Graphics boosted by Allison return

Graphics have had a disastrous time since winning promotion, with no wins from their five five outings to date which has left them at the basement, but there could be a glimmer of hope for them this Sunday against a Horse and Groom who are just above them in the league table.

Fascia are one of 10 clubs who have players eligible to play again after serving 35 day suspensions and for Fascia the return of Steve Allison may give them spark they need to claim their first win of the new term.

Allison scored 22 times last season and has no doubt been missed. An with Mark Dolman returning to North Star, Fascia are desperate for a proven scorer as they look to climb the table. Allison could prove to be that man once again, although there is a possibility that he may have to start in goal.

At the top of the table, leaders Rowde welcome Biddestone Arms to Sands Lane, and will have to be at their very best if they are to make it six wins out of six and maintain their 100 per cent start to the season. Biddestone are unbeaten and will give Kevin Whitbread's team a tough test, although current form suggests that both points will remain in Rowde.

High-scoring British Lion OC, who have netted 27 times in just four games, should be in the goals again when they entertain local rivals The Crown Devizes, who have failed to get going this term.

Phil Oliver's team are capable of scoring from any position on the park and this could cause The Crown numerous problems, but if they can perform as they did against former leaders AFC Calne, when they lost by the odd goal, then the Lion's roar may yet be silenced.

AFC Calne, whose inactivity last weekend saw them drop from first to third spot, should return to action with a win at home to Sutton Benger. Like the top two sides, Calne have made a 100 per cent start and it looks unlikely that things will change on Sunday as Benger pose little threat to a Calne team who have bagged 24 goals to date.

Even without the injured Dean Fry, who suffered a broken leg against Fascia Graphics, Calne should have enough firepower to beat Benger for the first time ever.

Southwick Sports will be hoping they get enough players turn up for their showdown with rivals The Ship FC after they were forced to postpone last week's game away to Biddestone Arms due to a shortage of players.

Southwick won both encounters with The Ship last term, when they were known as Steeple Ashton, and on each occasion the scored ended 4-0 in favour of Carl Davies' side. Southwick are unlikely to repeat that success as The Ship are starting to play like a team who could be challenging for promotion next May.

For the Ship a lot will depend on Dave Percival who, if he is fully focused, will tear Southwick's defence to shreds as he looks to add to his five goals to date.

White Horse travel to Pig and Whistle United hopeful that they can bounce back from the 12-0 drubbing they suffered against British Lion last weekend.

Only a few weeks ago White Horse were on the end of a 11-2 defeat in the Knockout Cup, but returned the following week to beat The Horse and Groom 4-3, so they know that are able to bounce back in style.

The only concern for the Horse is that United are just above them in the table and are desperate to prove they are suffering from a dip in form and that normal service will be resumed. It could be the Horse who are going to suffer a backlash from United, who have not won since they sent Holt crashing out of the cup a few weeks back.

Division Three

WITH the new season just six weeks old, the question everyone is asking is can anyone stop early pacesetters The Southgate Inn, who are already two points clear of the chasing pack, which is led by Cooper-Avon.

Southgate visit Sir Audley's Arms and although they will be favourites to take the victory they won't be taking anything for granted as the Arms have a few players who could cause the leaders a few problems.

Dave Nolan and Luke Gullick are just a couple who on their day have the ability to undo Southgate's defence, but they will need to be sharp upfront and tight at the back if they are to become the first team to beat Devizes-based Southgate in the league.

With second placed Cooper-Avon without a game, Wheatsheaf have the chance to reclaim second spot from their rivals having surrendered it last Sunday when they lost 2-1 to the tyremen.

Wheatsheaf visit Somerford, who go into the game on the back of a 9-1 thumping against Westbury Rangers B. Early predictions that Somerford would be among the clubs fighting relegation look to be correct at this stage of the season. Wheatsheaf won both matches last term and they will be boosted by the return of Terry Cox after his suspension. If he is given a start he could open his account for the season.

Pack Horse Rangers welcome back Shahram Hemmati, who has sat out the last five weeks, and he could well make a winning return for his team who travel to Biddestone White Horse.

Pack Horse have made a steady start, winning two and losing two, while their opponents White Horse will be chomping at the bit to get back to winning ways after throwing away a two-goal lead last Sunday which resulted in them having to share the points against Chippenham United rather than taking both that looked all set to be theirs.

