Sport

Sport Unbeatable Wincanton win every game on way to title

Blackmore Vale League May 12 Bradford Abbas 0 Wincanton Utd 2 Congratulations to Wincanton who won every game of the season, only the second team to do so since 2003. Provost Barbarians also achieved the feat in 2015/16. Going into their final game, the hosts were looking to spoil the party and revenge a narrow 7-6 defeat at Wincanton earlier in the season. United started well and took the lead after former Bradford player Nick Hewlett struck a long range effort. The lead doubled shortly after a low effort found the bottom corner and this woke Bradford up. A chipped shot went wide, appeals for a penalty were turned down and regular scorer Pete Crabtree skied an effort yards from goal. Ollie Hilbourne then had a header cleared off the line and was tackled when clean through on goal. The second half was a scrappy affair and the game ended with a Wincanton penalty which Liam Norris tipped onto the bar. Bradford’s match report concluded: “Another great battle against a very good Wincanton team who deservedly go the season unbeaten.”

League determined to finish season

Most football leagues in the region decided two months ago to scrap their seasons but one has persevered – the community-based Blackmore Vale Football League. There had been no BVFL games from December 20 until April 4, causing a huge backlog of fixtures. One team, Hazelbury Hornets, decided to call it a day but the nine other teams voted to continue. “We knew there was going to be disruption at the beginning of the year,” says Jamie Denne, media and marketing manager for the League. “But the priority was to get the league done, a tick in the box.” The FA granted a season extension to the end of June. Pitch availability was an issue but alternatives were found and there were no cup competitions to distract. The heavy schedule meant that on occasion, teams couldn’t raise a side and forfeited a match. But the season will end on June 13, a triumph particularly as the League had to abandon the 2019-20 season. Then, Wincanton United were poised to win the league. This season they have walked it, winning all 17 games. “You tend to get one good team that stands out but the good thing about this league is that you get a total mix of players,” says Jamie. “There’s Wincanton, other teams who are all just friends and some teams in-between. Overall, there is a lot of experienced players.” The league has a proud history, being formed in 1914. Sturminster Rovers is the longest serving team in the league, having joined in 1992. In recent years, the number of teams has varied between five and 12. There is a high turnover, with only six of last season’s 10 teams returning this season in the same form. Indeed, after winning their final game, Wincanton United suggested on Twitter that the team may not return next season. “Final game of the season, and maybe of WUFC as we know it, was played last night, in a wet and cold Bradford Abbas...and made it 17 out of 17.” But Jamie believes there is great potential for the league next season and points out that the nearest Sunday league competitions are in Bournemouth and Weymouth. A Sunday league in Yeovil closed down eight years ago. Jamie is now inviting new entries for the 2021/22 season from communities who want to play men’s Sunday morning 11-a-side football from across Dorset and Somerset. “The main issue with running a team is player availability and the financial side of things,” he says. n Jamie is in the process of producing a detailed record of the BVFL’s history. If anyone has any newspaper articles, club badges or team photos relating to BVFL competitions, please email him on: BlackmoreValeFL @hotmail.com

JAMIE DENNE: “The good thing about this league is that you get a total mix of players.”

Dorset Senior Trophy final Blandford United 1 Merley Cobham Sports 5 Asa Phillips struck twice as Merley cruised to victory. Plenty had travelled down to supp ort Blandford and the game started evenly, with United closest with a long range effort just over the bar. Cobham took the lead on 10 minutes through Matt Groves. Blandford responded, Brad and Taylor Pike causing problems and in the 29th minute, the Royals equalised when Cobham failed to clear a long throw and the loose ball was struck home by Mike Johnson. It was Blandford’s best period of the game. But Dan Edwards hit the post for Cobham with a 20 yard drive before Phillips shot home on 40 minutes. Cobham started the second half with more composure. Lee Wilkins scored their third on 59 minutes. Blandford chased shadows, Phillips adding his second and Joe Wickham finished off. Cobham saw out the final 15 minutes to land the trophy, their 32nd consecutive win.

