Mid Wiltshire Division

Last week’s final game of the week was played on Friday night and not included in last week’s round-up. It saw top of the table against bottom of the table in the Mid Wiltshire Division with league leaders Melksham Town hosting Amesbury Junior Badgers at the Oakfield Stadium. The game very much went to form with Darren Perrin’s side running out comfortable 10-0 winners with both Wayne Wheeler and Gareth Evans scoring four times, two from Simon Charity completing the scoring for Melksham as they made it eight straight league wins to move nine points clear at the top of the table with second placed Bradford Town having two games in hand.

This week’s fixtures in the Mid Wiltshire Division saw three games take place. Unfortunately for Melksham Town they were unable to extend their lead at the top as their game against St Andrews was postponed by their scheduled opponents. The game between Bradford Town and Chippenham Town Yard Dogs was also postponed. The games that did go ahead commenced on Monday and saw Devizes Town starting to return to the form they had showed last season as they made it back-to back victories with a 2-0 away win against FC Calne at MOD Lyneham. Two second half goals secured the points for the visitors. Player-manager Craig Townsend opened the scoring on 37 minutes, notching his eighth of the season and a second from Doug Imrie eight minutes from time, his first for his new club following his move from Marlborough Town Vets made sure of the points for Devizes who, whilst remaining in sixth spot, moved to within two points of second place.

Last season’s Mid Wiltshire Division champions Corsham Town were also in action on Monday night when they travelled to Frome to play Trowbridge Tigers. Last season Corsham had completed a league double over the Tigers but the second meeting of the two sides had been a close-run thing with Corsham edging it by the odd goal. This season’s first meeting of the two sides followed a similar pattern on a night which saw Trowbridge pick up their first points against Corsham, Lee Mattravis scoring in a 1-1 draw against the reigning champions, whose title is defence is now starting to look very difficult, James Lye with the Corsham goal.

Tuesday night saw the second leg of the “Amesbury derby” with Amesbury Junior meeting their stable mates the Badgers. The Badgers have yet to pick up a point so far this season and were on the wrong end of another big defeat against their club mates, Junior winning 9-1. Craig Watters led the way scoring four times to take his personal goal tally for the season to six, Paul Matthews notched a hat-trick and there were further goals from player-manager Iain Walker and John Cowell, Michael Broad with the Badgers consolation goal six minutes from time. The win for Amesbury Junior saw them move up to third place in the table level on points with second placed Bradford Town but having played one more game.

North Wiltshire Division

There were also three games in the North Wiltshire Division on Monday night with a game at the top end of the table between Royal Wootton Bassett Town and Priory Vale at Green Lane, Devizes. In an entertaining encounter it was the Swindon based side who claimed all three points thanks to a hat-trick from their leading striker Richie Miles as he took his personal tally for the season to 12 to close in on Redhouse’s Dave Rendle at the top of the goal scorer’s chart. Whilst Miles has now scored more league goals, the six that Rendle scored in the Wiltshire Veterans’ Cup so far sees him continue to lead the way on 15. The win saw Priory Vale move three points clear at the top of the table but Redhouse, who sit second, have two games in hand.

Tuesday night saw Stratton Juniors looking to move into the top three with a win at New College against a Swindon Old Boys side who they had beaten by a solitary goal back at the beginning of October. In another close game Swindon Old Boys avenged that earlier defeat winning by the odd goal in five, two goals for James Roberts and one for Martyn Roberts in their 3-2 win, Jamie Ashby and Vince McMackin replying for Stratton Juniors. Swindon Old Boys remain second from bottom as a result of South Cerney Rangers and Swindon Rovers finishing all square the following night. The game at the Gerard Buxton Ground on Wednesday night saw both defences on top as the division saw its second 0-0 draw of the season so far and a point for both sides. It is all very congested above bottom side AFC Swindon with just three points separating five sides in what is proving to be a very even division this season.

Veterans' County Cup

26 November 2021