Blue Circle (Sunday) are at last beginning to find the form they know they are capable off. Two victories on the trot should become three when they welcome Corsham Park Rangers to the cement works.

If Blue Circle can find any consistency then they could pose a threat to the leading clubs, but if past history is anything to go by, just when things are starting to look good the boys from Westbury go and get it all wrong, just as they did when they faced Rangers last term as they suffered 4-0 and 6-2 defeats.

Westbury Rangers B will be in a confident mood ahead of their clash with strugglers White Hart Combe. Rangers, who last Sunday picked up their biggest win since February 2003 when they won 9-1, welcome Combe to Meadow Lane. On paper Rangers should be in the goals again as Trevor Rawlings' outfit has leaked 17 goals in just four games while scoring only three themselves, although in fairness to Combe 12 of them came against the top two teams.

Chippenham United RAOB may be at the wrong of the table, but the fantastic team spirit they are showing may be enough to help them creep slowly up the table and avoid a fourth successive relegation. Richard Thorne takes his United side to AFC Pilot and the game should be a lot closer than many people are predicting. Pilot are tipped to return to winning after crash landing last time out, but United may take a point.

Division Four

THINGS are starting to shape up nicely in Division Four, with the top three teams still unbeaten after they all overcame potential banana skins last time out.

Little George FC currently sit on the summit and will be expected to beat Corsham United to stretch their unbeaten run to six matches. Little George, led by Matt Scoble, are building a solid looking squad and after four barren years they could at last be challenging at the business end of the table rather than trying to avoid the wooden spoon.

Bromham (Sunday) will have to find a way of stopping 20-goal Luke Ballinger if they are to have any chance of beating AFC Melksham.

If Ballinger continues scoring at his present rate he could hit the 100 mark before the season concludes in May and write his name into the league's record books. Ballinger, who was once on the books of Bristol City, is finding it far too easy at the bottom level, but once teams find a way of containing him then his purple-patch in front of goal could turn into a grey one.

Of the five new clubs that joined the league in September, Devizes-based AFC Bell have made the best start and are unbeaten in four outings.

The Bell visit Chippenham West End Club and should capture win number four which will see them maintain their place in the top three. The West End Club made an excellent start, winning their first two matches before losing 4-0 to leaders Little George. Having missed out last weekend they will be keen to get back to action but would have picked an easier challenge if they had the choice.

Old Road Tavern travel to the Churchill Arms in West Lavington on a damage limitation exercise. Having failed to find the net in their last two matches while conceding 21 goals, Tavern need to rediscover the winning formula earlier rather than later. But they may have to wait a few weeks before claiming a second win of the campaign, as this week's opponents should prove too strong for them.

Tavern's only glimmer of hope could be that the prolific Myles Hickton, who can't stop scoring on a Saturday for Lavington, has yet to net on a Sunday, but it could be a case off once he gets one, the floodgates will open.

The Crown FC host Trowbridge Town Supporters' Club and the game will see former Town players Nick Buckle and Dean Potter reunited with their former team-mates.

In their time with Trowbridge the pair scored 30 goals between them and they have to date bagged seven for The Crown, which is just one fewer than Town have scored in total. The Crown seem to have few problems in finding the target; the only trouble they have is defending their own net. Apart from Old Road Tavern they have the worst defensive record in the league, but all that ought to change this weekend when Potter and Buckle should lead the Crown to victory.

Fourth placed Wanderers welcome North Star B to Leighton in Westbury, and after last week's round of results the game is too close to call.

Both teams go into the game on the back of victories, with the home side maybe just having a slight edge to claim win number three. The Star will again be hoping that Simon Clifford and Dave Lymath will be their shining lights in front of goal and add to their joint tally of nine goals.

Premier Division

WITH leaders Corsham Centre playing in the FA Sunday Cup, second placed Westbury Rangers A will take over at the top should they beat Dog and Fox Ashley.

But that won't be an easy task as the Dog are unbeaten in their last five league and cup outings. Dog and Fox manager Clive Bancroft has been boosted in recent weeks by the return to form of striker Steve Roddy, who has netted three hat-tricks on the trot, but up against Rangers the Dog will come face to face with another top goal getter in Marc Lanfear, who has hit the target 150 times for his team in the past six seasons. The battle of the two strikers could decide where the points end up.

