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

Dan King

After their thrilling victory over Biddestone Social last night, Corsham Centre A will be crowned champions if they avoid defeat in their final match of the season at home to Holt on Sunday.

But the job may not be as straightforward as one would think as Holt go into the game on the back of a morale-boosting 4-2 victory over Westbury Rangers A last night.

A draw should be good enough to give Pete Ralph's Corsham Centre side the crown for a third season on the bounce, but Holt will fancy their chances of causing an upset.

The longer the match goes without the Centre scoring the more they could face a few nervy moments, but should they make an earlier breakthrough then they should win comfortably.

The Centre, who beat Holt 5-2 in January, thanks to singles from Dan King and Simon Gray and a hat-trick from Craig Gingell, have not conceded a goal in their last four matches and if they can keep another fifth successive clean sheet then the championship trophy will remain with the Meriton Avenue-based The race to become this season's top flight champions has been one of the best for many years and even through the Centre will be bidding to extend their unbeaten run to 21 matches, of which they have won 17 on the bounce, they won't underestimate Stuart Faint's side who could ask Tom Pang and Neil Grant to turn out for them.

Although it was a long time ago both players had a field day when Holt beat Corsham Centre 13-3 back in October 2002. Grant scored five and Pang bagged a double hat-trick. Neither player will do that again but they could just find the net.

With the Centre on a high after their win over Biddestone Social it shouldn't be a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show and even though the winning margin might not be as great as anticipated the Centre are expected to send the champagne corks popping as they look to add the Premier Division title to the Wiltshire Sunday Cup they won back in April.

Bradford News v Biddestone Social

BIDDESTONE Social's management duo of Dan Lardner and Danny Jones will have to pick their troops up for their final match of the season, which is away at Bradford News, who are as good as relegated unless they can defeat the visitors to Trowbridge Road by 20 clear goals.

Biddestone Social will approach the game believing that they will finish in the runners-up spot, but they still have a glimmer of hope that they could actually top the table should the Centre suffer an unexpected loss at home to Holt.

There are still a lot of ifs, whats buts and maybes before this season can be put to rest and there could yet be more twists and turns so Biddestone Social need to take the game seriously as football comes up with bizarre results when least expected and this Sunday might just be one of those days.

Should Holt manage a draw with the Centre, Biddestone Social would have to go goal crazy against their hosts and like Bradford, who would need to win by 20 clear goals to have any chance of staying in the division, Biddestone would have to win by 20 clear goals to take the title from the Centre.

But as crazy at it might seem, Biddestone Social, who beat the newsmen 12-1 in March, could actually do just that if they were to go for broke and throw players forward from the off.

Dan Lardner top scored with six goals when they hit the dozen, John O'Meara bagged a hat-trick, Danny Jones scored two and Gary Banks one. So, as they say, it's not over until the fat lady sings or in this case the race for the number one spot isn't over until its mathematically impossible for Biddestone Social not to catch the Centre.

Biddestone Social are tipped for a massive win, but they may fall a few goals short of their ambitious target.

Westbury Rangers A v Winsley

BEATEN Knockout Cup finalists Westbury Rangers A will be happy to settle for third place in the final table, but they will be left wondering what might have been had their title run in been injury free and players like Dave Whyte and Paul Beavers not missed important games.

Westbury, who welcome Paul Ranger's Winsley side to their Meadow Lane pitch, suffered a surprise 4-2 defeat against Holt last night and will hope to return to winning ways and claim their 17th win of the season.

Westbury Rangers beat their guests 6-4 earlier in the season, thanks to singles from Pete Ayton and Tim Coombes and doubles from Marc Lanfear and Paul Beavers. Winsley's scorers that day were Matt Taylor and Dan Kovacs, who struck a three timer, but the man Westbury will have to watch out for on this occasion is Mike Little, who has scored five goals in Winsley's last three matches.

In the past the encounters between the old adversaries have produced plenty of goals and this match should be no different.

Just like the September meeting of the sides the smart money will be on a Westbury win, but if Winsley get it right they may just come away with a share of the spoils.

Maud Heath Sports v Box Rovers

WITH Maud Heath Sports' place in the top flight for next season as good as booked they can relax when they entertain Box Rovers at the Rec in Calne on Sunday.

It is still possible that Maud Heath will suffer relegation to Division One, but for that to happen they would have to lose and basement side Bradford News would have to beat champions Biddestone Social 20 plus goals, which isn't going to happen, even in the newsmen's wildest dreams.

Maud Heath may have won only six matches all season but they came up trumps when it really mattered with two victories in their last three games which fired them to safety even if they were up and down like a yo-yo.

When the sides clashed in October, Box won 4-2, with goals coming from Jamie Harrison, Russell Gibbings and Tom Smith (2). Neurin Jones, who is now at Bremhill View Social Club, and Ricky Summers scored for Maud Heath.

With Box certain to finish in fourth place and their hosts in a position of safety the game is of little importance, but both teams will want to finish on a high so it is likely to be an entertaining match. With the home team on a high and as Box have lost three games on the spin and haven't played for three weeks, Maud Heath are tipped to avenge their earlier defeat and finish what has been a long campaign with back-to-back wins.

Dog and Fox Ashley v FC Colerne

DOG and Fox entertain FC Colerne at St Laurence School and it would be a surprise if both teams weren't glad to hear the sound of the final whistle which will bring the curtain down on what has been a strange season for both camps.

If Clive Bancroft's Dog and Fox outfit were to pick up maximum points it would see them finish in fifth place and they will probably be happy with that finish.

In the case of Colerne if results go for them and they can beat the Dog and Fox to end a six match losing run they may record a ninth place finish in their first campaign in the top flight which would have to been seen as a good achievement, but the Bath Road club might not think so because at one stage they were in sixth place before their season came off the tracks and they suffered a huge dip in form which has seen them fail to score a goal in over 450 minutes of football. If anyone can find a way past Craig Guthrie in the Dog and Fox goal he is likely to be given the freedom of Colerne.

One of those defeats came against their hosts, who beat them 4-0 a month ago when Steve Roddy bagged a hat- trick and Steve Wickings added a single.

The Dog and Fox are expected to win for a second time but unlike the first match Colerne might score a consolation goal.

1:57pm Friday 9th May 2008

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