Goodship wins top Sunday League award (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Goodship wins top Sunday League award

8:00pm Wednesday 27th June 2007 in Football By Nick Mashiter

BIDDESTONE Arms midfielder Jack Goodship won the Chippenham Sunday League Gazette & Herald Player of the Year, but claimed he could have had a better season.

The 22-year-old top-scored with 18 goals throughout his team's Division Two campaign - but was still not happy with his form.

Goodship collected the prize, won last season by The Southgate Inn's David Lloyd, at the league's AGM at the Gladstone Club tonight.

"Even though I scored a few I should have got about 40, and I think it was one of my poorer seasons," he said. "I need to improve in front of goal next year but generally I was happy.

"What I like about our team is we have a great team spirit and we have a good mix."

Goodship has played for the Arms for four seasons after spells at Calne Town, Biddestone U18s and Chippenham Town Youth.

His team finished fifth, winning ten, losing ten and drawing two of their 22 games, and Goodship, from Limmet Road in Calne, wants an improvement next season.

"We played some really good football at times and started off well but we under-achieved against the top four," said the painter and decorator, who collected the most man of the match votes from opposing teams during the season.

"We want to be in the top three next year so we have got to make sure we perform against the better sides."

One player who believes he over-achieved is Little George's Nat Auckland, who won the coveted Gazette Golden Boot after scoring an outstanding 41 Division Four goals.

The 19-year-old left winger beat AFC Melksham's Luke Ballinger, the striker invited to train with Chippenham Town when they return next week, by one after scoring eight in the last game of the season against Old Road Tavern.

"It was my first year in the league and I scored a few at the start and just carried on, it is a bit of a shock I ended up scoring so many though," he said.

"It was a new position for me but this year has helped my confidence massively and it is fantastic to finish top scorer out of everyone."

Five and six goal hauls became a regular occurrence and Auckland, from Queen's Crescent in Chippenham, remembered a particular favourite in the six he scored against Trowbridge Town Supporters Club.

"I beat two or three players, rounded the keeper and slotted it in - it was a fairly decent one," he recalled.

Due to his form, Auckland, who also played for Melksham Town reserves, broke into the first team at The Conigre and has set his sights on securing a starting place with the Toolstation League Premier Division outfit.

He said: "I've spoken to Kelvin (Highmore, manager) and he has told me I will get my chance.

"I want to play on the right wing and with Mike Perrott leaving hopefully I can make it my own."

Last season, Corsham Centre's Simon Gray shared the award with Scott Askew after notching 50 goals.

Elsewhere on the night, Wheatsheaf's Kevin O'Daly won the Gazette-sponsored secretary of the year and Andy Rose won the Gordon Blatchford Award.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

PREMIER DIVISION: Winners Corsham Centre; Runners-up Winsley; Fairplay Sherston Town; Top scorer Marc Lanfear (Westbury Rangers A'); Assistant referee Brian Strange (Biddestone Social).

DIVISION ONE: Winners Semington Rovers; Runners-up North Star A'; Fairplay Semington Rovers; Top scorer Mark Dolman (North Star A); Assistant referee Alan Best (Chippenham S&S).

DIVISION TWO: Winners British Lion OC; Runners-up The Ship; Fairplay White Horse; Top scorer Dave Percival (The Ship); Assistant referee Roy Whiting (The Crown Devizes).

DIVISION THREE: Winners The Southgate Inn; Runners-up Cooper Avon; Fairplay Blue Circle; Top scorer Simon Gillatt (Cooper Avon); Assistant referee Pat Collier (White Hart Combe).

DIVISION FOUR: Winners AFC Bell; Runners-up AFC Melksham; Fairplay Corsham United; Top scorer Nat Auckland (Little George); Assistant referee Kevin Williams (Trowbridge TSC).

REFEREE AWARDS: Best Level 5 Neil Hickton; Best Level 6 Mark Vincent; Best Level 7 Luke Rudman.

CLUB SECRETARY OF THE YEAR: Kevin O'Daly (Wheatsheaf FC).

GORDON BLATCHFORD AWARD: Andy Rose.

ERIC HUGHES MEMORIAL KO CUP: Corsham Centre 6 Southgate Inn 0.

WG PARR TROPHY: FC Colerne 2 Pig & Whistle Utd 1.