Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Season 1977-78

Whereas the first season of the Wiltshire County League had gone right to the wire, eventually being decided by Park having a better goal average than Malmesbury Victoria, the second season of the league saw a clear winner of the top division. Once again it was Park who triumphed retaining the title they had won twelve months previously. In the days when it was still two points for a win they won the title by a huge eleven-point margin over runners-up Vickers. With the exception of Amesbury, with whom they drew twice, Park defeated every other club at least once and most of them twice. Their three defeats came at the hands of Highworth Town, Corsham Town and Calne Town but again they beat all three teams in the return matches. Corsham Town proved to be the surprise team of the season having been promoted the previous season from Division Two. They were one of four promoted clubs and did so well that they either held the top spot (twenty one weeks) or second place (ten weeks) from September 10 to April 15th before finally finishing in fourth place.

The other three promoted clubs did not fare so well. All finished in the relegation places although Warminster Town, who finished 13th, were eventually reprieved from relegation due to the resignation of St Josephs. No such luck for Pewsey Vale and Purton who having finished in the bottom three were relegated back to Division Two along with Wootton Bassett Town.
Park’s title defence once again had much to thank for Steve Burson’s prowess in front of goal. Having finished top scorer in the division in the title winning inaugural season he once again repeated the feat in Season 1977-78, scoring 28 league goals. Mal Baker from Calne Town was in second place with 20 goals.

Penhill YC, having obtained senior status in the summer, were the winners of the Division Two title at the first attempt. Having finished in 5th place in the Junior Division A the previous season they were probably not the title favourites going into the season but finished five points ahead of runners-up Westbury. These two, together with Salisbury and Marlborough Town, won promotion to Division One. Westbury had a good season bouncing back to the top division in their first season following relegation. They also won the Subsidiary Cup defeating Sarsen 2-1 in the final at Bromham. Another side immediately bouncing back after relegation were Salisbury Reserves.

Division Three was won by Shrewton United who made up for the disappointment of the previous season when they had led for months only to fade badly at the end and lose out in the title race to Walcot Boys. This time they made no mistake finishing three points ahead of Sanford Reserves in second place. Shrewton were helped by the goal scoring exploits of Mike Keel who hit 36 goals out of a total of 104 scored by the champions in winning the title. He was not the top scorer in the division, however, Colin Lashmar from Walcroft having that honour with 39 goals and his team also fired 104 goals in the season. Another side to hit over a century were runners-up Sanford Reserves. Their success in finishing runners-up came after an amazing run at the end of the season which saw them overtake Devizes Town Reserves, West Swindon, Walcroft and Vickers Reserves.

If the goal scoring exploits of the Division Three sides were impressive the paled into insignificance when looking at the top two sides in Division Four. Melksham Town Reserves were champions in their first season in the league finishing six point clear at the top and hit a massive 173 goals in winning the title. They hit double figure scores in no less than six games with their biggest win being a 15-0 triumph over Ferndale Athletic Reserves. Top scorer for Melksham was Owen Roberts who scored 46 league goals, but he also had help in the goal scoring stakes from G. Broom (25) and Mike Perrin (24). The other side to hit over 100 goals were runners-up Tisbury who hit 147 to finish one point ahead of third placed Terry Warner Pinehurst.

Some of the results for all four divisions have been traced but unfortunately this exercise is still incomplete. The problem in all divisions is midweek games where the newspaper coverage in the weekly papers did not always show the results. Another issue has been the replaying of certain games due to the playing of ineligible players. Further research is needed to try and track down the missing results.  The results are shown after this summary below.

Other than the Subsidiary Cup there were again no league cup competitions in the second season of the league but once again there were the usual County Cup competitions. The league did not do so well in the Wiltshire Senior Cup in Season 1977-78 as just one side from the league, Avon Bradford, made the semi-final where they defeated Hellenic League side Garrad 1-0 to reach the final where they met Western League side Melksham Town. The first meeting ended in a draw meaning a replay was needed and that was won by Melksham Town.

The League also had representation in the Wiltshire Junior Cup final with Box Rovers meeting Airsprung from the Trowbridge & District League in the final. Airsprung made up for the disappointment of losing in the final the previous season by defeating Box 3-0 at Corsham Town. Three sides from the league had made the semi-finals but it was the only Trowbridge & District League side in th elast four that had gone on to win the competition. In terms of league representation in the semi-finals, Walcroft had lost to Box in an all Wiltshire County League semi-final, whilst Tisbury had lost to eventual winners Airsprung.

