CHIPPENHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE DIVISION ONE: Castle end Boroughs title hopes (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

CHIPPENHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE DIVISION ONE: Castle end Boroughs title hopes

2:30pm Monday 25th February 2013 in News

AFTER spending a number of weeks on the road, Castle finally had a home game for the first time this year and they hoped to continue their fine run of form against FC Boroughs.

The two sides had already met twice this season, the first encounter being edged by Boroughs 5-3 and also in the cup where Castle ran out convincing 11-3 winners so the result was expected to be close.

It was going to prove even tougher as Perkins had to raise a side with 15 first team players unavailable for various reasons but those players who stepped in did him proud as the secured a 2-1 win that had ended their guests hopes of catching Renegades for the title.

The game started quite poorly with both sides guilty of giving away possession cheaply and lumping long balls to nobody, in particular the castle.

It was however slightly against the run of play that The Castle took the lead when Jack Fisher weaved his way between the Boroughs defence and was brought down for a stone wall penalty on the half hour mark. Fisher picked himself up and continued his current good run of form in front of goal and dispatched the penalty for 1-0.

Boroughs came back at The Castle and won themselves a penalty when Anthony Brown was brought down on the edge of the area and referee Nigel Fisher deemed this foul to be just inside the box and Brown stepped up and made the scores 1-1 and this is how the sides went in at the break.

The second half started like the first had with scrappy play from both sides.

It took a moment of brilliance from Castle striker Marcus Wallen to give his team the lead, turning from 25 yards out and buried the ball into the top corner to give his side the lead once again.

For the last 20 minutes Castle were under pressure as Boroughs spurned several golden as they searched for an equaliser and only a spectacular last-minute save from Ashley Robinson denied Boroughs their goal as Castle held out for a hard-fought 2-1 victory that lifts them to third in the league after spending much of the season in the lower echelons.

Manager Tom Perkins paid special tribute to keeper Robinson for making several top-class saves and his all round performance and also to linesman Josh Robinson who ran the line for his side without making it onto the pitch.

Biddestone White Horse 3 North Star A 5 – Abandoned after 57 minutes

NORTH Star A were on course for their first win of the season away at Biddestone White Horse until the game was abandoned on 57 minutes with the Star 5-3 ahead.

Paul Clifford saw his opener for Biddestone cancelled out by Allison and Jamie-Lloyd Davies put the Star ahead only for Joe Lye to level for Biddestone who found themselves 4-2 down at the interval as goals from Matt Law and a second from Davies saw them belie their position in the drop zone.

North Star extended their lead when Adam Welsh capitalised on a dreadful display from Biddestone keeper Joe King who had a game to forget as he was at fault for all five Star goals.

Dan King pulled a goal back for Biddestone with a brilliant free kick and shortly after referee Luke Rudman called a halt to proceedings after Biddestone’s Tom Lye sustained a suspected broken jaw.

Bromham (Sunday) 1 Bradford Renegades 5

BRADFORD Renegades picked up another two points as they close in on the title, Lance Davis' side were due to visit Bromham (Sunday).

But with the New Road pitch unplayable the fixture was switched to Poulton where Renegades who opened their campaign with a 12-0 victory over the villagers claimed a 5-1 success.

Renegades' strikeforce of Davis and Sam Jordan were wasteful in front of goal with the latter missing from the penalty spot before George Palmer with his first of the season broke the deadlock to give the leaders a half-time lead.

Jordan Pinder made it 2-0 early in the second half when he turned in a rebound from a Josh Maguire corner.

Jordan got his name on the scoresheet when his toe punt went straight through the keepers legs for 3-0. Jordan quickly added his second and Renegades fourth with a well-struck left-footed volley.

As Renegades pushed forward, Bromham’s Mark Coward pulled a goal back on the break only for another Josh Maguire to find the head of Jordan from another corner and the prolific marksman took his tally for the season to 69 goals with the goal that finally ended Bromham’s resilience.

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