Winsley have already beaten Bradford News this season and all the signs point to another victory for the villagers over the newsmen, but, having taken their first point of the campaign last weekend when they gained a creditable 2-2 draw with Westbury Rangers, Colin Lewis could lead his team to an unexpected win.

The newsmen know they can beat Winsley, having achieved that feat last term, and they will be going all out to avenge their earlier defeat, but this season's Winsley side have a new swagger about them and with a number of Frome Town players to call on they could be the team to compete with the Centre.

Maud Heath Sports and Spencer Sports will almost certainly give a start to their players who are returning from suspension. Maud Heath have Adie Simpkins available again while Spencer Sports welcome back Ashley Groves who has been a huge loss for Tom Aust's team. Spencer Sports, who have suffered two defeats on the bounce to Corsham Centre, should get back to winning ways against a Sports side who have registered just one win from five outings.

Last time Biddestone Social hosted Trowbridge Harriers they walloped them 15-1, with Dan Lardner scoring six times and Gary Banks five.

Should they play, both players will fancy their chances of getting among the goals again, but Harriers may not be the pushover they were in the first month of the season. After an influx of new players they narrowly missed out to Sherston Town last Sunday and although Harriers will be odds-on to lose against Biddestone the margin of defeat may not be as heavy as many people would have predicted a couple of weeks ago.

Box Rovers have recently strengthened their team with the signings of John Scott and Ryan Bush and both players should play their part in making Rovers a force to reckoned with once more as they seek the form that led them to the title in 2002.

Since then Rovers have failed to live up to expectations, but with a new management team of Jamie Harrison and Lee McCarron in place things are starting to improve. Rovers, who claimed their first league win last weekend, should have few worries in seeing off Sherston Town even though their hosts are above them in the table.

Division One

NORTH Bradley sit proudly on top of the table with a 100 per cent record and a trip to Christian Malford should see them maintain their excellent start.

Bradley's unlikely hero to date has been Stuart Powell, who seven goals have helped his team to the top. In the past Powell has made the headlines for the wrong reasons, but as long as he can stay on the pitch he could play a major part in Bradley's season.

Since the departure of a number of key players Malford have struggled to get anywhere near their best form and with a number of new players on board it may take a while for them to register another win.

Kings Arms (Trowbridge) travel to FC Colerne for what should be an intriguing clash between the second and fourth placed teams. The Arms are one point behind Bradley at the top of the table and are ready to pounce should the leaders slip up. Colerne will give Chris Carr's team a good test of their title credentials and it would be no surprise if the hosts were to deny the Arms victory.

Third-placed Semington Rovers visit North Star A for what should be another interesting contest.

The Star have resigned Mark Dolman from Fascia Graphics and he scored a hat-trick in his first game back last Sunday and he could prove to be the match winner against Rovers who have their own talisman in Stuart Barber, who has scored in every one of Rovers wins this season.

At the foot of the table Chippenham Police are certain to stay bottom, as they have no game, but Atworth United could move out of the bottom two if they beat Chippenham Sports and Social Club by seven clear goals.

That is highly unlikely as United have only hit the target once in three games and should the Sports win then the relegation places could already be decided just seven weeks into the new season, with the Police and Atworth losing the race to avoid the drop.

Relegated Hullavington welcome Kingfisher FC, who were one of the three teams promoted from Division Three at the end of last term.

Both teams have won twice since the start of the season, with Hullavington possibly having the best set of results even though they have lost one more game than their opponents. Hullavington's pitch will be a good leveller and could deny Kingfisher the chance to play the slick passing game they aim for. Although they haven't got far to travel home Kingfisher would be happy to take a point from the game and would view both as a bonus.

It will be interesting to see how many players Foresters Arms take to Market Lavington for their game with Potterne. Anything short of a full team would leave serious doubts over the future of the Arms who, as Parsons Nose, were gaining numerous plaudits for their great all-round game that saw them win 13 matches on the bounce at the end of last season.

Since then Foresters have lost at least seven of the players who took them to league and Knockout Cup glory and it hard to see that they will ever recapture that form. Potterne are just above Foresters in the table but unlike their opponents they have won their last two games that has seen them recover from a poor start, when they lost their opening three games, and their rise up the table is likely to continue with another win.