Weekend Preview – Saturday 16th March 2024
It’s a bumper Saturday this weekend, when all three senior Saturday sides have home fixtures.
12:30 – A Team v Yarnton B
14:30 – 1st Team v Kingsdown Development
15:00 – Devs v Chadlington Reserves
The Don will be looking for an immediate bounce-back this weekend, as their journey to the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Division One league title was slightly derailed, losing 3-2 away at Cricklade Town. With league leaders Park Utd not in action, The Don hoped to come away from the Gerald Buxton Sports Ground with three points and top the table. A very poor first 45 minutes saw Town trail at half-time 2-1 when Jamie Broadfield had put away a penalty, after being 2-0 behind within 15 minutes. Despite continued pressure, it wasn’t until the final quarter of the game when Matt Pill scored a great individual goal to bring the sides level, however in the final moments, another Don individual mistake saw The Crick grab the three points.
The visitors on Saturday are Kingsdown Development, in a venue changed fixture at Tucker Park. Kick off for this Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Division One tie is at 14:30.
Kingsdown Devs are currently sitting in 13th position in the 14 team league table, with three victories, one draw and sixteen defeats. The young squad however, have given some of the top sides in the division a tough tie and should not be taken for granted. Goals have been a struggle for the Stratton St Margaret based team, with twenty nine goals scored and sixty eight conceded, with Harrison Jordan (six from nine) and Josh Atwell (four from eight) leading their goalscoring charts.
Despite the defeat last weekend, The Don know that they need to collect the three points from this Saturdays game to continue the search for promotion.
The Don are sponsored by (Home Shirt) The Snooty Mehmaan, The Advertiser Magazine & Pickpackplus & (Away Shirt) www.webbgardenpower.co.uk, www.greenworkstools.co.uk & www.thehandy.co.uk and we thank them for their continued support.
The Devs found themselves 4-1 down to Siege FC last weekend at Tucker Park, but a brilliant fightback and last kick of the game finish saw the side grab a 4-4 draw in Hartwell sponsored Witney & District League Division Two. Goals from Tom Walsham, Adam Sly, Peter Fletcher and top-scorer Rich Evans completed the fightback.
This Saturday, another side who were involved in a 4-4 draw last weekend are Chadlington Reserves who visit Tucker Park for a 15:00 kick off. This result saw Chadlington’s winless streak stretch to five games and Town will be hoping to stretch this further and complete a league double over a side they demolished 9-1 on the road in September. On that day, Adam Sly grabbed a four-timer, Justin Yates hit a double and further goals from Jamie Broadfield, Sam Gorham and Chris Rutt completed the rout.
The visitors currently sit in twelfth position, one place above the two relegation places collecting an adjusted eleven points, with two victories and two draws from their fifteen league ties. Jeremy Clarkson’s local reserve side are struggling for goals, notching only nineteen so far in league action, but conceding sixty-five. Top of their goalscoring charts is Aaron Bennett (six from fifteen), closely followed by George Slatter (five from six).
Fifth positioned Town Devs still have aspirations of promotion and will need three points from Chadlington’s visit to keep those dreams alive.
Town Dev’s kindly sponsored by J Godfrey & Son Funeral Services & Las Chicas Faringdon, their support is amazing and we can’t thank them enough.
The final Tucker Park Trilogy see’s the A-Team kick off the action at 12:30 when Yarnton B are the visitors in Hartwell sponsored Witney & District League Division Three.
Town A were on the end of a disappointing 3-1 home defeat last Saturday, when they were hampered by being reduced to ten men during their tie with Stonesfield Reserves. The game was a tight affair, however the visitors made the extra man count and came away with a 3-1 victory despite Chris Rutt’s strike.
Twelfth positioned Town, will hope they fair better on Saturday against the ninth placed visitors, who took the victory in the reverse fixture in November, when Chandler Saer’s double strike was surpassed by five strikes by Yarnton. The visitors league position is slightly false, with seven victories, three draws and three defeats from only thirteen league ties, with the visitors having up to seven games in hand on some of the sides above them in the table. So far, they have managed to find the target thirty three times, and conceded twenty from those league games. Top of the shots in the league is Christopher Marsh (six from seven) and Marco Armelllin (five from seven).
Town A’s a have been lucky to have had the support and sponsorship from Wessex Recovery, another trusted partner of FTFC.
