Wiltshire Senior League

Corsham Print

Wiltshire Senior League

Melksham win Top of the Table Clash

Veterans' Round-up

All the focus in the Mid Wiltshire Veterans’ Division on Monday night was on the top of the table with all of the top five sides in action. The big match of the night was at the InfiLED Stadium where top of the table Melksham Town entertain second placed VFC Devizes. Both sides went into the game unbeaten with Melksham three points ahead of their nearest rivals having played one game more. Melksham created a number of early chances, but it took until the fifteenth minute for them to go in front and once again they had leading scorer Charlie Griffin to thank for the goal as he moved onto sixteen for the season. Melksham continued to dominate for much of the remainder of the half and the start of the second but were wasteful in front of goal and could not add to their tally. In the closing stages Devizes were on top as they went in search of the equaliser and went close with a free kick from Stephen Campbell but the equalise proved elusive as Melksham held on to claim the three points and open up a six-point lead at the top although Devizes still have that game in hand.

It was also a tight affair in the first half at Corsham Town’s Southbank Ground on Monday night when Marlborough Town were the visitors in another top end of the table clash. The two defences were on top in the first half as the sides turned around with the game still looking for the first goal of the night. However, it was a completely different story after the break as Corsham fired in three quick goals before Marlborough’s leading scorer Craig Wall pulled one back for the visitors. Corsham restored their three-goal advantage with a powerful shot seven minutes from time and then added a fifth from a corner with the last action of the night. There were five different scorers for the home side with Daniel Beck, Ibrahim Bigger, Craig Gingell and Jonathan Scott all scoring their first league goals of the season and James Lye netting for the fifth time as it finished 5-1 to Corsham. Next Monday sees Melksham Town visit the Southbank Ground in another top of the table clash as Corsham look to avenge their only defeat of the season which came in their opening fixture. With Corsham now unbeaten in eight, seven of which have been won, the game on Monday is massive in terms of the destination of the Mid Wiltshire Veteran’s Division title.

Bradford Town have been in good form of late and that continued Monday night with a 2-0 home win against Chippenham Town Yard Dogs thanks to goals from Steve Munday and Ralph Plummer. That is now four wins in the last five games for Bradford Town who sit fourth in the table, the only defeat in that spell of games a narrow 2-1 reverse against the leaders Melksham at the InfiLED. Indeed, the only defeats in the league this season have come against the top three, all by narrow margins, so it will be interesting to see if Bradford Town can take their improved form into the return games against these sides and impact the destiny of the league title. Next week they play bottom of the table Chippenham Town Yard Dogs at Stanley Park as they look to break into the top three.

On Tuesday evening two sides, FC Calne and Trowbridge Tigers, who were both in need of a league win after failing to record a league victory since the restart after lockdown, met at Green Lane. In a close game a solitary strike by Tristan Garland settled matters in FC Calne’s favour as Trowbridge fell to their fifth straight defeat in all competitions. FC Calne remain in sixth spot in the table but drew level on points with Marlborough Town having played one game more, the Tigers remain in eighth place. FC Calne are back in league action a week Thursday with a trip to the InfiLED for an encounter against the divisional leaders Melksham. Trowbridge meanwhile will look to end their barren run next Monday against Amesbury Junior who sit just a point above them in the table having played two games more than the Tigers.

In the North Division, Redhouse maintained their 100% winning start to the season with a convincing 11-1 win against bottom of the table AFC Swindon. AFC Swindon did have the consolation of registering their first goal of the season, albeit that it was an own goal scored by a Redhouse player, and had no answer against a rampant Redhouse side led by Dave Rendle. Rendle smashed a double hat-trick as he took his total for the season to fifteen, James Aghabi bagged a brace and there were further goals for Chris Hughes, Michael Lichota and Johnny Coole. The win saw Redhouse move three points clear of KMLC at the top of the table as the North Division formally reached the half-way stage with all teams having now played five games. AFC Swindon are back in action next Tuesday when they play Royal Wootton Bassett Town who sit just above them in the league table.