Wiltshire Senior League

Corsham Print

Wiltshire Senior League

Veterans' Round-up

VFC Devizes Go Level,

KMLC Win Big Game in North

Action from VFC Devizes v Marlborough Town Vets

(picture courtesy of David Giles)

The title race in the Mid Wiltshire Veterans’ Division looks like it could go all the way to the final game of the season as VFC Devizes joined Corsham Town and Melksham Town on 34 points at the top of the table after a 3-1 win over Marlborough Town on Tuesday night. All three sides have now played thirteen games each, winning eleven and drawing one. Two first half goals from leading scorer Nick Oram set Devizes on their way against Marlborough as he moved onto sixteen for the season, VFC Devizes other goal was scored by Jonathan Couch, Richard Clark replying for Marlborough. An excellent set of pictures from this game taken by David Giles can be viewed on the League's Facebook Group page.

Further action from VFC Devizes v Marlborough Town

(pictures courtesy of David Giles)

Elsewhere in the Mid Wiltshire Division there were wins for Bradford Town, FC Calne and St Andrews. Bradford Town were the big winners of the week, putting eight past Amesbury Junior who were playing their penultimate game of the season. Nicholas Ross led the way for Bradford netting four goals, leading scorer Rhys Schell bagged a brace and there was one apiece for Peter Ayrton and David Redfern.

Trowbridge Tigers had given both Corsham Town and VFC Devizes Town a tough game in recent weeks, only losing both games by the odd goal, and were hoping to build on those performances when they met FC Calne on Monday night. FC Calne had beaten the Tigers 1-0 at the end of April but had then lost three on the bounce before ending that losing run a fortnight ago against bottom side Chippenham Yard Dogs. It was another close game but once again FC Calne got the better of the Tigers winning by the odd goal in three to complete a league double over their opponents, Kyle Balloch with both FC Calne goals, Kieran Prince replying for the Tigers.

The final game in the Mid Wiltshire Division was between two sides in need of a win at the bottom end of the table. Chippenham Town Yard Dogs were still looking for their first point of the season whilst St Andrews had only won two of their opening ten games ahead of Tuesday night’s match, having beaten the Yard Dogs in the first fixture between the sides and also beaten Trowbridge Tigers. Yard Dogs search for that first point of the season continues as St Andrews registered their third win of the season, Oliver Howe leading the way, firing a hat-trick in a 5-1 win, a Tim Richards penalty and a first of the season from Dominic Shepherd completing the scoring for St Andrews.

The top league game of the week was in the North Division on Tuesday night where Redhouse knew that if they could avoid defeat against KMLC they would be in the driving seat to lift the divisional title. However, things did not go to plan as two goals in each half saw KMLC avenge the 2-0 defeat they had suffered at the hands of Redhouse back in September. Leading scorer Nick McCrae set KMLC on their way with the opener on nine minutes and Ian Fawkes extended the lead three minutes later. Gary Ashford made it 3-0 midway through the second half before McCrae rounded off the scoring on the night with his second of the game seven minutes from time to complete a 4-0 victory for KMLC over their nearest rivals. Redhouse now have two games remaining against the bottom two sides AFC Swindon and Swindon Rovers, whilst KMLC have to also play Swindon Rovers as well as two games against Royal Wootton Bassett Town. If KMLC win all three of their remaining games they will be crowned divisional winners as they sit just two points behind Redhouse with that game in hand.

After this week’s league action, the other big game this week is in the final of the Wiltshire FA’s Veterans’ County Cup on Friday night at Green Lane Devizes, when two of the leading sides from the Mid Wiltshire Division, Corsham Town and Melksham Town do battle for the newest of the prestigious County Cup competitions organised by the Wiltshire FA. The two league meetings between the sides this season have resulted in one win for each side. Back in September Melksham were 4-1 winners at the InfiLED Stadium, Charlie Griffin hitting a hat-trick that night. Corsham Town avenged that early season defeat in the return fixture at the beginning of May, a solitary goal from Simon Gray being the difference between the sides in a game played in extremely difficult conditions at the Southbank Ground. Corsham go into Friday night’s game on the back of an impressive winning run that now stretches to thirteen games in all competitions, whilst Melksham’s only defeat so far this season came in that game at Corsham in May. It certainly should be a close and interesting game between the two sides on Friday night with three of the division’s top strikers in action. Melksham’s Charlie Griffin and Steve Tweddle are the two leading scorers in the Veterans' League, whilst Corsham's Simon Gray is not far being the two and is the leading scorer in this season’s County Cup competition. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7.15pm.