Dilton Marsh Wanderers FC 2 Frome Collegians AFC 3
FORD FIRES ON ALL CYLINDERS FOR COLLEGIANS
Dilton Marsh Wanderers welcomed Frome Collegians AFC to the Land Warfare Centre for their opening and first ever Gooding Accounts Ltd sponsored-Trowbridge & District Football League, First Division match and despite suffering a 3-2 loss Steve Wyatt’s side should be delighted by their performance, as considering ahead of the game they had been dreading the outcome.
An early kick-off was only made possible by the efforts of both teams in finding Graham Wilkin as a stand-in referee as despite the great efforts from the League’s new RAO Neil Taylor, it looked for a while that an official may not be available.
Stan Ford was the star of the show for Collegians as he scored all 3 of his teams goals to cap a debut to remember.
Dilton Marsh actually took the lead through Camron Williams, before Stan Ford opened his account for Collegians to restore parity. A second from Ford saw Collegians take a 2-1, before the evergreen Paul Beavers got Dilton back on level terms before half time.
With everything to play for in the second half it was Collegians who were able to conjure up a winner with man of the moment Stan Ford bagging his and Collegians third of the afternoon, to give them a hard fought 3-2 success.
Freshford United FC 0 Seend United 3
HIGDON STARS FOR DEFENDING CHAMPIONS
Andy Dyer’s Seend United FC began the defence of their First Division title with a 3-0 victory away at Freshford United FC who themselves had made a return to the top fight, following a two year absence before winning the second division title last term.
Gary Higdon making his debut for Seend, opened his and the villagers account for the season when he fired the reigning champions ahead.
Jack Woolsgrove put Seend 2-0 up prior to half time before a second half strike from Higdon wrapped up a 3-0 win for the visitors to Brown’s Park over a team who were seen as a potential opening day banana skin.
Melksham Town Development FC 2 FC Devizes United 2
ALLISON NETS STUNNER TO EARN MELKSHAM A POINT
The points were shared at Oakfield Stadium, Melksham, where hosts Melksham Town Development FC and their guests FC Devizes United fought out a 2-2 draw and this was after the visitors had taken a 2-0 lead in the opening 10 minutes.
Kian Fulford scored the Devizes opener on 8 minutes and a minute later James Stobbart made it 2-0 which is how things stayed until just after the hour mark when the home team mounted a thrilling revival.
A Ryan Tyrell own goal saw the Devizes lead halved on 62 minutes and with 7 minutes remaining Deyshon Allison earned Melksham Development a share of the spoils courtesy of a sublime finish into the bottom corner from 35 yards out.
Holt FC 1 Semington Magpies FC 2
SPOT ON FRANCIS HANDS MAGPIES VICTORY
Newley promoted sides Holt FC and Semington Magpies FC met on the opening day of the season, and having drawn both of their encounters last term another close contest was predicted and the meeting at the High Street, Holt, didn’t disappoint as in what was decribed as a good old fashioned game it was Magpies who took the honours thanks to a 2-1 success
Semington almost had the lead in the first minute but a George York shot came back off the post, Holt themselves rattled the Semington bar, before Andrew Keightley’s fine ball found George York who finished well on 38 minutes to put Semington 1-0 up at half time.
Within five minutes Holt found a way back into the game, Adam Welch finishing well after the ball had been flicked on to the far post.
Semington regained the lead on 62 minutes, after a Harvey Frisby run into the box was ended when his ankles were clipped. Gavin Francis made no mistake from the spot.
Holt threw everything at Semington as they hunted an equaliser, but the Semington defence led by Jedd Cooley stood firm, while at the other end Spencer Frisby had a chance to make it 3-1 and wrap things up, but it hit the post in the 87th minute.
Henry Beer in the Magpies goal made a fine save in the last seconds to deny Holt an equaliser to make sure Semington took home all 3 points.
Heytesbury & Codford FC 3 Warminster Town Reserves FC 3
LOCAL RIVALS SHARE 6 GOAL AND THE POINTS
Near neighbours, Heytesbury & Codford FC and Warminster Town Reserves FC shared six goals and the points as a late Sam McEntee penalty earned the home team a 3-3 draw.
Goals from Bradley Edwards and last season’s Division one top scorer Liam Gibbens gave Heytesbury & Codford a 2-0 lead before Michael Reaney halved the deficit for Warminster before the break.
The second half saw Warminster get on top, Beau Blakeman got the visitors to Codford back on level terms before a Chris Bird own goal put Warminster 3-2 and on course for what would have been an excellent comeback win.
Sam McEntee came to Heytesbury & Codford’s rescue, after being awarded a penalty and under great pressure and he held his nerve and tucked the ball away to earn the hosts a point from a game they thought they were going to lose.
Hilperton Greyhound FC 2 The Stiffs FC 0
PROPERT AT THE DOUBLE FOR GREYHOUND
After spending the last two seasons in division two, together Hilperton Greyhound FC and The Stiffs FC find themselves in the top flight, the former by virtue of finishing as Division two runners up, while the latter finished in fifth spot but were pushed up to make up the numbers in Division one.
Hilperton Greyhound narrowly won both matches last term, 1-0 and 2-0, and this meeting was another close affair with Greyhound claiming a 2-0 win.
A Josh Propert goal separated the teams at half time and the win was sealed thanks to a second half finish from Propert, who also scored the winner in Greyhound’s 1-0 win over the Stiffs back in February.
Fixtures For Saturday 17th August 2024
Dilton Marsh Wanderers FC v Heytesbury & Codford FC; FC Devizes United v Frome Collegians AFC; Freshford United FC v Semington Magpies FC; Seend United FC v Melksham Town Development FC; The Stiffs FC v Holt FC; Warminster Town Reserves FC v Hilperton Greyhound FC. Matches Kick-Off @ 3.00pm unless stated otherwise.