Dorcan won the E C Mills Sportsmanship Award with Box Rovers finishing in second place.
Results
Top Scorers - Division 1
S. Burson  (Park)  28
M. Baker (Calne Town) 20
S. Slade (Bemerton) 19
T. Pike (Sanford) 18
A. Clements (Warminster) 18
D. O'Meara (Corsham Town) 16
B. Hanks (Vickers) 15
M. Presley (Amesbury) 15
K. Higgs (Highworth Town) 14
J. Murphy (Park) 14

Top Scorers - Division 2
A. Greene (Penhill YC)  25

Top Scorers - Division 3
C. Lashmar (Walcroft) 39
M. Keel (Shrewton United) 36
B. Coates (Walcroft) 29
K. Haugh (West Swindon) 26
S. Phillips (Malmesbury Vics Res) 26
L. Curtis (Park Reserves) 23
B. Ponting (Sanford Reserves) 22

Top Scorers - Division 4
O. Roberts (Melksham Town Res) 46
J. Quartley (Terry Warner Pinehurst) 41
B. Liddiard (Aldbourne Park Res) 34
S. Booth (Tisbury) 32
G. Broom (Melksham Town Res) 25
M. Perrin (Melksham Town Res) 24
D. Chivers (Sutton & Seagry) 23
M. Curtis (Sutton & Seagry) 21
Division Two Subsidiary Cup
Season 1977-78
Group A
Salisbury 1 Westbury 0
West Lavington 0 Salisbury 2      
Other group results still to be traced

Winners - Salisbury
Runners-up - Pewsey Vale

Group B
Avebury 2 Burbage Sports 3
Avebury 6 Rowde 0
Rowde 1 Marlborough Town 4
Marlborough Town 1 Rowde 2
Burbage Sports 0 Marlborough Town 2
Rowde 0 Avebury 7
Rowde 0 Burbage Sports 5
Burbage Sports 1 Avebury 7
Burbage Sports 4 Rowde 3
Avebury 1 Marlborough Town 1
Marlborough Town 0 Avebury 2
Marlborough Town 3 Burbage Sports 1

Winners - Avebury
Runners-up - Marlborough Town

Group C
Ferndale 1 Chippenham Town Res 3
Chippenham Town Res 5 Sarsen 3
Sarsen 1 Ferndale 0
Ferndale 3 Sarsen 1
Chippenham Town Res 2 Ferndale 1
Sarsen 2 Chippenham Town Res 2

Winners - Chippenham Town Res
Runners-up -Sarsen

Group D
Penhill YC 0 Wroughton 0
Wrughton 1 Penhill YC 4
Penhill YC 3 Lawn 1
Wroughton 0 Lawn 1
Lawn Penhill YC - result not traced
Lawn 5 Wroughton 2

Winners - Penhill YC
Runners-up - Lawn
Quarter Final
Salisbury 1 Sarsen 2
Penhill YC 0 Westbury 1
Avebury 2 Lawn 0
Chippenham Town Res v Marlborough Town - result not traced

Semi Final
Marlborough Town 1 Westbury 2
Sarsen 2 Avebury 0

Final(at Bromham)
Westbury 2 Sarsen 1
(Scorers: Westbury: Back, Steer,       Sarsen: Hennessey)
Wiltshire Senior Cup
Season 1977-78
Teams from other leagues shown in italics
Preliminary Round
Devizes Town 3 Wroughton  0

First Round
Amesbury  0  Garrad  0
Avebury  0  Pinehurst  5
Avon Bradford  2  Ferndale Athletic 0
Bromham  2  Rowde  0
Calne Town  1  Downton  3
Devizes Town  2  Sanford  3
Malmesbury Vics  3  Corsham Town  1
Marlborough T 2  Chippenham T Res 3
Park  2  Penhill YC  0
Pewsey Vale  1  Highworth Town  0
Purton  0  Melksham Town  4
Sarsen 3  St Josephs  2
Vickers  2  Burbage Sports  2
Warminster Town  3  Bemerton Ath. 1
Westbury United  4  West Lavington  5
Wootton Bassett Town  2  Lawn  1

First Round Replays
Burbage Sports  2  Vickers  5
Garrad  5  Amesbury  3

Second Round
Chippenham Town Res   1  Garrad  3
Malmesbury Victoria   2   Sarsen  0
Pewsey Vale  1  Melksham Town  2
Pinehurst  0  Downton  0
Sanford  1  Avon Bradford  2
Vickers  0  Park  2
Warminster Town  1  Bromham  0
W. Lavington  0  Wootton Bassett T  2

Second Round Replays
Downton   2  Pinehurst  0

Quarter Final
Avon Bradford  1  Warminster Town  1
Downton  4  Malmesbury Victoria  1
Melksham Town  1  Park  1
Wootton Bassett Town  0  Garrad  0

