White Horse humble Melksham

9:49am Monday 3rd March 2008

DIVISION THREE: Westbury based White Horse FC claimed one of the results of the day when they humiliated AFC Melksham who were second in the Division three table before the start of play.

Clive Black's White Horse side were rock bottom of the table and with just three games left to play looked doomed for relegation as their remaining matches were against the top three sides, but they gave the chances of avoiding the drop a massive boost when tore up the form book and beat Mike Rogers side 3-1. Rogers included Mickey Hawkes in his starting 11, Hawkes who is also a referee on the league turned back the game that he was scheduled to do due to work commitments but on a day when the league were short of officials he turned out for Melksham in what they thought would have been another easy two points, but Hawkes and Co were dreadful as an inept display from the majority of players on display led to a loss that has all but ended their hopes of claiming a top two finish for a second successive season. Melksham might have been poor but White Horse were well worth their victory, Tom Shephard shocked Melksham with the Horse's opener and Andy Field doubled their lead before Andy Harrison pulled a goal back for Melksham and at that stage it was thought that Melksham might build on the goal, but it wasn't to be as a second from Sheppard sealed the fantastic win for the White Horse men which moved them out of the bottom two for the first time this season.

Also at the foot of the table, Blue Circle (Sunday) eased their relegation worries with a 4-3 triumph over Churchill Arms who had beaten them 7-3 in December. The cement boys fell behind to an Alan Jones goal but were back on level terms though 16 year old Jamie Howse for whom it was his first goal for the club. Gavin Collier volleyed Blue Circle back in front and like Howse it was his first goal for the club. Churchill hit back and restored parity with Ryan Smith finding the net. Martin Hemmens put Blue Circle ahead for the third time in the game but once more Churchill Arms struck back and squared things up and for a second time in the game it was Ryan Smith who drew the hosts level. Smith then went from hero to villain when he gave he gave away the penalty that led to Blue Circle's winner, Smith though he was harshly sent off for handball and although it fell on the shoulders of youngster Jamie Howse to take the spot kick he belied his years as he coolly tucked away the penalty to give the cement boys their 4-3 win which moved them out of the bottom two.

One of the sides who replaced Blue Circle (Sunday) and White Horse in the bottom two is Chippenham West End Club who were hammered 9-2 by table toppers Pheasant FC whose victory moved them with in five goals of becoming the first team this season to reach the century mark for goals scored. Joe Forester's free kick put Pheasant in front and he make it 2-0 with another long-range effort. Pheasant led 3-0 at the break with third coming from Jack Coathupe who found the net after collecting a long throw from Matt Scoble. Alex Orledge added number four with a great individual effort that saw him beat three players before cracking home a left footed beauty. Ben Hollinshead making his debut for the West End Club pulled a goal back for the visitors to Yatton Kennell. Coathupe added his second of the game and Pheasant's fifth with a simple tap in after Darren Wickham's shot deflected to him. Coathupe completed his hat trick before Jack Forester met a corner form his brother Joe to head home his first goal for the club. Gary Lock made it 8-1 prior to Les Donohue scored West End Club's second from the penalty spot after a clumsy challenge from Matt Pike. The scoring was completed with a penalty at the other end which saw Vince Ryan scored his first goal for the leaders.

Corsham Park Rangers join Chippenham West End Club in the bottom two after they were beaten 4-0 by Biddestone White Horse who moved back into second place after the win. Corsham Park who played the whole game with just 10 players put up a great fight but in the end the numerical advantage of the White Horse paid off. Tamlyn Goodrich gave Biddestone a first half lead, and two further goals in the second half saw him complete his hat trick. Scott Fleming score the fourth goal for the winners but he also missed the chance to make it 5-0 when he had a penalty saved by Rangers keeper Martin Perrett.

Westbury Rangers B suffered a 3-2 defeat away at The Crown FC thanks to a late winner, but they thought that they had done enough in the game to at least taken a point from the game as they came from behind twice before succumbing to Jason Lucas late winner. Jack Fisher beat Rangers offside trap and outpaced their defence to give the Crown the lead on five minutes. Sam Young brought Rangers level with a debut goal that he should always remember, a great ball from Rob Youens picked out Young who beat two defenders before firing home a wonderful strike on 12 minutes. Tom Slater gave the lead back to the Crown on 55 minutes but in the 70th minute Young scored his second of the game when he headed home a Matty Mead free kick. With the game looking set for a draw, the Crown's Jeremy Wiltshire sent a hopeful free kick into the area and it fell to the unmarked Jason Lucas who was left with a simple tap in to earn the Crown their 3-2 win.

