Chippenham Sunday League (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Chippenham Sunday League

Biddestone Social are on course to put the picturesque village back on the footballing map.

A 4-1 victory for John O'Meara's side over village rivals Biddestone Arms in the quarter-finals of the Subsidiary Cup has left the Division One leaders just two victories away from claiming their first major piece of silverware since the side re-entered the league in 1997.

Matt Pratley set them on their way to a semi-final showdown against Fourth Division cup giant killers Pack Horse Rangers when he crashed home from 10 yards after 19 minutes.

Four minutes later Steve Healy's 25-yard effort was spilled over the line by the Arms keeper to hand Social a 2-0 advantage.

Early in the second half O'Meara rifled home a 20-yard screamer to put the game beyond the Arms and although Lee Scutter reduced the gap with a 61st-minute strike, Paul Poiner restored the Social's three-goal cushion in the 73rd minute when he turned home Danny Jones cross to give his team a reasonably easy win.

This Sunday's semi-final at Kington Langley will see Biddestone start as favourites to end the dreams of league newcomers Pack Horse Rangers.

In the other semi-final, Premier Division strugglers Hullavington entertain Third Division Old Lane United.

One-time promotion candidates Potterne FC suffered their fourth defeat on the bounce at Westbury Rangers B in the Third Division of the Vanitec Computers sponsored Chippenham Sunday League. Potterne's early season form was very impressive and a string of fine wins saw then vying with Four Seasons, Parsons Nose and the Hare & Hounds for an automatic promotion spot.

But while The Seasons and Parsons Nose have gone from strength to strength to book their place in Division Two, The Hounds and Potterne have suffered a major drop in form that ended their hopes of a top-two finish weeks ago.

Potterne were undone with goals from Steve Wyatt, Tim Combes and Lee Griffin who headed home Rangers 73rd-minute winner.

Neil Webb and Shane Holloway both struck stunning efforts for Potterne but they couldn't prevent the villagers from losing a fourth game on the trot.

Four Seasons closed the gap on leaders Parsons Nose to four points.

Playing their first match for seven weeks, the Chippenham-based side were thankful to Marcus Young whose second-half goal was all that separated the Seasons and local rivals Sir Audley's Arms.

Pig & Whistle United and Hare & Hounds produced a goalfest at Awdrey Avenue as United emerged as 6-5 winners.

Paul McCarty (2), Sam Whatley (2), Steve Robinson and Adie Cooper were United's hitmen while Tim Wootton (2), Niall McLean (2) and Matthew Benson replied for the losers.

Dog & Fox Ashley kept their hopes of claiming second place in the Premier Division alive after they claimed a 4-2 win over last term's league winners The Duke Corsham.

Ian Pryer's Bradford side left it late before sealing their win. Mark Gerrish (Dog) and Dave Crawford (Duke) traded first-half goals before the game came to life in the 75th minute when Dog's substitute Matt Cottrell gave them a 2-1 lead. Seven minutes later Nick Gerrish made it 3-1.

Duke's substitute Craig Chaplin gave his side hope of claiming a late comeback when he reduced the defecit but all hopes of a comeback were curtailed when Matt Cottrell made the game safe with two minutes left on the clock.

West Lavington finished their first season in the top flight on a high as they laid to rest the hoodoo that bitter rivals Terry's FC seemed to have over them.

Lavington's 4-0 victory was their first in three years against the Trowbridge side.

Simon Drewitt (2), Jamie Bayes and Marcus Lovsey saw them home.

Hullavington's final game of the season saw them suffer their sixth successive loss, 6-2 to Bradford News.

Charlie Powell started the scoring in the 15th minute when his corner flew straight in to give the Newsmen the lead.

Craig Samuels levelled before Powell drove home a free kick and then completed his hat-trick.

Further goals from Darren Morris, Russell Francis and George Hulbert put the outcome beyond doubt. Samuels netted Hullavington's second.

Last week's losing WG Parr Trophy finalists West End Wanderers bounced back with a 4-3 victory over the Horse & Groom which secured them First Division status next term but condemned Atworth United and Chippenham Police to Division Two.

Horse and Groom were two up thanks to a Dave Appleyard double before the game was turned on its head after Simon Hillman was shown the red card for serious foul play.

Wanderers took full advantage of their extra man as Nathan Mantle struck twice to restore parity.

Mantle hit two more after the break before Appleyard completed his own hat trick when he made it 4-3 with a consolation from the penalty spot.