A 5-1 WIN for Tom Perkins' Castle FC side at home to Westbury Rangers saw them claim a share of the top spot in the S.K. Fruits Limited Chippenham & District Sunday League Premier Division with three-time champions Biddestone Social, who also kept their unbeaten start to the campaign intact with success at AFC Melksham.
Rangers, who had suffered defeat to Biddestone last weekend, were hoping for an immediate return to winning ways but back-to-back losses have almost certainly ended any hope Shaun Gardiner’s side may have had of finishing top of the pile.
Both sides cancelled each other out for the majority of the first half but on 43 minutes, Castle were awarded a fortuitous penalty which was tucked away by Joe Unsworth to give them a half-time lead.
Castle scored their second on 48 minutes, Jack Hopper making it 2-0. Adam Heath made it 3-0 on 65 minutes and five minutes later a first of the season from Dan Sloan made it 4-0.
Nathan Hallett pulled a goal back for Westbury on 81 minutes but it was just a consolation as a second from Sloan completed what was a comprehensive victory for the division’s dark horses.
AFC Melksham 1 Biddestone Social 3
AFC MELKSHAM returned to action for the first time in over a month with a 3-1 loss to joint leaders Biddestone Social.
The home team who have failed to show the passion to win games this season started against the defending champions with a wave of attacks and possession taking the game to the talented visitors without having a killer punch to trouble Lewis Porter.
On a rare attack Biddestone gained a penalty when Ian Dowell brought down a Social player, Nick Ridout converted the penalty to give them a half time lead on the 30th minute.
Melksham lost winger Josh Robinson just after the goal to add to a growing injury list.
The second half showed a tactical change to Melksham who kept Matt Sharp as the lone striker with Luke Turvey drop into midfield and they switched Brett Partner to right back to add pace to the back four against the pacy Biddestone frontmen.
Melksham finally got the equaliser their efforts deserved on 70 minutes when Luke Turvey lobbed the advancing Lewis Porter to square things up.
The champions struck back and within a minute Biddestone had regained the lead with Martin Johnson hitting a sweet shot past Joe Neil.
On 83 minutes Johnson finished off a 19 man passing move when he rifled home a stunning long range effort to seal the points for Ashley Smith’s side.
Melksham never gave up and Turvey had the ball in the net for a second time but his delightful lob over Porter was ruled out for offside.
Referee Roger Smith had an excellent game in the middle.
Bradford Renegades 7 Semington Rovers 2
TEN-MAN Bradford Renegades overwhelmed Semington Rovers to take a 7-2 win and claim a fifth win in their eight games to date.
Semington took the lead when Dan Rimmer netted after a mistake by Lee Ridout. Renegades restored parity when Sam Jordan headed in a Tom Rooney cross.
Jordan put Renegades in front when he found the target after being set up by Mike Evans.
Josh Maguire smashed the ball in the left of the goal to make it 3-0 before Sam Jordan completed yet another hat-trick to make it 4-1 at half time.
A second from Maguire with a simple tap in added to Renegades' lead before Evans scored an 18 yarder header for 6-1.
It was little surprise that the Renegades scoring was completed by hot shot Jordan, whose fourth of the game took his tally to 26 in just eight games.
Sam Malone pulled a goal back for Semington at the death but all credit goes to the 10 man of Bradford who played the whole games with 10 men.
MATCH OFF: Steeple Ashton Rangers v FC Colerne.
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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