WG PARR TROPHY, SEMI-FINALS: Come Sunday afternoon the finalists of this season’s Westernsport Trophies-sponsored WG Parr Trophy should be known.

We are down to the final four teams from the 39 who started out in the competition back in September and on paper it looks as it this year’s final will probably feature first division leaders White Hart Combe and second division high flyers AFC Melksham but no doubt their respective opponents Bromham (Sunday) and Rowde will have other ideas as they fight to reach April’s finale.

First division Rowde have gone of the boil of late, which means that Mickey Hawkes division two side should have a massive advantage over their hosts at Sands Lane.

Rowde may go into the game on the back of a win over North Star A but Melksham have lost just one match in all competitions this term and that was when they were beaten by first division outfit AFC Calne in the reebrooks-sponsored Knockout Cup.

If Melksham are to go on and lift the Parr Trophy they will have done it the hard way as of the four semi-finalists they are only side to have featured in all three rounds to date, they started with a convincing 9-1 victory over Pack Horse Rangers in September’s preliminary round, they followed that up with a 1-0 victory over first division Bremhill View Social Club when Owen Bryan scored the all important goal.

Bryan scored a double in Melksham’s 5-1 win over second division The Crown Devizes that booked them a quarter final showdown with Southwick Wanderers who they beat 4-0, Bryan got on the score sheet again with another two, Kane Udeh and Mike Callaghan scored one each.

Melksham may be 11 places below Kevin Whitbread’s Rowde side who if they are going to make it to the final will have to put in the performance of a lifetime like they did when they defeated first division stable mates Foresters Arms 3-2 in a second round cup classic thanks to goals from Jamie Mullings (two) and Rob Mitchell.

Prior to that Rowde who until their recent dip in from were one of the favourites to lift the trophy narrowly beat second division Christian Malford in the first round and they followed up the victory over Foresters with a 4-1 quarter-final success over second division Biddestone White Horse to set up the showdown with AFC Melksham.

Jamie Mullings, Jonathan Emm, Rob Mitchell and Ray King who shared the goals against the White Horse will have too be at their very best it they are to beat the likes of Melksham’s rock like defender Darren Whiting and top shot stopper Gareth Evans while their own keeper Ashley Robinson is going to have to excel if he is to keep out the likes of Bryan, Steve Pegler and Ashley Groves.

If the game lives up to all expectations it should be a classic and might even go the distance before a winner is found and that should be Rowde but don’t bet against AFC Melksham pulling of a cup upset.

White Hart Combe v Bromham (Sunday)

Bromham (Sunday) will go into their semi-final against first division leaders White Hart Combe at Stanley Park, Chippenham as massive underdogs but if the Ady Kember’s third division battlers can conjure up the same magic that has seen them dispose of two other division one sides on their way to making the final four, but this could be one game too far for the villagers who are going to have to produce something special if they are to book their place in the final two.

Bromham’s route to the semi final stage began with a walkover after opponents Hullavington were unable to raise a side for their first round clash.

Bromham claimed a 6-1 success over North Bradley in the second round thanks to goals from Jim Sandiford and Tom Paget who both scored two, an own goal long with an Ali Bradley effort made up the half dozen.

Next up for Bromham were Biddestone Arms who they beat 5-2, Freddie Paget top scored with a hat trick and Mike Trigo and another Bradley goal made up the nap hand.

Bromham who are in red-hot form at the moment will fancy their chances of claiming the scalp of the first division leaders but are going to have to produce another Herculean performance if they are to cause another cup upset and make the final especially as Trevor Rawlings side are odds on favourites to reach their first ever final.

Having said that Combe had to work very hard to gain a first round win over a very good fourth division side in North Star B but in the end goals from Luke Hodder, Craig Fullam, Aaron Merryweather and Ed Baldwin saw them triumph 4-3 and when cup holders Carpenters Arms withdrew from the league Combe’s manager Rawlings knew that luck must be on their side as they received a walkover to the last eight where they hammered third division outfit Corsham United 9-2, with James Stone top scoring with a four timer.

Combe who are 28 positions ahead of Bromham in league places should overcome a potential banana skin but they will have to be fully focused otherwise Bromham will have a very good chance of progressing against all the odds.