PRE – SEASON REPORT
The new football season starts on Friday 12th August and with a new sponsor, Gooding Accounts Ltd and eight new teams the future is looking bright for The Trowbridge and District Football League in what promises to be a very competitive season.
FRIDAY 12th AUGUST
DIVISION ONE
WESTBURY UNITED RESERVES v POTTERNE FC
The season kicks off under lights at Meadow Lane, Westbury when Westbury United Reserves welcome newly promoted Potterne FC to their base.
After finishing third in Division One last season Westbury will be looking to mount a serious title challenge this season while Potterne will be looking to cement their place in the top division.
The kick off for the season opener is 7.30pm.
SATURDAY 13th AUGUST
DIVISION ONE
HEYTESBURY FC v THE DUKE FC
Division One champions The Duke face a tough start to their campaign with a difficult visit to Spring Cup winners Heytesbury FC.
It was The Duke who Heytesbury saw off in The Spring Cup final, winning 9 – 8 in a penalty shoot-out after an exciting 3 – 3 draw.
No doubt The Duke will be looking for revenge.
In the league last year, The Duke completed the double over Heytesbury, running out 5 – 2 winners in this fixture and winning 3 – 1 at their home at Bratton Road.
MELKSHAM TOWN DEVELOPMENT v SEEND UNITED
After their remarkable treble winning season last term, Seend United start life in Division One with a trip to Melksham Town Development.
Although the teams were in different divisions last season the teams met twice in the group stages of The Spring Cup with Seend running out winners in both games.
Melksham can take heart from the last time they met back on 19th March, in a very competitive match Melksham held their rivals for long periods of the game with Seend only securing a 2 – 0 win with a goal in the last minute.
Melksham finished in a respectable mid-table position last year and will be looking to improve this season.
Seend United will be expecting a confidence boosting opening weekend victory to get their season off to a perfect start.
MARSHFIELD v SHREWTON UNITED DEVELOPMENT
Marshfield FC will be looking to start the new season with a home win as they entertain promoted Shrewton United Development.
Marshfield finished last season in sixth position in Division One but were nine points adrift of Heytesbury in fifth so will be looking for more consistency this year.
After being promoted last term Shrewton will be looking to consolidate this year, but performances last season prove they are capable of holding their own in the top division.
BROMHAM FC v TROWBRIDGE TOWN RESERVES
Promoted Bromham FC face a trip into the unknown as they host new team Trowbridge Town Reserves at their base on New Road.
A lack of consistency prevented Bromham from really challenging at the top of Division Two last season so they will be looking to put that right in the top division this year.
Both teams will no doubt see this fixture as a good chance to start the season with a victory.
DIVISION TWO
With seven new teams in The Gooding Accounts Ltd Sponsored Division Two, this season looks wide open and almost impossible to predict with most if not all teams fancying their chances of promotion.
FRESHFORD UNITED v DILTON MARSH WANDERERS
Relegated Freshford United face a difficult test on the opening day of the season as they welcome Dilton Marsh Wanderers to Browns Park as they bid to return to Division One first time of asking.
Freshford had a torrid season last year, only winning two points all season so will be determined to put that right this term.
Dilton Marsh had a season of two halves last year, only winning four league games but coming to life in the Spring Cup in the second half of the season, winning five of their eight group games to make the quarter finals.
Dilton Marsh Wanderers will be looking for more consistency in the league this year so an exciting game against Freshford United is expected.
STAVERTON RANGERS v FC DEVIZES UNITED
Staverton Rangers start life in Division Two against new team FC Devizes United with both teams looking to start the season with a win.
After dropping out of Division One last season Staverton will be looking for more success this year as they start to build again in Division Two.
FC Devizes United will be hoping to start life in The Trowbridge and District League with a confidence boosting victory.
HILPERTON GREYHOUND FC v BRADFORD TOWN ‘A’
New team Hilperton Greyhound FC face a tough introduction to life in The Trowbridge and District Football League sponsored by Gooding Accounts Ltd when they host Bradford Town ‘A’ at Whaddon Road on the opening day of the season.
Bradford are another team who will be looking for more consistency this year as they only really found some good form in the second half of last season finishing fifth, winning seven of their eighteen matches.
They will no doubt believe that carrying that form into this season will give them a good chance of challenging for promotion in a very open division this term.
THE LODGE FC v ACES FC
Aces FC are another team looking to put last season behind them as they embark on another season in Division Two of The Trowbridge and District Football League sponsored by Gooding Accounts Ltd .
After only winning four league games last season Aces will be looking to start this year with a confidence boosting win when they travel to The Land Warfare Centre in Warminster to face new team The Lodge FC.
TROWBRIDGE TOWN DEVELOPMENT v THE STIFFS FC
After finishing last season in a very credible sixth position The Stiffs FC will be looking to continue their upward trajectory this season in what looks like a very open Division Two.
The Stiffs kick off this season at Little Marsh, Semington when they travel to face new team Trowbridge Town Development.
This is another game that is hard to call with both teams looking to start the new season with three points.
BISHOPS CANNINGS FC v HEYTESBURY RESERVES FC
The final game of the opening weekend sees two new teams meet at Green Lane Devizes as Bishops Cannings and Heytesbury Reserves start life in Division Two of The Trowbridge and District Football League sponsored by Gooding Accounts Ltd.
Both teams will be looking for maximum points from the opening weekend as they look forward to the oncoming season.
All games on Saturday 13th August will kick off at 3pm.