Centre go back to the summit (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Centre go back to the summit

8:44am Monday 26th March 2007 in Football

Chippenham Sunday League Premier Division

Corsham Centre went back to the top of the table with an emphatic 7-0 winat Maud Heath Sports.

Rivals Winsley had to cry off their game at Biddestone Social becaue they were unable to raise a team, leaving Centre clear to regain pole position.

It is the second time this term that Paul Ranger has pulled the plug on his team's trip to play John O'Meara's Biddestone side.

Ranger who fancies Winsley's chances of dethroning current champions Corsham Centre was unable to find eleven fit players out of a squad of 50.

From their regular squad, Ranger was missing Dean Ranger (holiday), Waleed Bakali, broken ankle, Carl Harfield and Chris Tricker, hamstring and Dan Kovacs knee, Winsley were also missing Sam Kirkpatrick, Mike Little and Luke Harfield due to other commitments.

That still would have left 42 players to select a team from, but unable to field his first choice team, Rangers opted to postpone the game leaving Biddestone very frustrated as they were missing Gary and Kevin Banks as well as Rob Blackwood and Liam Brown but were more than willing to get the game played.

With Winsley due to face Corsham Centre this coming Sunday, another postponement could be on the cards if Ranger doesn't think he will have his best available teams to face the champions.

Corsham Centre, were without James Lye, Tom Ingle and Shane Godsell for their trip to Maud Heath Sports but still returned home triumphant after beating their hosts 7-0.

Centre made the crucial breakthrough on 20 minutes when Tim Jefferies scored after being put through by Simon Gray. The impressive Ross Lye scored the second after capitalising on a defensive error.

A terrific free kick from man of the match Scott Lye opened the scoring in the second period and Liam Ralph rifled home number four. Scott Lye hammered in number five after good work from debutant Michael Blunsdon.

Simon Gray's predatory instincts saw him pounce for goal six and the same player took the ball to the by-line before pulling it back for Tim Jefferies to drill home number seven in the 75th minute A valiant rearguard action from the Sports ensured no further goals were scored, but the damage was already done by a rampant Centre side who took their goals scored tally to 87.

Trowbridge Harriers were unable to repeat their antics of last week when they beat Spencer Sports 1-0, Harriers were on the back foot before they kicked off when they only had 10 players to take on Dog & Fox Ashley who coasted to an 8-1 win.

Russell Whatley opened the scoring and scored another to make it 4-0 after a brace from Dan Fowler had put the Dog three goals to the good. Mark Robinson an own goal and another from Fowler, which saw him, wrap up a first half treble saw the Dog romp to a 7-0 half time lead.

Harriers may have been hammered in the first 45 minutes but they won the second period 2-1 as a glancing header from Mickey Spong and Cameron Henley's accounted for their consolations. The Dog's eighth arrived via an own goal although Lee Weissenbruch claimed he applied the final touch.

Spencer Sports started with nine players against Westbury Rangers A and although they gained one more after 20 minutes they crashed to a 5-0 loss away to Westbury Rangers A for whom Marc Lanfear celebrated the birth of his son with the opener.

Paul Smith headed home the second, Sam Gooding, Nick Mead and Ross Parker shared the others.

Crisis club Holt fulfilled their fixture away at Bradford News and although they lost 2-0 the signs are good that the villagers will see out the season and possibly build for next term in the process.

The Newsmen left keeper Dave Muffet on the bench and replacement shot stopper Matty Gurke did a good job between the sticks to help the newsmen to arrest a run of eight straight defeats. Clive Roddy's first goal for the club put the ahead on 15 minutes. Jamie Davis had the chance to put the news further ahead from the penalty, but he missed his spot kick.

Holt came back strongly in the second half without ever creating an real chances, the newsmen battled hard and thoroughly deserved their victory which was sealed by Mark Hurkett who drove home a free kick to make it 2-0.

Injuries and illness forced Sherston Town to postpone their game with Box Rovers, which was the second time in three weeks that Sherston have been unable to raise a team.