Action in the Veteran’s Divisions resumes next week with the Mid Wiltshire Division restarting on Monday night with two games and the North Wiltshire Division getting under way again the following night. The game with Amesbury will be the first meeting between the sides with the two teams set to meet again in April in the return fixture.

In all there are five scheduled games in the first week.

Mid-Wiltshire Division

Monday night sees two games take place and sees current Division leaders VFC Devizes return to action when they entertain Amesbury Junior at Green Lane. Devizes remain unbeaten after their opening six fixtures, five of which have been won. After a good start to the season, Amesbury Junior are without a win in four and will be keen to return to winning ways in what should be a close game.

The same night an in-form Corsham Town side, who are unbeaten in their last three fixtures, host FC Calne. FC Calne are also in good form having won their last two fixtures and currently sit in third place in the league table and another close game is in prospect at the Southbank Ground.

The following night at Green Lane, St Andrews meet Bradford Town for the first time this season. St Andrews are currently second from bottom in the league table having only played four games but are potentially just one win away from climbing up to fourth place, so congested is the table below the top two sides. Bradford Town are another side who were coming into form just prior to lockdown, registering an impressive 5-1 win over Marlborough Town in their final game before football came to a halt in December.

On Thursday evening Amesbury Junior play their second fixture of the week when they follow their game against the league leaders on Monday with another tough looking fixture against second placed Melksham Town in a game being played at Melksham’s INfiLED Stadium. Melksham have won all of their opening five fixtures prior to lockdown, those victories including a 3-1 success over Amesbury Junior. In that first meeting it was the prolific strike force of Charlie Griffin and Steve Tweddle who did the damage, Griffin bagging a brace and Tweddle adding a third. Amesbury will look to avenge that earlier defeat in a busy re-start to the season for them.

North Wiltshire Division

On Tuesday night at New College the one fixture in the North Wiltshire Division this week sees Divisional leaders KMLC look to extend their lead at the top of the division when they meet AFC Swindon for the second time this season. In the first meeting between the two sides, which was their opening fixture of the season, KMLC had a comfortable win scoring seven times without reply, Neil Matthews, Nick McCrae and Gary Ashford all bagging a brace. With AFC Swindon still searching for their first point of the season KMLC will start favourites but it will be interesting to see if the extended break has any impact on the form of the two sides.

No Spectators

A reminder to all clubs that no spectators are allowed at grassroots sport as part of step one of the Government’s roadmap. This means at this stage no spectators are allowed at grassroots football.

Veterans County Cup

Here has had to be a change to the scheduled fixtures for the second week of the big re-start with the Wiltshire FA scheduling their outstanding First Round Veterans’ County Cup fixtures for that week. The County Cup games to be played in that week are:

Monday 12th April, Corsham Town v Amesbury Juniors at Corsham Town, 7:30pm kick-off.

Monday 12th April, Melksham Town v St Andrews at Melksham Town, 7:30pm kick-off.

Monday 12th April, Chippenham Yard Dogs v FC Calne at Stanley Park, 6:30pm kick-off.

Tuesday 13th April, Marlborough Town v AFC Swindon at Green Lane, 7:30pm kick-off.

The winners of these four ties will join KMLC, Redhouse, Swindon Rovers and VFC Devizes, who all one their First Round ties, in the Second Round of the competition.

Registration Deadline

Teams are reminded that the deadline for registering new players and any transfers is 31 March 2021.

Next Season

Looking ahead to next season, we have already had enquiries from three new veterans’ teams based in the Swindon area looking to join the league. Consequently, we are currently looking to obtain a second 3G slot to utilise with the North Wiltshire Division to utilise next season. Any further new teams within the geographical catchment area for the veterans’ divisions (i.e., within the county of Wiltshire or within 15 miles of the County boundary) interested in joining the league for next season should contact League Secretary Jim Thorn at jim.thorn@wiltshireseniorleague.co.uk