It is congratulations to KMLC who were crowned champions of the North Wiltshire Veterans’ Division on Tuesday night with a game to spare. This is because of Swindon Rovers impressive 4-1 win over a Redhouse side who needed to win to retain any chance of pipping KMLC. The win for Swindon Rovers represented their best result of the season and it was Mark Simpkins who led the way firing a hat-trick to end Redhouse’s hopes of the title, Richie Lester with the other Redhouse goal, Nolan Paul replying for Redhouse with his fifth goal of the season. There are now just two games to go in the Division. Redhouse are in action again next week when they take on AFC Swindon with AFC looking to see if they can pick up some points in their final game of the season. The following week the final game in the Division sees KMLC and Swindon Rovers in action.

There were three games in the Mid Wiltshire Division this week starting at Green Lane, Devizes on Monday night when fifth placed Marlborough Town met FC Calne one place below them. A close game was expected and so it proved as the two sides shared four goals and the points. On target for Marlborough Town were Richard Clark and Leigh Wells, with Stephen Kennedy and Ben Trafford, with his sixth of the season, replying for FC Calne. Marlborough remain three points ahead of FC Calne with a much superior goal difference, with their final game against champions elect Corsham Town, whilst FC Calne meet St Andrews in their final game of the season.

The following night, again at Green Lane, the bottom two sides in the table, Chippenham Town Yard Dogs and Amesbury Junior played their final games of the season.  A solitary goal from Hammie Brown gave Amesbury Junior the three points and the win lifted them out of the bottom two as they moved above Trowbridge Tigers to finish in eighth place.

The final game of the week was at Bradford Town’s ground where VFC Devizes, still with an outside chance of the league title and needing to improve their goal difference to catch Melksham Town for runners-up, were St Andrews’ visitors. On a warm and muggy evening not only did the faint hope of the title disappear for Devizes they also can now no longer finish as runners-up as they were held to a 2-2 draw by St Andrews, with the St Andrews equaliser agonisingly coming with what was just about the last kick of the game. St Andrews started the stronger team and took a first half lead through Steve Jackson against a Devizes side missing a few key players. Second half started evenly matched but halfway through VFC Devizes Leigh Blanchard was sin binned and it looked bleak for their quest for honours. However, despite the numerical disadvantage, VFC Devizes managed to pull a goal back when a Gareth Evans long throw was headed in by Rob Hannah to make it 1-1.  Then, a few moments later, the game swung VFC Devizes way when Evans went in for a 50/50 challenged with the St Andrews keeper and the ball bounced in off Evans’s leg to make it 1-2 to VFC Devizes. St Andrew’s went in search of an equaliser and with five minutes to go, were denied by a great save from Devizes keeper Nathan Palmer. However, St Andrews were not to be denied as from the resulting corner Steve Jackson scored his second of the game, the last gasp equaliser breaking Devizes hearts as their quest for honours was ended with no time left to respond.

VFC Devizes draw means, as long as Corsham Town avoid the unlikely scenario of a double figure defeat in their final game against Marlborough Town they will be crowned champions of the division, with Melksham Town runners-up.

Next Week's Fixtures

Mid Wiltshire Division

Monday 19th July 2021

FC Calne v St Andrews

Tuesday 20th July 2021

Marlborough Town v Corsham Town

North Wiltshire Division

Tuesday 20th July 2021

AFC Swindon v Redhouse

17 July 2021