Tisbury stumble at semi-final

Dorset Senior League Cup May 22 semi-final Tisbury United 1 Sturminster Marshall 4 Tisbury were the quicker of the two sides to settle but Stur started to gain the upper hand, taking the lead on 25 minutes with a decent back post header from Jordan Fisk. They then took control of the tie seconds before half time. The Sharks started the second half with much more urgency and their efforts were quickly rewarded when Marsh poked home from close range and the next 10 minutes saw them push hard for an equaliser. But Stur punished some poor defending with two late counter attacking goals. Despite the disappointment of losing a semi, the team can be proud of their campaign but ultimately on the day the best team won. Stur Marshall will meet Chickerell in the final on May 31.Dan Carter 85

Unwanted kit to help Gambia players

The Dorset Cricket Board and Dorset League are asking clubs to donate any unwanted gear for shipment to Africa. The charity Sunshine with Smiles has for a decade been sending school items and sports equipment to Gambia, where cricket is one of the most popular sports. The DCB will collect the unwanted kit in June and July at three clubs across the county. “Most clubs have a lot of junior and senior cricket equipment sitting unused now that players tend to buy their own. This is a good chance to clear out,” said a spokesman. Locally, Blandford CC have agreed to help. Contact Tom Snape on 07900 914406 to arrange a drop-off, ideally in large black sacks labelled Sunshine with Smiles. nThe popular English Cricket Board All Stars and Dynamos coaching sessions for kids aged 5-11 have encouraged 1,298 children to sign up in Dorset, compared with 717 last year. More info: ecb.clubspark.uk/junior

HAPPY TO HELP: Blandford CC are supporting the plea to donate unwanted kit and equipment

CHARITY CLAY PIGEON SHOOT

In aid of Ducks & Drakes Cancer Trust Sunday 4th July at 10am - last start 2pm

Plush Cricket Ground, DT2 7RQ

LAST START 1pm FIBRE WADS ONLY PLEASE

Individual Guns Individual Traps & Team Flush

Teams of 4 or U16’s BBQ & Refreshments

BOOKINGS: 01258 472501 www.ducksdrakescancertrust.org.uk

CRICKET RESULTS AND REPORTS

FREE GOLF!

SATURDAY 26th JUNE 2021 9.30am-3.30pm

Thinking of taking up a new hobby, why not give golf a try? Come and visit us at Henstridge Golf and Leisure Resort, in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Have a complimentary round of 9 holes, chat with other members and meet the Club Captain. Complimentary teas, coffees and selected soft drinks. Book a Tee time to avoid disappointment Phone: 01963 362789 Email: admin@henstridgegolfandleisure.co.uk Henstridge Golf and Leisure Resort Marsh Lane, Henstridge, Somerset BA8 0TG

Dorset Premier League May 15 Martinstown 38/2 Sherborne Match abandoned Martinstown 5pts Sherborne 6pt Rain caused the game to be abandoned midway through the 11th over with Sherborne having made a good start against the early league leaders. Both Martinstown openers had been removed for ducks, with Shane Pulling and Josh Lawrence taking the wickets. Sherborne, who did not play last weekend, have only completed one of three games this season and have 30 points. They sit mid-table with Martinstown top with 63 points, having won all three of their other games. Division One May 22 Compton House 100 Hamworthy 309/3 Hamworthy (20pts) beat Comptom House (3) by 209 runs A hammering for the Sherborne team, who used nine bowlers to try and stem the tide of runs led by Jack Hector (102no). Chris Haynes (31) and Joe Watts (26) made a good stand for the second wicket after opener Michael Harper was dismissed for a duck. Swanage 178-8 Marnhull 143-7 Swanage (18pts) beat Marnhull (7) by 35 runs A knock of 46 by Steve Kent coming in at number six steadied Swanage in a match reduced to 28 overs. The impressive Zach Caunt did the damage for Marnhull, taking 3-8 off six overs. But Marnhull made a disastrous start to their chase, losing three batsmen for just six. Puddletown 154/7 Stalbridge 148-9 Puddletown (19ts) beat Stalbridge (6) by three wickets A total of 148 off 40 overs was never enough although Stalbridge had to fight hard against a strong bowling attack. Adam Weir took 5-32 and Rob Snow 3-20 for league leaders Puddletown while James Lewis top scored for Stalbridge with 33. Lewis was also the pick of the bowlers with 4-36 but man-of-the-match Weir scored 42no and James Mitchell 48 to ease Puddletown home.

