Westbury Rangers A 2, Holt 4

HOLT had the perfect build-up to their match against Corsham Centre A with a stunning 4-2 victory over Westbury Rangers A who, according to their manager Shaun Gardiner, were dreadful on the night, but Holt might prefer to say they played really well to claim their surprise but well deserved win.

Westbury Rangers took the lead through their top scorer Marc Lanfear. Rob O'Harrow drew Holt level before Rangers regained the lead through Matty Smith.

Holt were all square prior to the break thank to O'Harrow's second of the night.

Holt bossed the second half and thought they had gone in front for the first time when O'Harrow fired home what would have been his hat-trick goal, but it was ruled out for offside.

But O'Harrow wasn't to be denied and it wasn't long before he claimed a goal that counted to seal his three timer and give Holt a 3-2 lead.

The game was made safe when Neil Grant scored Holt's fourth and all-important goal that allowed the visitors to Meadow Lane to avenge their 3-1 defeat from the opening day of the season.

Biddestone Social welcomed Westbury Rangers A to Yatton Road and just like the previous match 11 days ago that saw Biddy win 2-1 the rematch was an exciting one as the teams fought out a 10 goal thriller that saw the hosts 3-1 down and on the ropes for a while before they fought back to land the knockout blow and claim a 6-4 victory to extend their winning run to 18 matches.

Biddestone Social went ahead through John O'Meara after eight minutes when he picked up a loose ball and calmly slotted home it home, but Westbury Rangers were back on level term within minutes thanks to top scorer Marc Lanfear who was set up by manager Shaun Gardiner who was forced into making a rare appearance after a few of his players failed to turn up.

Gardiner set up his team's second of the match which was again scored by Lanfear to give them a 2-1 lead after 16 minutes. Things got better for Westbury Rangers in the 22nd minute when Matty Smith fired home number three.

Biddestone Social then seemed to wake from their slumbers and reduced the arrears in the 40th minutes when Danny Jones volleyed home a Rob Pocock cross.

The hosts were on level terms before the interval as Pocock again turned provider for Jamie Lyons who just beat the Westbury goalkeeper to the ball to fire home the equaliser.

Westbury Rangers regained the lead after 51 minutes when Pete Ayton converted from the penalty spot.

Biddestone Social dug deep again and were level on 71 minutes when Jamie Lyons cut inside beat a defender and rifled home a stunner to make it 4-4.

Biddestone Social took the lead in the 79th minute when O'Meara pounced to turn home a Dan Lardner shot and the game was made safe five minutes from time when Rob Pocock and Gary Banks combined to set up Jamie Lyons who drove the ball home from eight yards to keep the Biddy boys in the race for the title.

Miller Sports 3, Westbury Rangers A 6

PETE Ayton scored a fantastic hat-trick for Westbury Rangers A as they beat Miller Sports 6-3 at the Beeches, Shaw.

And what made Ayton's second three-timer in four years for Rangers even sweeter was that it was scored against Nick Evans, who lines up alongside Ayton for Westbury United in the Toolstation League.

Now Ayton will never let Evans forget the night that he put three goals past him.

Ayton beat Evans from 30 yards with a blistering strike to give Rangers the lead. Marl Lanfear made it 2-0 before Jon Beattie scored his first goal of the season for Miller Sports to reduce the arrears.

A second from Ayton restored Rangers' two goal cushion but once again Miller Sports hit back with Ashley Groves cutting the deficit to the odd goal before the break.

The second half was again bossed by Rangers and Matty Smith gave them a 4-2 lead and this time there was no immediate reply from the hosts as Sam Gooding joined in the fun with his first goal of the season for Rangers to make it 5-2.

But the night belonged to Ayton, who completed his hat-trick and Rangers' half dozen with another exceptional drive from 30 yards that left Evans rooted to the spot as the ball rocketed into the net.

Ashley Groves grabbed his second goal of the game for Miller Sports but it only proved to be another consolation as Rangers returned home to Meadow Lane with maximum points for the 16th time this term as the cemented a third place finish.

Bradford News 0, Westbury Rangers A 1

WESTBURY Rangers A bounced back from their Thursday night defeat against Biddestone Social with a 1-0 win away at Bradford News who had defeated North Star A 5-1 in midweek to move off the foot of the table.

But Sunday's loss, coupled with a win for North Star, saw them drop back to the basement.

Mark Maguire and Tom Downing scored doubles against the Star and Harry Hamlin's single made up the five that gave the newsmen their first victory on the road since December 2006.

Marc Lanfear scored Rangers' goal against a depleted Bradford side after six minutes, but not for the first time this term had Bradford had someone who knew where the net was then they might have got something from the game.

Martin Powell had a good chance for the newsmen but hit the post and when the ball game back to him he knocked the rebound wide.

Ashley Merchant also went close but shot straight at Rangers' goalkeeper Nathan Taylor when he should have done better.

