Larkhall beaten after going two up at league leaders, Devs win

Larkhall Athletic were in dreamland when they found themselves 2-0 up at half-time away to table-topping Portishead Town on Saturday 6th December.

Larkhall Athletic led 2-0 here at Portishead Town on Saturday 6th December but lost the Pitching In Southern League match 4-2 | Photo © Richard Briggs

But Posset are in pole position in Pitching In Southern League Division One South for a reason – and they roared back in the second half to claim a 4-2 win that has as good as extinguished the Larks’ hopes of making the play-offs.

The Camella Stadium outfit are now in 10th place in the table, 16 points behind a Bishops Cleeve side who occupy the final play-off position and have two games in hand over Larkhall.

Defeat for Portishead – who are in their first season at Step 4 after two successive promotions – would have cost them the league leadership, with Frome Town snapping at their heels.

And the North Somerset team looked on course for their fifth setback of the league campaign when Athletic went two goals to the good in the opening 43 minutes.

Playing with the wind behind them in the first period, the visitors took the lead in the 19th minute. Kieran Phillips was the scorer, putting the ball past keeper Ryan Thacker following a quick break by Larkhall on the right.

The advantage was almost doubled on the half-hour, the Larks hitting a post, but the guests did net again when – two minutes before the interval – Phillips tapped home after another attack down the right.

Posset were much improved in the second half. And they reduced the arrears in the 52nd minute when Lucas Vowles got the better of Athletic gloveman Liam Armstrong following good work by the hosts’ Jamie Adams and Jack Thorne.

Armstrong did well to parry a rocket from Jay Murray – son former Bristol City and Bath City star Scott Murray – in the 55th minute.

But the game was all square again in the 66th minute, Kyle Egan sending over a free-kick and Ollie Woodhouse putting the ball beyond Armstrong.

And Portishead took the lead for the first time when, in the 73rd minute, Aron Robbins, Thorne and Murray combined to set up Vowles to thunder a header past Armstrong.

Vowles completed his hat-trick six minutes later, burying the loose ball after Armstrong parried a shot from Thorne.

The Larks hit the goal-frame late on following a corner, but there was no denying Posset the victory that kept them a point clear at the summit.

Larkhall starting XI: Liam Armstrong, Lewis Graham, Jack Goodall, Sam Boulton, Ewan McMillan, Ryan Beckinsale, Max Williams, Henry Leo Westlake, Kieran Phillips, Dawid Regula, Jack Camm.

The Larks will host Bishops Cleeve in the league on Saturday 13th December (3pm), looking for revenge for their setback in the Gloucestershire village on the opening day of the Division One South campaign.

The Mitres triumphed 1-0 on Saturday 9th August, Curtis Jemmett-Hutson bagging the decider late on after Athletic had missed a penalty and had a ‘goal’ disallowed.

Larkhall Development reignited their Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Premier Division title push by netting three times in the second half to see off visitors Calne Town Reserves on Saturday 6th December.

The Larks emerged 3-0 winners at the Camella Stadium – and the scoreline could have been more emphatic as they had two ‘goals’ disallowed.

James Okell broke the deadlock in the 65th minute, Ben Wickens added to the tally 13 minutes later and substitute Mason Nolan-Kemp completed the home side’s haul five minutes from the end.

Athletic said that Calne had an excellent first half and the hosts needed a changed system to inspire them after the interval.

The game was officially Larkhall’s first since they lost 4-1 at home to Shrivenham on Saturday 8th November. They did crush Cricklade Town 9-0 on Saturday 22nd November but the match has now been declared void and the result removed from the Larks’ record. That is because Cricklade informed the league on Wednesday 3rd December that they were withdrawing from the competition with immediate effect.

A statement from the Wiltshire Senior League on Saturday 6th December said: “The league was shocked and disappointed to receive notice from Cricklade Town on Wednesday that they would be withdrawing from the league with immediate effect.

“This follows the resignation at the start of the week of joint managers Ian Rosewell and Troy Prentice after the side had been on a torrid run that had seen them go 13 games in all competitions without a win after having made a good start to the season.

“The Cricklade management team again failed to complete the season, being previously in charge at Blunsdon whose committee had pulled them out of the league last season after playing 22 league games.

“The decision by Cricklade on this occasion to withdraw from the league was made by the club following the managerial resignations, despite having two other sides playing in the Swindon & District League, with managers who could have temporarily stepped in whilst the club tried to find replacement first-team management.

“As with Blunsdon, the club made the conscious decision to carry on with their District League sides and withdraw from what is a National Feeder League.

“In making that decision Cricklade Town were aware that, under the [Wiltshire] league rules, they will not be allowed to renter the league next season. In fact following Blunsdon’s withdrawal last season the league had agreed with the clubs at the AGM that the period of debarring, should it ever happen again, would be extended to three years, in line with other National Feeder Leagues in the region.

“As Cricklade had played less than 75% of their scheduled league fixtures, in accordance with FA rules their record has had to be expunged.”

Larkhall Development will visit Faringdon Town on Saturday 13th December for another Premier Division clash – their final league fixture before Christmas. Kick-off at Tucker Park will be at 3pm.