DIVISION THREE: The automatic promotion places in Division Three have finally been decided, but the wait goes on to see if it will be AFC Bell or Pheasant who will be wearing the winners' crown in a week's time.
Favourites to finish top of the pile are Devizes-based AFC Bell who currently top the table with 39 points from 22 matches, just one point ahead of Pheasant who have just one match left to play.
Oli Selman's Pheasant outfit hosted Biddestone White Horse in a winner-takes-all game at Yatton Keynell, and, although Matt Unwin's White Horse side went into the game having lost just one of their previous 23 contests, they were unable to produce the goods when it really mattered and they took a tumble at the final hurdle, handing a top two finish to the Pheasant who won 7-4.
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Tamlyn Goodrich opened the scoring for the White Horse early on but his effort was cancelled out by Ben Highmore whose header brought the scores level. A rare left foot effort from Mark Coles regained the lead for the White Horse but another header, this time from Tom Jones restored parity for Pheasant.
White Horse then pressed the self-destruct button as sloppy defending in the final 10 minutes of the first half saw them gift Pheasant a 5-2 half-time advantage. Gary Lock made it 3-2 before Ben Highmore drove home his second of the game which was shortly followed by his hat-trick goal which again came from a glorious header and as good as won the game for the hosts.
The second period saw Tom Jones bag his second of the game and they could even afford to let goalkeeper Dave Sett take a penalty, which he duly converted to make it 7-2, this after White Horse lost keeper Richard Toghill with a head injury which required a trip to hospital.
Pete Dennett and Jamie Rowe scored late consolations for the White Horse who will be left wondering as to what could have been had they not dropped points to teams like Pack Horse Rangers, Blue Circle and relegated White Horse.
Blue Circle (Sunday) 1, AFC Melksham 3
AFC MELKSHAM bounced back after defeats against AFC Bell and Bromham to finish their season with a 3-1 victory away at the cement works, Westbury, over Blue Circle, who had lost only two of their previous 11 matches on home soil.
Chris Dore opened the scoring for AFC Melksham on 39 minutes and Dan Rimmer fired home number two on the hour mark. AFC Melksham's third came from Chris Rogers two minutes from time which was his first of the season.
Scott Howse replied for the cement boys, who had goalkeeper Ryan Marks to thank for keeping the scoreline respectable as he produced a number of outstanding saves to stop the result turning into a rout as AFC Melksham played some of their best football for a while to secure the points that allowed them to a top four finish.
Westbury Rangers B 1, Pack Horse Rangers 0
TWO victories in four days has put Westbury Rangers B in with a good chance of finishing their campaign in the top half of the table.
Rangers were in action on Thursday night and picked up a 2-1 win over The Crown, with Neil Gordon and Gary Tugwell scoring for Dave Griffin's side and John Oram replying.
On Sunday Rangers hosted Pack Horse Rangers who they defeated 1-0, but had it not been for the heroics of the visitors' goalkeeper Del Llewellyn the winning margin would have been greater.
Liam Griffiths drilled home a stunning half volley on 23 minutes to give Rangers the points but minutes after Griffiths crashed home what proved to be the winner Dale Rowland missed a glorious opportunity to make it 2-0.
Rob Youens hit the post for Westbury after 32 minutes and although they dominated the remainder of the first half they couldn't find the way past Llewellyn again.
The second period saw the impressive goalkeeper produce great saves to keep out shots from Rowland and Ashley Easton and Youens missed a chance to add a second when he headed straight at the visitors' shot stopper who was saved by the woodwork late on when after a succession of corners the ball fell to Ross Pugh who smacked his shot against the post.
Pack Horse had a chance to score an equaliser late on but failed to take it as Westbury held out for their 1-0 win.
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