In form AFC Bell were due to visit the Jubilee Field, Bromham form their meeting of the season with Ady Kember's Bromham (Sunday) side but instead of battling it out for another two points in their bid to climb the table, Bell will have to sit it out as Bromham postponed the game due to many of their players being away on a Stag weekend.

DIVISION FOUR Steeple Ashton Rangers will only have themselves to blame if they fail to claim an automatic promotion place from Division Four at the end of their first season in the league, Nathan Holloway's side might have played one more game than all bar one team in the top five but they are as many as eight points clear of the chasing pack who apart from Riverside Renegades keep dropping points in their bid to catch the leaders. Steeple Ashton extended their winning sequence to 11 matches with a 3-1 win away at Corsham United at a very blustery Leafy Lane where both teams struggled to find any real rhythm. Ashton, with the wind in their favour took a long time to settle into the game with Corsham looking strong from the first whistle. Neither team created much although Rangers had the better first half chances. Marc Sheppard's neat turn put him through on goal and his shot left the keeper stranded but bounced back off the bar. Lee Mounty had the best chance of the first half to give Rangers the lead but he blasted a high over the bar.

The second half started at a snail's pace, but Corsham were looking the more likely to break the deadline. Joe Pritchard found some space in the box but his shot went just over. Rangers then won a corner and Simon Old's header hit the top of the bar for the visitors. With 20 minutes to go Rangers took the lead when Adam Sheppard's cross was spilt by the keeper and landed on Matt Grist's thigh and rolled over the line. Ranger's weren't in front for long as a United free kick evaded the Ranger's defence and was tapped home at the far post by AdieWebb. Ranger's then started pushing for the win but it was Corsham creating more with Pritchard going closer but still just over the bar. With five minutes left on the clock Sam Stevens went through for Rangers and coolly slotted home to make it 2-1. Corsham then threw everything at Rangers but it was Rangers who sealed the game in injury time when Mounty's free kick was turned in by Simon Old.

Riverside Renegades consolidated second spot with a comprehensive 10-0 win away at Chippenham United RAOB for who it was their worse defeat of the campaign. Joe Taylor top scored for Lance Davis side with a hat trick. Jake Jordan and Ricky Montacute scored two each as did Ben Stephens who left the bench to score his double. Lee Ridout completed the rout.

Third placed Wanderers and Trowbridge Town Supporters Club who are in fifth spot shared four goals and the points after the two evenly matched sides fought out a stalemate that finished two apiece. Dylan Turner put Wanderers ahead when his free kick caught the wind and sailed into the back of the supporters' club net, but they were all square before the interval when Charlie Rawlings playing his first game in almost five months scored his first goal since April 2006 when his neat finish made it one each. Dylan Turner restored Wanderers lead with a spectacular 20-yard drive but midway through the second half Nigel Penelhum cancelled out Turner's goal as his 11th goal of the season earned the supporters' club a share of the points.

Basement side AFC Lyneham suffered their 19th loss of the campaign as they crashed to a 7-1 defeat at home to Kings Arms (Market Lavington) who beat them 10-1 at the end of January. Jonathan Emm who has been in great form since he returned from injury a month ago opened the scoring for the Kings Arms. Lyneham's Mark Adams had the chance to bring the scores level but he missed from the penalty spot. Lee Himsworth and Steven Foord scored a goal each to give Kings Arms a 3-0 half time lead. All three first half scores got in on the act in the second half as well with Foord scoring another two to complete his hat trick and both Emm and Himsworth scored another goal each to complete a brace each. Hayden Sheffield was Lyneham's lone scorer.

Corsham Centre B and North Star B battled out an eight goal thriller which was eventually won 5-3 by the Star side who claimed a league double over the Centre who were had lost a few players to their A team while the Star were able to use a couple of their first team in their line up and it was A team regular Pete Thornton that put the Star in front when he scored from the penalty spot. Andy Dolman double the Star's lead before the brake and when Luke Clements made it 3-0 early in the second half the game should have been won, but in true North Star style they let the Centre back into the game and goals from Mike Blunsdon, Dan Copeland and Warren Jones dragged the Centre back to 3-3 and although they had done the hard work they were unable to keep things tight at the back as goals from Dan Allison and a second from Dolman earned the Star their fine victory.

The first of this seasons press to print sponsored Eric Hughes Memorial Knockout Cup semi-finals is being staged this coming Sunday, the match featuring Devizes based sides AFC Bell and Crown Cosmos is being staged at Bromham FC and kicks-off at 2.00pm