FC Bradford may have suffered their first defeat of the season, but Pete Collier’s side remain top of the Premier Division.
However, the are at the summit only on goal difference from their conquerors’ Biddestone Social, who are now one of three clubs on 10 points.
The defending champions are the only team to still boast a 100 per cent record after their thrilling 6-5 success at Bradford.
Biddestone made the perfect start and were two up inside 10 minutes, Tyler Sibbick scoring from the penalty spot on two minutes after Dan King had been brought down.
George Nash doubled their lead in the ninth minute when he volleyed home from 10 yards.
Bradford halved the deficit on 17 minute when Dan Fowler slotted home, but two minutes later a second from Sibbick, who stroked the ball home with the aid of the post picking up an excellent Kieran Baggs cross, gave Biddestone a 3-1 lead.
On the stroke of half time Sibbick completed a first-half treble to make it 4-1 when he planted the ball home from 14 yards.
Two minutes after the restart Biddestone increased their lead even further through Nat Auckland who finished well from 12 yards.
Bradford upped their game as they turned the game on its head, hitting four goals to bring it back to level terms.
The first came in the 55th minute when Charlie Powell hit the target.
Two minutes later Steve Bryant scored from the penalty spot.
Mark Robinson got it back to within one goal in the 64th minute and shortly after a second of the morning from Powell restored parity at five-each. Having had the stuffing knocked out of them Biddestone managed to regroup and the snatched the lead back on 72 minutes when a Nash free kick was headed into his own net by the unfortunate Steve Rose, whose own goal proved to be the decider.
AFC Calne 0 AFC Melksham 2
BUOYED by their 4-2 win over high-flying Westbury Rangers A last weekend, AFC Melksham made the long trek to a wet and windy Avebury for a meeting with long-time rivals AFC Calne in what was to result in an entertaining game that was eventually won 2-0 by the visitors.
Melksham made few changes to the team that beat Westbury last Sunday as keeper Rob Brown was at England U18 trials and Jack Morris was on holiday but in came Nick Dibden in goal and Josh Robinson in midfield.
Both teams played some exciting football in the first half with neat and fast passing.
Melksham’s Rich Hudson had a great game as did Calne's talented winger Aaron Clegg and the home defence was grateful to their keeper Shaun Preen for some confident handling against an onslaught from Melksham.
Melksham’s keeper Dibden has a faultless 90 minutes and his handling in the wet conditions was superb despite only being troubled by the energetic Calne attack from a distance.
The visitors midfield marshaled by the tireless Ian Dowell and the hardworking Brett Partner gave Simon Dance and Gary Wotton a battle that saw the home side on the back foot for large chunks of the game.
The first goal came after some great work down the flank by Dan Barnett whose hard low drive was turned in by the back pedalling Simon Dance to give Melksham a first-half lead.
The second half saw a rally from Calne for the first 20 minutes before Melksham’s Ashley Fletcher sealed the win when he hit a long range effort beyond a helpless Calne defence.
It was just reward for Fletcher had been a thorn in the home team’s defence all game.
Semington Rovers 2 AFC Bell 3
A SIXTH defeat for Semington Rovers in seven games has seen Allan Clarke’s side tumble to the bottom of the table.
Their latest defeat was a 3-2 loss at home to AFC Bell whose win catapulted them into the top half of the standings.
Semington may have had the better of the opening 25 minutes and they were shocked as they fell behind when Marcus Wallen put Bell ahead against the run of play.
Semington clawed their way back into the game and were rewarded for their efforts when Sam Malone tied the score at 1-1.
Semington were unable to build on Malone’s goal and it was Bell who struck next through Gary Campbell whose spectacular strike gave them a 2-1 interval lead.
Luke Enderby increased Bell lead in the second half before Kelvin Lockwood scored a second for Semington which gave them hope late on of getting something from the game.
In the end it proved to be a consolation as Bell were able to see the game and an pick up win number three of the season.
Westbury Rangers A 1 Bug & Spider 6
CALNE-BASED Bug & Spider avenged their 3-2 loss at the hands of Westbury Rangers A with a 6-1 win the reverse fixture at Meadow Lane.
Rangers, who suffered their first defeat of the season last weekend when they were beaten by AFC Melksham, were hopeful of a return to winning ways and they started really well despite only having 10 players and, for a while, they were the better team but once they were up to full strength Bug & Spider took the lead through Steve Allison.
By half time Bug & Spider had opened up a four-goal lead with Neurin Jones scoring the second and third before Liam Brown bagged his first of the game.
The second half began with the visitors to Westbury increasing their lead thanks to a second from Brown.
Mark Young replied for Westbury but the final goal of the game was scored by Brown that saw him completed his own hat-trick and the half dozen for Bug & Spider.
Winsley 1 Box Rovers 3
WINSLEY were beaten 3-1 at home by old adversaries Box Rovers who have, at last, managed to get their first points on the board after defeats in their first two matches.
A patched-up Winsley lost player/manager Paul Ranger through injury early on and shortly after they fell behind to a Ross Lye goal.
Winsley dug deep and drew level before half time via a fine finish from Neil Hannaford.
Second-half goals from Tom Lye and Darrin Moss, who both used to torment Winsley in their Corsham Centre days, sealed the victory for Box.
CHIPPENHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE ROUNDUP, STATS AND PICTURES IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @gazsport and @WTSport
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