time lead.

The second period saw the Dog and Fox up to 11 players and that was when they seemed to lose their way as Mark Sharratt doubled the Star's advantage before a Pete Thornton double put them in total command.

Steve Roddy pulled a goal back for the Dog and Fox but it proved to be only a consolation as Sharratt scored his second of the game to make it 5-1 ahead of Thornton completing his hat-trick and Dan Allison putting the icing on the cake as he completed the rout to send the hosts into seventh heaven and in the driving seat to avoid relegation back to Division One.

Miller Sports 5, Winsley 2

MILLER Sports who suffered a 3-1 loss away at Dog and Fox Ashley on Thursday night - when goals from Steve Wickings (penalty), Matthew Lay and Steve Roddy helped earn the Dog their win - were back on form against Winsley on Sunday as they claimed a 5-2 triumph.

Nick Ridout, who scored for Miller Sports against the Dog and Fox, opened the scoring for his side against Winsley and Tim Knight scored their second with a delightful lob.

James Webb's first goal for the club helped his team to a 3-1 half-time lead, with Mike Little scoring for Winsley. Ashley Groves scored a double for Miller in the second period and Little scored a second for Winsley after the hosts' goalkeeper had rolled the ball to him.

Little also tried his luck from the halfway line in his attempt at a hat-trick but saw his effort bounce off the bar.