Quarter Final Replays
Garrad  2  Wootton Bassett Town  0
Park  1  Melksham Town  2
Warminster Town  1  Avon Bradford  2

Semi Final
Downton  1  Melksham Town  2
Garrad  0  Avon Bradford  1

Final(at Devizes Town)
Melksham Town   1  Avon Bradford  1

Replay(at Trowbridge Town)
Melksham Town  3  Avon Bradford 0
Avon Bradford FC - Pictured are, from left, back row: Les Stevens (manager), Richard Sadd, Tim Quincey, John Amor, John May, Mel Cooper, Mick Taylor, Denny Jones (secretary), Ken Bond (coach); Front row: Pete Korynevsky, Graham Monacute, Andy O'Pray, Mick Phillips, Bob Farion, Colin Trott, Brian Lywood.
(Picture courtesy of Les Stevens and Wiltshire Times).
Wiltshire Junior Cup
Season 1977-78
From Semi Finals onwards
Teams from other leagues shown in italics

Semi Final
Airsprung  3  Tisbury  0
Walcroft 0 Box Rovers 1

Final(at Corsham Town)
Box Rovers 0 Airsprung 3
EC Mills Sportsmanship Award
Season 1977-78 - Top 6

1. Dorcan - 9.414 average mark
2. Box Rovers - 8.636 average mark
3. Tisbury - 8.484 average mark
4. Park
5. South Marston
6. Pewsey Vale

Management Committee Members and Club Secretaries


This season saw some changes to the Management Committee.  P M Cook took over as Assistant Secretary from F E Jones, who joined the Management Committee.  G A Highmore became Treasurer in place of C G Scott.  V R Blake and I R Titcombe were elected to the Management Committee with T K Dowty and I K Strange retiring.


There were thirteen Vice-Presidents: H Beattie, A  E Beavis, W H Brown, M A Cutforth, T Gillingham, Mrs E T Mills, D S Mills, E G Newman, W A Shail, W W Sherwood, H J Stevens, P E Stone and H W Todd.


Sixty five teams entered the League and were grouped in four Divisions: two Senior and two Junior Divisions.
Division 1 - Clubs & Secretaries
Amesbury - W J Spreadbury   
Avon (Bradford) - D Jones   
Bemerton Athletic - G P Broad   
Bromham - B Amor   
Calne Town - A G Merrett    
Corsham Town - S Jackman   
Highworth Town - R Haines   
Malmesbury Victoria - T J C Brown   
Park YC - D J Prothero
Pewsey Vale - G J Caplin
Purton - A C Mills
Sanford - J A Leeson
St Joseph's YC - B W Phillips
Vickers - D F Grand
Warminster Town - D W Dawkins
Wootton Bassett Town - L S Dixon

Division 2 - Clubs & Secretaries
Avebury - V R Blake   
Burbage Sports - R M Cady   
Chippenham Town Res - A L Knee   
Ferndale Athletic - P D Bathe   
Lawn - Secretary: I R Titcombe   
Marlborough Town - M K Messenger   
Wroughton - C G Swatton
Penhill YC - M K Whitaker    
Rowde - B Webb
Salisbury City Res - D F Sharp
Sarsen  - K Burleigh
Westbury Utd - E L Barber
West Lavington - B K Hartley
Division 3 - Clubs & Secretaries
Amesbury Res - W J Spreadbury   
Avon (Bradford) Res - D Jones   
Bemerton Athletic Res - G P Broad   
Box Rovers - A Cogswell   
Bromham Res - B Amor   
Calne Town Res - A G Merrett   
Devizes Town Res - R P Broomham   
Frogwell - K W Applegate   
Malmesbury Vics Res - T J C Brown   
Park YC Res - D J Prothero
Sanford Res - J A Leeson
Shrewton - F H Matthews
St Joseph's YC Res - B W Phillips
Trowbridge Youth - K Gardner
Vickers Res - D F Grand
Walcroft - J Turner
West Swindon - A C Fall
Wootton Bassett Town Res - L S Dixon

Division 4 - Clubs & Secretaries
Aldbourne - S F Watts   
Corsham Town Res - S Jackman   
Dorcan - A F Jennings   
Ferndale Athletic Res - P D Bathe   
Hampton - V J Attwood   
Highworth Town Res - R Haines   
Lawn Res - I R Titcombe   
Marlborough T Res - M K Messenger   
Melksham Town Res - M J Perrin   
Pewsey Vale Res - G J Caplin
Purton Res - A C Mills
Sarsen Res - K Burleigh
Sherston - R E Davis
South Marston - R Case
Sutton and Seagry - B N Porter
Terry Warner Sports - R J Miles
Tisbury - W S Rogers
Wroughton Res - C G Swatton
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