The Whites secured a fantastic fifth-place finish in their first North Wilts League Division 1 season thanks to a midweek victory over Wootton Bassett Town.
Liam had threatened a goal spree when the sides met at Beaversbrook four days earlier but had to settle for just the one. This time, though, he ended the night with a rare five-goal haul after an electrifying display of front-running that the visiting defence simply couldn’t handle.
Callum, enjoying a start up front, opened the scoring after Matthew and George combined well to play him into space.
Bassett drew level but Liam twice ran clear to make it 3-1 at the break. Three more followed after the break and in the process he completed a perfect hat-trick of goals with his right foot, left foot and head.
Twice the woodwork denied a tidy Bassett team who, as in the previous meeting between the sides, will feel aggrieved at the Colts’ final margin of victory.
Max commanded his box effectively and Tom, Callum and Bradley, who sent Liam free for one of his goals with an excellent ball over the top, limited the threat of a useful Bassett frontline.
Matthew again revelled in the extra space as the midfield anchor and Toby was unfortunate not to score when he tested the keeper with a fierce first-half effort. Brandon H linked the play well and Lukes S and VDB were determined and effective on the flanks.
After hovering around the lower reaches of the table while they took care of runs to two cup finals in the winter, the Colts finished their league season with a run of five wins and a draw from their last seven matches.
Only champions Croft, Forest Green, FC Calne and Shrivenham & Watchfield were able to finish above them in a fiercely-competitive division and a top-half finish in such company is a terrific achievement.
The boys have played 31 matches in all competitions – the vast majority of them high-intensity – and will have learned so much to take into 2015-16, when the challenge will be to try and improve on a mightily impressive season all round.
MOM: Liam.