O'S MISS CHANCES AND CRASH TO CALNE

Calne took the lead on six minutes and despite Oldland creating almost twenty chances in the ninety minutes, the visitors added two late goals with Josh Williams' late strike only a consolation.

After two inspections, referee James Jarad said "game on" and the two sides took to a pitch that was already cutting up due to the incessant rain that has fallen lately. It certainly wasn't the sort of pitch conducive to good football or swift passing. Lining up for the O's for his second debut was midfielder Scott Robson, signed from Longwell Green Sports last week.

Josh Williams had the first of the multiple attempts on goal in the fourth minute which went over and within two minutes, Calne were ahead. A cross in from the right flank found striker Reece Allison in acres of space and he was allowed to turn and fire past O's keeper Josh Dempsey.

Dempsey had to react smartly to thwart the Calne striker on seventeen minutes when he sprang the offside trap. That was it for Calne chances as Oldland pushed for an equaliser. Tom Morgan curled a free kick well wide then slotted home on 22 minutes but he was adjudged offside. He then shot wide after a searing run from Williams down the right before Robson then set up Williams but his shot was saved.

Dempsey and Allison seemed to be having their own personal duel and the keeper came out on top again on 35 minutes. Calne's keeper Steve Allison produced a great save to deny David Stone and Jordan Greenwood then headed the ensuing corner over the bar.

The second half started where the first half ended with Oldland forcing five corners almost in a row but failing to really test Allison. Matt Curnock lashed a shot wide as did Morgan while Jordan Richards, up from the back, nodded a header wide. Allison then was called upon to save well from a firmly struck volley from Williams. Dempsey was a spectator for quite a while during this passage of play but was given a brief scare when Reece Allison tried an audacious lob from forty yards plus that dropped on to the roof of the net.

The chances kept on coming with Robson volleying over and a cross shot from Stone being cleared off the line by Jake Jeffries. Rob Pocock's acrobatic bicycle kick went just wide of the Oldland goal but it still seemed like the hosts would score next; Curnock shot over the bar from a cross that keeper Allison spilled.

On 77 minutes, Calne made it 2-0 when Stuart Windsor crossed in for sub Mark Dolman, who'd only come on ten minutes previously, to tap in. And after Stone had fired into the side netting, Calne quickly made it 3-1 with nine minutes remaining when a shot on goal was diverted via a neat flick from Pocock, leaving Dempsey in the Oldland goal unable to switch directions to save it.

Late on, Morgan twice and Parker had chances for Oldland but it wasn't until the very last kick of the match that Josh Williams finally broke the deadlock for Oldland, latching on to an Ashley Bernard cross that had been cleared, to rifle home.

With Cheddar and Chard's games postponed, Oldland missed the chance to gain ground or even overtake the pair and it's all set up for a Boxing Day feast as top plays fourth this coming Saturday at Sodbury.

Merry Christmas everyone!