WROUGHTON assistant manager Paul Bowden is relishing a battle of the best two sides in the division when they face Shrewton in the Fountain Trophies Senior Knockout Cup final, having dispatched Devizes Town Reserves 3-1 at the weekend.

Wroughton took the lead halfway through the first half when Glenn Armstrong latched onto a through ball before rounding the goalkeeper and passing into an empty net.

The visitors should have doubled their lead when Shane Hibbert hit the bar from a free header, two yards out from goal.

However, the second goal came 10 minutes after the break as Hibbert made amends with a header.

Hibbert got his second from outside the area to all but wrap up their passage into the final, with the hosts getting a late consolation.

“We rotated a few players because we thought, whatever team we put out, we would probably beat Devizes, to be fair, and we are trying to keep everybody happy for the final run in,” said Bowden

“The players that came in did really well and Eddie (Salsbury), our keeper, only had one save to make and they scored from that.

“We played well and were on the front foot for most of the game and that is really encouraging.

“Prior to the recent run of games we have been winning, when we have gone behind, we have always upped a gear and got back into the game and have a never-say-die attitude in the squad.

“We have a tough run of games coming up in the league and we need to carry that on.

“It’s nice to look forward to a final and Shrewton are a decent side as well, so probably the best two teams in the league are going to contest the final so it should be a really competitive one.”

With league leaders Wroughton not in league action, it gave the sides behind them the chance to close ground, which they both took.

Second-placed Melksham Town Reserves recorded a 7-2 win over Cricklade Town, with Dan Kovacs putting in an impressive showing to bag all of the hosts’ goals, while third-placed Shrewton were 3-1 winners at home to Corsham Town Reserves.

“Shrewton have got two more games and they are easily winnable,” added Bowden.

“We’ve still got to go to Ludgershall, who won 5-1 at the weekend, and we have got Melksham, who are probably the best side we have played all season.

“We’ve then got Trowbridge and Calne, which we would like to think are winnable but Trowbridge are picking up. They are going to be tough.”

Elsewhere, Ludgershall Sports were 5-1 victors at Wilts Calne Town and Trowbridge Town edged a five-goal thriller with Marlborough Town, while Malmesbury Victoria Development drew 0-0 draw with Bromham.