Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
 AFC Swindon & Radstock Town
Secure 1st Wins of the Season

AFC Swindon who secured their first win of the season with a 2-1 success over Swindon Rovers (picture courtesy of Barry Clift)

The headline makers this week in the Veteran’s divisions are AFC Swindon in the North Wiltshire Division and Radstock Town in the Mid Wiltshire Division who both recorded their first wins of the season this week.

In the North Wiltshire Division AFC Swindon had gone close on a number of occasions this season, including a cup tie that they took to penalties and three games lost by a single goal margin in the league, which included a 2-1 defeat to this week’s opponents Swindon Rovers at the start of the season. They finally picked up that elusive win at the eleventh attempt on Wednesday night when they avenged that earlier defeat by securing a narrow 2-1 win of their own over Rovers. Victory for Swindon Rovers would have sent them fourth in the table but a goal in each half from Lewis Polden meant it was AFC Swindon who took the three points. Congratulations to manager Barry Clift and his side on securing that first win.
 Congratulations also to Ian Lanning and his Radstock Town side who also won for the first time this week in the Mid Wiltshire Division. That victory came on Tuesday night at Bulford Camp against Amesbury Junior Badgers. Goals have been a scarce commodity in league matches involving Radstock Town this season, whilst they have conceded on average less than two goals per game, they have found it difficult to register goals of their own at the other end with just the one league goal all season ahead of Tuesday night’s encounter against the Badgers. They doubled that goal tally thanks to a second half goal from Domonic Shepherd and by keeping a second clean sheet of the season secured all three points. The win saw Radstock climb off the bottom of the table moving above Trowbridge Town Tigers and to within a point of Badgers with two games in hand.
With cup action dominating proceedings there was just the one other league game this week and it was in the North Wiltshire Division where Stratton Juniors Black met Blunsdon in a game between two sides currently at the bottom end of the table, although in Blunsdon’s case with several games in hand due to their cup run to the semi-final in the Wiltshire FA’s Veterans’ County Cup. On Wednesday the two sides had to settle for a point apiece as they fought out a 2-2 draw, Stephen Norriss and Jamie Saunders with the two Blunsdon goals.
In addition to the three league fixtures there were four games played in cup competitions, three in the Veteran’s League Cup plus the one outstanding quarter final tie in the Wiltshire FA’s Veterans’ County Cup. That County Cup game was at Green Lane where FC Calne from the Mid Wiltshire Division entertained Royal Wootton Bassett Town from the North Wiltshire Division for that final place in the semi-final. Leading 2-0 at the break Royal Wootton Bassett Town doubled their tally in the second half and, with FC Calne scoring just the one through player manager Stuart Ballinger it was Royal Wootton Bassett town who progress to the last four courtesy of a 4-1 win. On target for Royal Wootton Bassett Town were Brady Lilley, Jonathan Davis, Jeremy Newton and Chris Head. The Wiltshire FA have made the draw for the semi-final and it sees both games involve teams from the same division up against each other guaranteeing one from each division in the final with last season’s beaten finalists Royal Wootton Bassett Town drawn against Blunsdon and Melksham up against current cup holders Bradford Town.
In the League Cup the action got underway on Monday night when Corsham Town met Trowbridge Tigers for the fourth time this season having also met in the Wiltshire FA’s Veterans' County Cup in addition to the two league encounters between the sides. Corsham won all the three previous games, but it had been close in the last one before the clash on Monday night. On this occasion it was to be a comfortable passage into the next round for Corsham, two first half goals set them on their way and they added a third after the break to run out 3-0 winners. On target for Corsham were Daniel Beck, Steve Tweddle and Stuart Skinner.
On Tuesday night there was an inter-divisional affair at the Corinium Stadium Cirencester where Cricklade Town, the holders of the Veterans’ League Cup, were up against Bradford Town, last season’s winners of the Veteran’s County Cup. For the second time this season Cricklade went down to Mid Wiltshire Division opponents in cup competitions as three unanswered goals from David Percival, Adam Pugsley and an own goal saw Bradford Town secure a 3-0 win which means there will be a new name on the Veteran’s League Cup come the end of the season.
Also on Tuesday night, there was another Second Round League Cup tie involving Swindon Old Boys and Stratton Juniors Orange at Green Lane. Goals from Martyn Roberts and David Morse put Swindon Old Boys 2-0 up, but Stratton Juniors came back to level matters scoring two of their own, a very late equaliser meaning penalties were needed to decide matters, Ian Graves and Liam Butcher with the two Stratton goals. The penalty shoot out saw Swindon Old Boys progress to the quarter final as they put away four penalties to just two for Stratton, the four successful penalties for Swindon Old Boys being put away by Andrew King, Paul Stonehouse, Kris Walklett and Martyn Roberts.
Four of the Second Round ties have now been played with two sides from each division so far through to the last eight, Swindon Old Boys and Royal Wootton Bassett Town from the North Wiltshire Division and Bradford Town and Corsham Town from the Mid Wiltshire Division.

League Tables

Leading Scorers

Results and Next Week's Fixtures

13 January 2023
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