Ship can steam into top berth

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

Once again, cup involvement for many sides has led to a reduced fixture programme in the First Division.

With just three matches due to take place The Ship, who are in second place, will take over at the summit as long as they avoid a defeat at home to Atworth United - which might be harder than many people would predict.

The Ship have won all their eight league matches to date and are the only team in the whole of the league who can boast a 100 per cent record. But they were given a rough ride by Atworth who narrowly lost the reverse fixture 5-4 in the middle of October.

On that occasion Lee Hayward and Toby Dawson scored two apiece for The Ship, with an own goal winning the match for the Trowbridge-based side. Atworth will be out to avenge their earlier defeat, but they will have to tighten things up at the back and keep a watchful eye on both Hayward and Dawson, who should be available again this weekend, as well as Dave and Shaun Percival, will both be eager to get back into action for The Ship who have not played for over a month.

The Ship will be expected to collect win number nine on the bounce, with the result going one of two ways; with the Ship either winning by the odd goal from a closely fought affair or battering Atworth into submission and run out convincing winners by five or more goals.

British Lion v Christian Malford

OTHER action comes at Green Lane, Devizes, where after six straight defeats Christian Malford visit British Lion, who have lost only one of their last five matches.

The result should go the way of the hosts who, after a unsteady start, are turning things around and should heap more misery on their guests who at the back end of September were in second place in the table.

Malford will probably give new signings Rob Blackwood and Joe Lang their debuts and if they are in a position to welcome back the injured strike duo of Aaron Merrywheater and James Pope then they will have a better chance of getting something from the game.

British Lion are starting to come back to form after an unexpected poor start which saw them lose their opening two matches and this was after they had won all 24 of their fixtures last term on the way to securing the Second Division title.

Under the management of Dave Crawford and Andrew Webster, the Devizes-based British Lion side have been hit by injuries, but with players returning they should take maximum points to leave Malford facing a tough time in the new year.

Biddestone Arms v Kingfisher

SINCE Jason Bull took over as manager of Chippenham-based Kingfisher FC they have been beset with discipline problems.

Kingfisher have had five players sent off in their last five matches, of which one of those was Bull himself.

Bull will need to install some restraint back into his Kingfisher side otherwise they will be in danger of running out of players.

Bull takes his Kingfisher side to Cuttle Lane where they will face a Biddestone Arms outfit who, having have already beaten them 2-0 earlier this season, with a goal apiece from Pete Humphrey and John Ledgister, will be hoping for their first league double of the season.

Going on current form Biddestone Arms should take the points, but if Kingfisher can sort themselves out then there is no reason why they can't avenge their earlier defeat.

Manager Bull will be without midfielder Luke Stoneham, who is out injured, so he will be looking for big performances from Jason Cole and Nick Stille to give them their first victory since the middle of November.

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