Sport All change with four new appointments

Shaftesbury have signed a fourman management team as they set out an ambitious programme for next season. The team has been brought in from Christchurch FC, with Shaftesbury manager Danny Holmes and his assistant David Walsh leaving the club progress for some while. Ollie Cherrett and Wayne Smith are the new joint managers, as they were at Christchurch, and they are joined by Chris Hart and Will Robinson assistant manager/coach and goalkeeper coach. Cherrett and Smith had recently resigned from the south coast club after it turned down the chance to take up a place in the Southern League. Under the joint managers, Christchurch

SHAFTESBURY BOUND: Ollie Cherrett and Wayne Smith in their last game at Christchurch Picture: Justin Parry

had the best points-per-game record of any club in the Wessex Premier over the last two seasons. Cherret spent more than five years at the club and led Christchurch to the Sydenhams Wessex Division One title and back into the Premier division. Joined at the club by Smith in 2019, the highlight of their tenure was the club’s best FA Cup run, which ended in the club’s first-ever televised match shown on the BBC against Dulwich Hamlet FC. In contrast, Shaftesbury were fifth bottom when 2019/20 was null and voided and fifth bottom again when 2020/21 was curtailed. Shaftesbury chairman Steve Coffen described them as “a couple of indifferent years” and thanked Danny Holmes, wishing him all the best for the future. And he added: “We really hope we can see the club make big steps forward and look forward to the 2021/22 season.”

Gills begin the climb back up the football pyramid

Gillingham Town have started the climb back up the leagues with promotion to the Western League Division One. With the season curtailed by covid, the FA has pressed ahead with reorganising non-league football. Its move to shuffle teams to make leagues more localised, and save players and officials travel time and costs, was also based on how teams have fared in the last two part-seasons. Gillingham were lying fifth in the Dorset Premier when this season was called off, and third last season. The promotion will mean derbies against Sherborne, Wincanton and Warminster and will give the club entry into the FA Vase and FA Cup. Three years ago, Gillingham were in the Western League’s premier division but a disastrous move to the new ground at Woodwater saw the club tumble two divisions. “Because of all the move’s associated problems, we had little choice but to voluntarily drop down,” says club secretary Paul Hill. The club’s former ground at Harding’s Lane was on heavy clay, causing many match cancellations in winter. The move to Woodwater was supposed to solve the problem. But Woodwater had not been completed by the council, there were drainage problems and the club has spent £60k “just to be able to play football,” said Hill. Now the club is on the up, with support from local businesses and grants, which will also pay 70% of the cost of floodlights to be installed at Woodwater this summer. The club aims to boost attendances to more than 100, with plans to convert a standing area into a seated stand for 150 and build capacity to 300 spectators. A new clubhouse is also in the pipeline with work to start this summer. The new season will start in early August, with evening games on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Added Hill: “We still have a lot to do, so please support our fund raising, starting with the Southampton legends game on July 16 and our music festival on July 17, both at Woodwater.” n Gillingham Town Ladies FC are recruiting players aged 16 or over as it looks to add a second team. Training takes place at Harding’s Lane on Thursdays at 6pm, with matches at 2pm on Sundays. Contact manager Steve Webber on 07914 851082 or email to webbersmw@aol.com

Rodriguez at the double to clinch semi-final place for Gills

Dorset Premier Supplementary Cup: May 22 Holt Utd 1

Gillingham 2

Gillingham will be away to Hamworthy Recreation in the semi-final of the cup tomorrow. The other semi sees Merley Cobham Sports take on Balti Sports. Gill travelled to Holt needing a point to secure their spot but, as it turned out, Shaftesbury Reserves forfeited their match vs Merley meaning Gillingham had already qualified. The game started with slack defending on the edge of the box gifting Holt a 1-0 lead. The second half started better for Gill with plenty of possession but they still couldn't break down a rigid back line. On 65 minutes, a triple substitution was made with Tom Jarvis, Elliott Bevis and Joe Paterson brought on to shake things up. The changes had an immediate impact and Gill were level within three minutes after some great footwork from Aaron Rodriguez was capped off by a low shot into the corner. Holt started to tire and with 10 minutes to go, Rodriguez scored an almost exact replica goal with another cooly taken finish into the bottom corner. n The Dorset Premier League, which includes Blandford FC and Sturminster Newton, is set to grow to 18 teams in the 2021/22 season. There are currently 16, with Corfe Castle FC having joined the league in place of Gillingham. The DPL is looking for two more clubs from five applications received, subject to ground specifications. Gillingham has been promoted from the DPL to the Western League Division One, where Sherborne and Wincanton play. 87