FOOTBALL: Revenge is sweet (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

FOOTBALL: Revenge is sweet

4:25pm Monday 14th May 2007 in Football

Third division Chippenham Sunday League champions The Southgate Inn, may have wrapped the league over a week ago when they beat Wheatsheaf FC 3-1, but in the return match, Wheatsheaf gained revenge for that loss as they became the first team in 43 attempts to beat Julian Alexander's side. Having won their previous 22 matches Southgate were just two wins away from having a perfect season but they were undone by a determined Wheatsheaf side who switched the game from their usual home at Goatacre to Calne Town's Bremhill View ground and even though the heavy rain throughout day almost led to the match being postponed it was given the green light and Wheatsheaf enjoyed a 3-2 success. Terry Cox put the host one up after four minutes when he pounced on a defensive mistake and fired home from 20 yards. Southgate were on level terms three minutes later courtesy of Stuart Skinner. Wheatsheaf regained the lead via Mark Smith's long range effort and with the first half drawing to a close Terry Cox's delivered a cross into the area and the ball arrived to Mark Smith who tapped home to give the home team a two goal cushion at the break.

Southgate pulled a goal back with David Lloyd reducing the arrears to one but despite Wheatsheaf being on the back foot for the latter part of the game Southgate were unable to find an equaliser that would have kept their unbeaten intact, but credit must go to Wheatsheaf's defence who put their bodies on the line to help maintain their slender lead which in turn helped them claim a surprise but well deserved win over their previously unbeaten guests.

Southgate returned to winning ways in their final match of the season as they triumphed 5-0 away from home against a Pack Horse Rangers side who failed to win any of their final five matches of the campaign. The result may seem that the match was a little one sided but had Gar Duguid, Shane Bell, Justin Darby, Glyn Pascoe, Steve Ponting and Phil Clark not missed numerous opportunities for the hosts the scoreline might have ended differently. Andy Davis scored a hat trick for the winners with last seasons' player of the year David Lloyd adding the other two.

Cooper Avon celebrated securing the runners up spot in the division on Thursday night after they beat Sir Audley's Arms who were the only side who could have beaten them to the second automatic promotion place. Gary Newman knew that a point would have been good enough for his side to reach division two, but they produced a fine display to beat the Audley 7-0 to collect their first piece of silverware under the guidance of Newman who his arrival as manger in 2004 has turned the side around from fourth division whipping boys to a team capable of continuing the rise through the divisions. Goals from Paul Walker, Simon Gillatt and Graham Griffiths gave the tryemen a 3-0 lead at the break, the second half belong to Cooper's up and coming youngster Simon Gillatt who added four more goals to take his tally for the match to five and his total for the season to 35 which now sees him top the goal scoring charts for the division.

Biddestone White Horse increased their chances of finishing in the top half of the table with a 3-1 victory away at Blue Circle (Sunday) which was also their fourth win on the trot, Biddestone who lost five of their seven matches in April have been in sparkling form in recent weeks which is down to the form of strikers, Tamlyn Goodrich, Paul Clifford and Mark Coles, although Goodrich didn't find the target against the cement boys both Clifford and Coles did and along with Luke Pateman's first goal of the season they coasted to an easy win in appalling conditions at the Cement Works, Circle's reply came by means of a bizarre own goal, which saw both Luke Pateman and keeper Pete Dennett combine to help the ball into the net.

Biddestone White Horse entertained Cooper Avon at the weekend and it was the tyremen who continued their fine run as their 2-0 victory saw them increase stretch their unbeaten run to 12 matches while at the same time they denied the White Horse a fifth straight win, James Ponsford gave Cooper the lead after a goalless first 45 minutes and Simon Gillatt sealed the win with his 36 goal of the season.

Blue Circle finished their season in fine style as they edged a nine goal thriller by the odd goal with a 5-4 home win over the Sir Audley's Arms. The Arms, Steve Mallard scored for both teams but his own goal which put the cement boys one up was the pick of the goals, Mallard had rush of blood to the head as he lobbed his own keeper from 18 yards to start the goal fest.

Neil Watts added a double for the Circle with Martin Hemmens and Dan Cox scoring one apiece to make up the five. Andy Breeze, Ben Arthers, Adam O'Keeffe and Mallard who eventually found the right net made up the losers quartet although, both the Circle's Steve North and Pete Lusty had a helping hand in two of the goals.

Chippenham United RAOB were already relegated before they travelled to Meadow Lane to take on Westbury Rangers B and having won 3-1 on their own patch United were hopeful that they might be able to complete the season with a win, but that idea quickly evaporated as Rangers ran riot and won 10-3. Neil Gordon led the rout with four of the goals, Mark Young added two, Sam Gooding, Kevin Balchin, Dave Jones and Kevin Farrer all scored one each to make up the 10. Matt Blackmore, Ian Barrett and Adam Forester shared United's goals.