Box Rovers bid to close the gap

From the Wiltshire Times, first published Friday 14th Dec 2007.

With pacesetters Westbury Rangers A in Knockout Cup action, second placed Box Rovers have a great opportunity to narrow the gap at the top to just one point.

Rovers entertain Miller Sports, who they defeated 3-0 on the opening day of the season thanks to goals from Pete Tye and Liam Fullham (2).

Rovers have suffered just two losses in their 10 matches and are among a quartet of clubs who will be pushing for the title come May.

With home advantage Rovers will be confident of collecting maximum points against Miller Sports for a second time this season especially as Sports have not won any of their four matches away from the Beeches this term.

Having not played for a couple of weeks a lot will depend on what sort of side Rovers will put out against the Miller boys, but if manager Kirk Boobyer fields the likes of Tom Smith and Adam Taylor then they should chalk up win number eight of the campaign.

Boobyer will also be looking to Jamie Harrison to end his scoring drought.

Harrison may have seven goals to his name but he has failed to find the net since the middle of October and it is about time that he registered another strike for the team he was in charge of last term.

Dog and Fox v Winsley

BRADFORD-based Dog and Fox Ashley have not won a match since October and, with just one point from their last four matches, they will be dreading the visit of near neighbours and fierce rivals Winsley.

Paul Ranger's Winsley team might not be having the best of seasons and having already lost 6-2 at home to the Dog and Fox you would have thought that it would be the villagers who would be fearful of another defeat. But Winsley, who have lost all of their six home matches, have yet to lose away from home.

When the sides met at the start of October, Steve Roddy stole the headlines with five of the Dog's six goals in their emphatic win, but this time it could be Winsley's Dean Ranger who steals the limelight.

Ranger is back on form and if he plays he will be a possible match winner for his brother's side. Winsley have started to collect points over the last few matches and are getting back to the form which saw them finish as last season's runners up. If they have the same players available this week as they had for last week's game against North Star A, which was postponed, then revenge will be a good bet for Ranger and his side.

North Star A v Maud Heath Sports

NORTH Star A's return to the top flight began with a match against local rivals Maud Heath Sports that they lost 2-1 as goals from Chris King and Neurin Jones, who has since moved to Bremhill View Social Club, gave Maud Heath victory.

The sides lock horns in the reverse clash on Sunday , with both teams currently in the wrong half of the table.

Both teams have also been hit by an unbelievable number of injuries, which has left them struggling to field anything resembling a first choice 11.

Having lost seven of their nine matches, six on the bounce, North Star manager Gary Elliott will be wishing for a reversal in fortunes as will his opposite number Andy Townsend, whose Maud Heath team are slightly better off than their opponents, with three victories from nine matches.

The Calne derby is set to be a relegation four-pointer and if North Star should lose they will face an uphill struggle in the second half of the season.

The match is too close to call and could even end all square.

Holt v Semington Rovers

AFTER losing to Second Division Cooper-Avon in the Knockout Cup last weekend.

Holt return to action with a hard match against Semington Rovers, who have already defeated Stuart Faint's side 4-1 this term, thanks to goals from Stuart Barber (2), Alex Whitehall and Stuart Donohoe.

And if Holt's pitch has recovered from the pounding it took last Sunday then Holt could suffer a third straight league defeat.

Semington's last five matches has seen them lose just two points out of a possible 10 and should they beat Holt for a second time they will leapfrog Corsham Centre and take over fourth place.

Both teams will hope to be at full strength for what promises to be a wholehearted, contested battle which could go either way. Semington will be favourites to take the win which will continue their march up the table and with 13 points on the board it would almost certainly mean that they will be in the top flight again next season.

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