Last season in the Veteran’s Divisions, not only were Corsham Town and Melksham Town the top two teams in the Mid Wiltshire Division, but they were also the top sides in the overall Veterans’ category as evidenced by their progress to the final of the Wiltshire FA’s Veterans’ County Cup. An early season match-up in the Mid Wiltshire Division, just like last season, had all the hallmarks of being a close encounter between the two leading Veterans’ sides and so it proved. Melksham had won the last encounter between the two teams in the County Cup final and made it three wins in four meetings to date with a narrow 2-1 success in a very good game between two evenly matched sides on Monday night. Charlie Griffin, last season’s leading scorer in the Veteran’s divisions carried on where he left off last season scoring with a free kick. A second goal from Barry Holloway that went in off a Corsham player completed the scoring for the home side, Liam Ralph with the reply for Corsham.

Amesbury Junior are the early leaders in the Mid Wiltshire Division after they picked up their second win of the season with a 4-0 win against FC Calne on Monday night. In a game played at MOD Lyneham, a new venue to the league, Amesbury went ahead through a Martin Kitchin goal on 16 minutes, and it remained 1-0 at the break. Amesbury stepped it up second half scoring three more times through Mike Robinson, and substitutes Craig Watters and Daniel Field as it finished 4-0.

Tuesday night in the Mid Wiltshire Division saw Devizes Town bounce back from their opening game defeat at Corsham Town in style, winning 10-1 against Amesbury Junior’s other side the Badgers. Both Gary Campbell and Craig Townsend helped themselves to hat-tricks, with Jonathan Emm and Marcus Wallen both bagging a brace, Lee Bates with the consolation goal for Amesbury.

There were two games in the North Division on Tuesday night with three of the new sides in the league all in action. In a game with an early kick-off played at Chiseldon Recreation Ground between two of those three new sides, a solitary goal from Priory Vale’s James Lovell was enough to give them victory over Swindon Old Boys. Later that same evening at New College, Mark Simpkins put Swindon Rovers one nil up against another of the new sides, South Cerney Rangers. By scoring again Simpkins extended that sequence of consecutive games in which he has scored to five games. Dale Keen brought the Rangers level before Andrew Mark restored Rover’s lead. However, two second half goals from the Rangers duo of Ian McSherry and Steven Algar secured a come from behind win from the new boys who are unbeaten after their first two fixtures and are the early leaders in the division. Swindon Rovers are now in second place in the table, a point behind South Cerney.

There were four more games in the Preliminary Round of the Veterans’ County Cup this week starting on Tuesday night when Bradford Town were Chippenham Yard Dogs visitors in an early kick-off at Stanley Park. A solitary goal from Bradford Town’s Jacob Gaines was all that separated the two sides as Bradford progressed to the First Round. Also on Tuesday night two of last season’s top sides from the North Division, Stratton Juniors and Redhouse, met at New College. Last season Stratton had seriously damaged Redhouse’s title hopes with a 2-0 win, becoming the first team to beat Redhouse, but there was to be no repeat as Redhouse ran out comfortable 5-1 winners. Last season’s leading scorer David Rendle scored twice and there were further goals from Anthony McCusker, Ashley Bowes and Karl Spencer.  

Wednesday night saw Cricklade Town and AFC Swindon in action in the first fixture of the season staged on the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, a new venue for the North Division this season. It was a good night for Cricklade as they ran out 7-2 winners on the night, a hat-trick for Matt Richards,  and one each for Ryan Keech, Jamie Richards, Craig Shand and Adam Smith. Stuart Dash and Barry Clift with the AFC Swindon goals.

The fourth game was on Thursday night at Bradford Town where St Andrews were hosting Trowbridge Tigers. It finished all square at 1-1 at the end of 50 minutes and penalties were required to settle the outcome, with Tigers winning the shoot-out to progress to the First Round.

15 September 2021