The newsmen have two matches left in which to get out of trouble, one against local rivals Dog and Fox Ashley and the other against leaders Biddestone, and it will be a big ask to get anything from either game.

Westbury Rangers A 1, Biddestone Social 2

WHAT has been confirmed is that after Biddestone Social overcame Westbury Rangers A 2-1 in their heavyweight battle at Meadow Lane is that it now looks likely to be a two-horse race rather than the three that it could have been had third placed Rangers beaten the leaders whose win saw them maintain their five point lead at the summit.

The match, that kicked off at 6.45pm to give both sides the chance to have their best players available, saw Biddestone take the lead after four minutes. Gary Banks was the provider for Danny Jones whose shot from 14 yards deflected in off the unfortunate Nick Mead.

Jones is claiming the goal, but match referee Adie Hunt believes it was an own goal.

Westbury Rangers were back on level terms on 16 minutes through top scorer Marc Lanfear and although chances came and went for both sides neither team could find the net again in the first half.

The second period saw Westbury Rangers have the majority of the play but Biddestone Social had the better of the chances, with both Gary Banks and Dan Lardner going close to giving them the lead.

With time running out and the heading for a draw Biddestone Social full back Mike Few chanced his hand up front in the 86th minute and having been played in by Jamie Lyons he rifled home a shot that was spilled by Rangers goalkeeper Nathan Taylor.

It was Social's 16th straight win and keeps their dreams of taking the title very much alive and brought an end to Rangers' 100 per cent home record as their suffered their first loss in 10 outings at Meadow Lane.

Westbury Rangers A 1, North Star A 0

WESTBURY Rangers A manager Shaun Gardiner had one eye on this Sunday's presstoprint-sponsored Eric Hughes Memorial Knockout Cup final against Crown Cosmos when he picked his team to face basement side North Star A at Meadow Lane.

And his decision to rest a few of his players almost came back to haunt him as Rangers, who could still win the title or finish as runners-up were given a harder game than they anticipated by Gary Elliott's battling Star side who gave it their best shot before they fell to a 1-0 defeat as Rangers held on to their 100 per cent home record with their ninth straight win on their own patch and their sixth league success in a row.

It was no surprise that the only goal of the game was scored by Marc Lanfear who found the target after 35 minutes.

Marc Lanfear

With leaders Biddestone Social without a game and second-placed Corsham Centre A in Wiltshire Sunday Cup action, Westbury Rangers A kept the pressure on both teams with a comfortable victory over Semington Rovers Semington had taken the lead, when Dave Castle finished well at the far post from a Simon Chown cross, but Rangers hit back to win 7-1.

Striker Marc Lanfear had the perfect build-up to this Sunday's presstoprint-sponsored Knockout Cup final against Crown Cosmos with a four timer that took his goal tally for the season to 23.

Nathan Hallett, Pete Ayton and Tim Coombes scored singles as Rangers extended their winning run to five matches that keeps alive their slim hopes of achieving a league and cup double.

The battle for the winners' crown is becoming very exciting, however the fight to avoid relegation is just as intriguing, especially as both North Star A and Bradford News, who were in the drop zone prior to kick-off, both recorded excellent victories to keep alive their hopes of beating the drop.

Sam Tucker

Maud Heath Sports 1, Westbury Rangers A 2

WESTBURY Rangers A remain in the hunt for the title after they came from behind to beat Maud Heath Sports 2-1 at the Rec in Calne.

Ali Duncan put Maud Heath one up and they looked as if they would hold the slight advantage going into the second period, but just as half-time approached Sam Tucker struck only his second goal of the season to put Shaun Gardiner's side back on level terms.

Both teams had chances to take the lead in the second half before Marc Lanfear bagged his 19th goal of the campaign to give Rangers their fourth win on the bounce and their first away from Meadow Lane in five matches, which also came in Calne when they beat North Star A 2-1 back in October.

Mark Young

Westbury Rangers A 6, Dog and Fox Ashley 3

OLD adversaries Westbury Rangers A and Dog and Fox clashed at Meadow Lane in a dress rehearsal for their semi-final of the presstoprint sponsored Eric Hughes Memorial Knockout Cup later this month.

Shaun Gardiner's Westbury side defeated the Dog 6-3 on this occasion, but they will be well aware that in four weeks' time the outcome could be very different and they won't get over-confident, even if they did have the Dog on the ropes at 3-0 before they rallied and took the game to their hosts.

Mark Young put Westbury ahead and Marc Lanfear doubled the advantage before Young's second of the game made it 3-0.

Steve Roddy reduced the gap and when Roddy scored his second to narrow Westbury's lead to the odd goal, the Dog fancied their chances of staging a great comeback. But it wasn't to be as Lanfear scored again to make it 4-2 and Young completed his hat-trick to put Westbury back in command.

Mark Gerrish scored from the penalty spot for the Dog and Fox but it only proved to be another consolation as Lanfear scored number six to wrap up his own hat-trick which took his tally for the season to 18 goals.