Robson Taylor Chippenham Sunday League News 2008/09  RSS feed | About

Craig Gingell

CORSHAM Centre A showed last night that they are not going to surrender their Premier Division title without a fight.

The defending champions reduced the gap on leaders Biddestone Social to three points after they defeated FC Colerne 7-0 in the first of their five matches in a 13 day period which includes a possible winner-takes-all battle with Biddestone Social a week on Thursday.

FC Colerne were worried before the match that they might have to play with a shortage of players but luckily for the visitors to Meriton Avenue they had more than enough turn up which was just as well as the faced a Centre side who put in one of their best performances for a while.

Corsham Centre opened the scoring after 20 minutes when returning captain Craig Gingell headed home. On 35 minutes Simon Gray bundled the ball home for number two to make it 2-0 at half-time.

The second period was only three minutes old when Ross Lye's shot took a deflection for number three. James Lye's exquisite strike after 55 minutes made it 4-0. Liam Ralph moved out of goal and the tempo increased and led to Tom Lye scoring number five. Craig Gingell scored his second goal of the night and the Centre's sixth in the 78th minute and the scoring was concluded after 85 minutes when Simon Gray set up Tom Lye for the youngster's second of the evening.

The Centre will be back in action tomorrow night when they will be hoping to narrow Biddestone Social's lead even further with a victory over North Star A.

North Bradley 5, Rowde 3

ANY hopes Rowde had of stealing the runners-up spot in Division One from Potterne were sensationally laid to rest last night when they visited North Bradley who turned the form book on its head as they ran out 5-3 winners in a match they had been expected to struggle in.

The result leaves Rowde with an anxious wait to see it they will remain in third place because if British Lion can win their remaining two matches they will move above Rowde.

The visitors to Bradley made a lightning start and should have been one up in the first minute but Dudley Philpott missed a sitter. Further chances came and went for Rowde, with Jamie Mullings and Ray King being wasteful in front of goal. Rowde eventually broke the deadlock after eight minutes when Dudley Philpott capitalised on an error by Bradley goalkeeper Mark Binns to steal in and make it 1-0.

Bradley, inspired by youngster Ryan Baggs, battled their way back into the game and equalised midway through the half when Baggs fired home his third goal of the season for the villagers.

Before the break Baggs claimed his second goal of the game although the ball was helped home by Craig Whitbread whose cushioned header from Baggs' shot wrong footed goalkeeper Ashley Robinson.

After the interval Alan House added a third for Bradley after 55 minutes and the game looked to have been wrapped up when Baggs scored his third of the match from the penalty spot to complete his first ever hat-trick for the club to give them a 4-1 lead on 68 minutes.

With 15 minutes left Rowde threatened a comeback as Jamie Mullings reduced the arrears and they cut the gap even further in the 81st minute when Ray King slotted home a penalty to cut the deficit to the odd goal.

But any thoughts Rowde had of getting a draw from the game were quickly ended by Bradley substitute Kai Leather who was gifted a fifth goal for Bradley when goalkeeper Robinson allowed his shot to sail over his head and into the net when it looked easier to save it.

Full credit must go to Bradley for their win but they must be left wondering how they can beat sides like Rowde and Potterne while losing to the so called lesser teams.

9:16am Wednesday 30th April 2008

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