Tag: Devizes Town FC

Warminster Town 3 Devizes Town 0

On a glorious Good Friday, the 217 in attendance enjoyed an afternoon of football at Weymouth Street. Wiltshire rivals Devizes Town were the visitors, and although propping up the league table, the away team has shown improvement in recent times. The Warminster fans were delighted with a 3-0 win.

Both teams were defending well during the first half, with Warminster spending more time in the opponents’ half. Devizes passed the ball well and worked hard to keep possession, frustrating Warminster’s scoring attempts. The break came for Warminster when Ian Jeffery blasted home a penalty in the 33rd minute.  A Devizes defender stuck a leg out to bring down James Vincent inside the box. Due to a very high number of penalties this season, Jeffery, a central defender, is the team’s leading goal scorer.

It didn’t take long in the second period of the match for Warminster to double their score. The crowd appreciated both this goal and the next to follow. Mortimer-Taylor (53’) received a throw-in from the right, then ran with the ball into the penalty area, beating defenders and firing home into the left, giving the keeper little chance of saving it. 

Not to be outdone for the potential goal of the season, in the 62nd minute, Vincent picked up the ball by the centre circle in the away team’s half. Dribbling past the first defender, he chipped the second, then centrally from the 18-yard line, shot into the right side of the goal. A good 6 yards off his line to narrow the angle, the keeper could only watch the ball go past.

Mortimer-Taylor almost made it a brace with 6 minutes to go forcing the keeper to save at his near post. However, it remained 3-0 and credit to Devizes that they continued to battle and play for every ball until the final whistle.

Warminster Town is now assured of a play-off place for promotion and are currently in 4th place and can not be overtaken. 

Team: Thomson, Humphreys, Cockerill, Jeffery, Graham, Pinder(s), Vincent, Mortimer-Taylor, Johnson(s), Gardner(s), Mckay

Subs: (used) Butler, Bartley, McFerran

(unused) Lisowski, De-Silva 

Devizes Town 0 Warminster Town 2 – Les Phillips Cup

On Tuesday, January 18th, Warminster Town made the short trip to Nursteed Road, Devizes for the Les Phillips Cup qualifying round. Unbeaten in 11 games, the visitors looked to make it a round dozen. In a competitive match, Warminster came off victorious with a two-nil win.

Warminster’s players were energetic and pressed Devizes all over the pitch throughout the game. It was not one-sided, and although the home side is bottom of the league table, they were much improved from the previous league encounter. The match proved to be highly entertaining for the fans and those watching the livestream on YouTube.

Warminster spent much of the early period in the home side’s half and looked the more likely to score. The opening goal came in the 19th minute. Sheppard charged forward towards the goal, the keeper came out but only managed a touch with his right foot, which played the ball to the feet of Mckay, who just inside the 18-yard line lobbed the ball past the keeper. (See the goal on Youtube)

A minute later, Devizes went close. A last-ditch tackle by Jordan De-Silva on Devizes’ number 11 prevented the first shot; however, the attacker saved the ball from crossing the line and fired it back at goal. Thomson produced a fine save, and the ball cleared by Cockerill only up to the edge of the D, which invited another shot from Devizes requiring a good save by Thomson. (See the saves on YouTube)

The second half continued to be a competitive battle between two teams, both working hard. The second goal came on 52 minutes with good work down the right between Gardner and McKay and got the ball through to Wain. Eighteen yards out, Wain struck the ball accurately and gave the keeper little chance of saving it. (See the goal on YouTube)

Warminster played for ten minutes with ten men after the left-back Cockerill was sent to the sin bin. The visitors stayed compact whilst down to ten and battled through the period. This match also saw the return of James Vincent to the club. Vincent moved to Corsham a few seasons ago and made his return off the subs bench. Warminster continues to build the squad and press on to progress, not just in this cup but, more importantly, the league.

Team: Thomson, Humphrey, Cockerill, Graham(c), De Silva, Bartley, Gardner(s), Mortimer-Taylor(s), Sheppard(s), Wain, McKay
Subs: (used) Johnson M, Vincent, Seviour
(unused) Pollock, Miluk

Devizes Town 0 Warminster Town 2

On bank holiday Monday, Warminster made the short journey to local Wiltshire rivals Devizes Town. At one point, following heavy, rain the fixture looked in doubt; fortunately, a break in the weather made the game possible. Devizes planted firmly at the bottom of the league table proved difficult to beat. However, Warminster did prevail, coming out 2-0 winners.

Warminster created early chances to score, and with just over ten minutes on the clock, Jack Miluk saw his shot go over the bar. A minute later, a shot from Churchyard went straight into the keeper’s arms. On 24 minutes, an excellent free kick taken from Warminster’s left by Bartley had to be tipped over the crossbar by the keeper. Cockerill went close (38′) towards the end of the half with a long-range shot going just left of the post. 

Although having the better chances, Warminster were not at their best in the first forty-five minutes, and without a goal, there was always the danger of being beaten by the team propping up the table. 

Thomson was called into action seven minutes into the second half in the Warminster goal, tipping the ball over his bar. This shot was the first time the keeper had to save a ball in nearly an hour of play. 

The first goal came for Warminster in the 56th minute. A through ball from McKay was calmly put away by Lewis Graham. Devizes pushed up more in the second half, but the visitor’s defence did well to clear up any danger. A cracking strike from McKay came on 69 minutes and clipped the top of the crossbar. If a fraction lower, it would have been a contender for the goal of the season.

