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

Oli Selman

THE Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News-sponsored Team of the Week award for May 4, 2008 has been awarded to Third Division side Pheasant FC.

For a second successive week the choice of the Team of the Week award winners was another close call, with four teams in the reckoning.

Premier Division sides Biddestone Social and Maud Heath Sports were in with a shout as were Second Division Horse and Groom, but Pheasant FC edged them all out to win their second award of the campaign.

Premier Division leaders Biddestone Social kept their hopes of claiming the title alive after their 6-4 success over Westbury Rangers A, but they had to call on all their experience as they came from 3-1 and 4-3 down to claim an 18th straight win.

John O'Meara had given Biddestone Social the lead on eight minutes, but three goals in a 14 minute spell put Westbury in charge at 3-1. Biddestone Social reduced the arrears through Danny Jones after 40 minutes and four minutes later Jamie Lyons tied the scores.

Westbury regained the lead early in the second half but Biddestone Social restored parity once more thanks to Lyons' second goal of the game. John O'Meara fired Biddestone into a 5-4 lead on 79 minutes and five minutes from time Jamie Lyons made the game safe with his third.

Maud Heath Sports, who have already won the Team of the Week award twice this season, just missed out on a hat-trick of wins after their 4-1 success against Miller Sports that as good as saw them secure their top-flight status for another season at least.

Simon Hillier, making a rare appearance for Maud Heath, gave them a 1-0 half-time lead, before Darren Holcombe stole the show in the second 45 minutes with a fine treble that wrapped up the all important victory.

Westbury-based Horse and Groom, who are currently bottom of Division Two, boosted their chances of beating the drop with an excellent 4-3 win away at Sutton Benger.

Benger twice led their opponents but the Horse and Groom showed true spirit as they came from behind to seal only their third victory of the campaign.

Alex Lutskes cancelled out Benger's opening goal and Richard Hunt, making a rare appearance for the Horse and Groom, squared things up for a second time after Benger had retaken the lead.

Horse and Groom took the lead when Benger's Ian Dawkins put through his own net and Dan Cox's shot, with the help of a deflection, made it 4-2. Benger pulled a goal back but Tim Beecham's side held out for a deserved win to keep their hopes of avoiding relegation alive.

But it was Oli Selman's Third Division Pheasant side who claimed the award for their 7-4 triumph over Biddestone White Horse.

Pheasant hosted the White Horse in a winner-takes-all game at Yatton Keynell, and although Matt Unwin's 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 but who must now wait to see if they will finish in the gold or silver medal position.

In an action packed first half Pheasant fell behind on two occasions before reaching the break with a 5-2 lead.

Ben Highmore cancelled out the Horse's opener and Tom Jones restored parity for a second time. 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 -rick 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.

The Horse grabbed two late goals but they weren't enough to save them from defeat, as Pheasant claimed a well deserved victory.

12:00pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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