Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
 FC Calne & RWBT Early Leaders,
Stratton Juniors Orange Win Stratton Derby
It was a busy night on Monday in the Mid Wiltshire Veterans’ Division with all ten teams in action. The big game was at Oakfield Stadium Melksham where the two champions of the division so far to date, Corsham Town and Melksham Town, were up against each other in a match switched to being Melksham’s home game on the morning of the match due to issues with availability of Corsham’s pitch that night. A big thank you to Darren Perrin at Melksham Town for agreeing to the switch on the day of the game and also for then allowing Westbury United to use the pitch at Melksham as well for their Veterans’ fixture the same evening due to issues with Westbury’s own pitch. It was honours even in the first game played on the night, the battle of the two former champions seeing the two sides serve up a 1-1 draw, both goals coming in the second half, Simon Charity scoring for Melksham Town and Simon Gray with the Corsham goal. The point for Melksham saw them remain unbeaten from their opening two games and third spot in the early table.

There was another close game in the second match played on the Oakfield pitch. Former Melksham Town player Wayne Wheeler enjoyed his return to the Melksham ground putting his new side Westbury United one nil up at the break against Chippenham Town. Rob Pocock brought Chippenham back level midway through the second half. Wheeler once again put Westbury ahead seven minutes from time, but his side were to hold the lead for only a minute as Chippenham went straight down the other end and restored parity through a Matthew White goal as it finished 2-2 and the second draw of the night witnessed by the crowd at the Oakfield Stadium. Hopefully Melksham were rewarded for their kind gesture to get the two games on with bumper bar takings with four Veterans’ sides in the bar afterwards. The point for Westbury United saw them to move onto four points and second place in the table, above Melksham Town on goal difference. Chippenham Town’s first point of the season saw them go seventh in the table after their opening two games.

Whilst both Melksham Town and Westbury United lost their 100% winning record, one side was able to make it two wins from their opening two games, that team being FC Calne who are definitely carrying on the form they showed at the back end of last season. Once again it was Adam O’Keeffe who did the damage for his side, bagging a brace in a 2-0 win over Trowbridge Town Tigers to send his side two points clear at the top of the table and his tally for the season to five in just two games. 

The highest scoring game of the night was at Trowbridge Road, Bradford-on-Avon where former Bradford Town star Rhys Schell returned to his former club and carried on his goal-scoring exploits from last season which had seen him help Bradford Town to a County Cup win and runners-up spot in the league. Now with Devizes Town, Schell scored all four goals for his new club in a 4-3 win on his return to Trowbridge Road, Waleed Bakali, Michael Little and Mark Robinson with the Bradford Town goals.  After this result Devizes are the only other side, in addition to FC Calne, to hold a 100% winning record although this was their first game of the season.

  Rhys Schell who scored all four goals against his former club Bradford Town in Devizes Town's 4-3 win

The final game of the night was at Southfield Recreation Ground, Radstock where Radstock Town were playing their first game under their new name, with last seasons St Andrews side having become Radstock Town Veterans’. There was not to be an opening game win under their new name though, Amesbury Junior Badgers leaving with all three points thanks to a solitary goal from Gary Jardine-McEwen. The win for Amesbury saw them climb three places in the table to sixth spot.
Whilst Monday night saw all the action in the Mid Wiltshire Division, it was Tuesday night that saw the majority of the week’s action in the North Division. The big match was at New College where two sides who had won their opening fixtures last week, Royal Wootton Bassett Town and Swindon Old Boys were up against each other. In a tight game, goals from Josh Connolly and Steve Shaw were enough for Royal Wootton Bassett Town to take all three points and early leadership of the North Wiltshire Division on goal difference from Swindon Rovers.

   Josh Connolly and Steve Shaw whose goals sent Royal Wootton Bassett Town top of the early table with a 2-0 win over Swindon Old Boys

It was another close affair at Chiseldon Rec where Chiseldon were taking advantage of there still being sufficient light to be able to play a Veterans’ game on a non-floodlit pitch. In their first ever Veterans’ League fixture they were up against last season's cup finalists Swindon Rovers. After a good pre-season, which had seen them win all their pre-season games, they were unable to maintain that momentum in their first league game, last season’s cup finalists edging it 2-1, Richie Miles, who had scored 24 goals for Priory Vale in Veterans’ football last season with the Chiseldon goal. For Rovers that was two wins from their opening two games, and they sit level on points with Royal Wootton Bassett Town with just goal difference separating the two sides.

    Swindon Rovers who made it two wins from two with a 2-1 win over Chiseldon

The highest scoring game of the night was at Merton Fields in the first ever Stratton Juniors Veterans’ derby game. In the end it was a comfortable win for Stratton Juniors Orange as they ran out 7-1 winners over their stablemates Stratton Juniors Black. It was Vince McMackin, their leading scorer for the past three seasons, who led the way helping himself to a hat-trick, Dave Toomey bagged a brace and there was one goal apiece for Steve Bizley and Mathew Bugden, Lee Greenshields with the consolation goal for the Blacks.
The final game of the week was on Wednesday night at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground where last season’s champions Redhouse bounced back from their opening game defeat with a narrow 1-0 win over AFC Swindon who, based on their two games to date, look a much stronger outfit than in previous seasons. The all-important goal to secure the three points was scored by Tafari Anderson.
The fixtures for October have now been published on FA Full Time. There will be further fixtures to be added in the month for games in the Wiltshire County FA’s Veterans’ Cup Second Round in the week’s starting October 10th and October 17th.

League Tables

Leading Scorers

Results

15 September 2022
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