Warminster were much sharper in the second half, and other goal-scoring opportunities were created. The second goal did not come until additional time. Seth Wain, back from injury, came on as a substitute. Wain manoeuvred around the box, made space and watched his shot fly into the back of the net. A well-deserved win and is now the 11th match in an unbeaten run for Warminster Town.

Team: Thomson, Pollock, Cockerill, Jeffrey, De-Silva, Churchyard, Miluk, Bartley, Graham*, McKay*, Gardner* 

Subs (all used): Johnson, Sheppard, Wain

Warminster Town 6 Devizes Town 0

Seeking to make amends for errors which resulted in a defeat at Welton Rovers, Warminster now faced bottom of the league, Devizes Town. Make amends they did, and Warminster Town scored six goals and kept a clean sheet, with the new keeper, Tom Drewitt making an excellent debut.

The first quarter of an hour saw a fairly even performance from both teams. However, from that point on, the home side pressed Devizes back into their half, and the visitors found it very difficult to break out and create opportunities to score.

The only goal of the first half came in the 42nd minute. A through ball to Jack Miluk on the edge of the penalty area, allowed him to slot the ball into the left side of the goal.

From the whistle, the second-half saw Warminster pile on the pressure onto the visitors. Seth Wain scored the second on 50 minutes with a long-range shot going low into the left corner beating the outstretched arm of Devizes keeper, Mitchell.

George Butler made it 3 eight minutes later, a cross from the left from Barnes found Sisson on the right. Sisson looped the ball into the 18-yard box where Butler stretched to guide the ball once again into the left of the Devizes goal leaving the keeper no chance of a save.

The Red & Blacks were now truly dominant, and the 4th goal came with Wain scoring his second in the 62nd minute. A pass came from Churchyard into Wain’s feet on the right-hand edge of the area, and he made no mistake with the right-footed shot and the keeper unable to keep the ball out of his net.

Next up to score, centre-back Jordan De Silva, (71) up for the corner kick. Devizes failed to clear the ball, and Miluk outside the area put the ball back in the box to De-Silva, who turned and shot past the stationary keeper.

The final goal of this game in the 83rd minute, Martin Johnson put away a ball from a free kick taken on the right with an easy tap-in to make it six and a good day at the office for the home side. This result now places Warminster Town in fifth place in the league.

With the announcement of another lockdown, there will be no further league games until December providing the lockdown is lifted.

Attendance: 172

Team: Drewitt, Sisson, Jeffrey, De Silva, Churchyard*, Miluk, Mortimer-Taylor*, Johnson, Wain, Butler*
Subs: (used) Bartley*, Lisowski*, Seviour*, Graham

Warminster win Devizes Derby

Warminster’s first away league match of the season was to Devizes on a very ball-stopping windy day. Due to the Devizes’ home kit being red & white the new Warminster white & red away kit couldn’t be worn; therefore, the team played in blue. The new kit will have to wait a little longer before being displayed on the pitch.

The wind certainly made things difficult for both sides, holding up the ball in the air. In the first half, Warminster played against the wind, making high balls tricky. The game was very entertaining and a credit to Western League football with both teams working hard for a win. The result was a very satisfying victory for Warminster Town coming out 1 – 3 winners.

Devizes threatened Warminster’s goal in under 2 minutes with a long-range shot helped by the wind forcing Crabtree to produce a good save. Both sides continued to create opportunities to score including Charlie Walton for Warminster who fired a long-range shot over the home side’s crossbar.

The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute. James Vincent battled in the left-hand side of the penalty area to beat the keeper at his feet. He then crossed the ball, which was met by the head of Jack Miluk to score the opening goal. Around 4 minutes later Vincent ran at the keeper and fired a powerful shot which brought a very good save from the Devizes man.

Crabtree also had to produce a mixture of good and relatively easy saves from the Devizes attackers. The best save had to be by the home side’s keeper when a good ball from Lewis Graham on the right found Harry Barnes playing as a winger on the left. Barnes crossed the ball across the goal and found the hard-working Vincent who sent a powerful shot towards goal forcing the keeper to produce a fantastic save.

The first-half equaliser came for Devizes when a mix-up at the back allowed their number 10, Jack Hopper, to tap the ball home at the back post. The teams went into the dressing room all level at halftime in what had been an exciting 45 minutes of football.

The second-half would also prove to be a good advertisement for Western League football as both sides continued to press and create chances to score. Warminster’s Barnes forced a good save in the 59th minutes when the keeper managed to get a leg to prevent a goal from getting in close to his right-hand post. The rebounding ball was followed up by James Vincent who poked it just wide.

Another opportunity for the visitors missed when Vincent’s ball across the goal wasn’t seized on by Miluk or Johnson in the penalty area as it flashed across them. Andy Crabtree brought on substitute Francois Allen who used to play for Warminster a few seasons ago and is now back with the team. After excellent work from Henry McFerran, the ball got through to Allen who on his new season debut put the ball nicely into the back of the net.

Warminster didn’t sit back and rest on their lead and a long ball found Allen on the edge of the penalty area. He lobbed the onrushing keeper, and the ball went just wide of the goal.

In additional time Walton found himself on his own in the centre circle and picked up a pass ran down the centre of the pitch with a defender and goalie to beat. Walton shot low and found the back of the net, making it a very satisfying day for the visitors and taking three well-earned points.

The next game is on Saturday, August 17th when the new team to the Western League, Lebeq Utd come to Weymouth Street, kickoff 3.00pm.

Team: Crabtree, Barnes, McFerran, Graham, De-Silva, Churchyard, Miluk, Walton(c), Johnson, Vincent, Baggs R.
Substitutes (used*): Lisowski*, Allen*, Baggs K, Shanley* Ball