Mid Wiltshire Division

This week’s games in the Mid Wiltshire Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League saw comfortable wins for all three of the sides at the top of the table. League leaders Melksham Town were in action on Wednesday night against bottom of the table Amesbury Junior Badgers. The first meeting between the two sides had seen Melksham record ten unanswered goals against the Badgers but at half time on Wednesday night a much-improved Badgers side had restricted the leaders to just two goals. However, five more goals for Melksham after the interval saw them run out 7-0 winners but Amesbury continued to battle away until the end with the keeper pulling off a number of great saves to keep the score to just the seven. Wayne Wheeler led the way for Melksham scoring a hat-trick to take his total for the season into double figures, Gareth Evans bagged a brace and there were further goals from Ash Groves and Rob Cousins.  

The win for Melksham maintained their eleven point lead at the top of the table that they had at the start of the week as Corsham Town also secured three points on their travels, returning from Lyneham with a 4-0 win over FC Calne that maintained their second spot in the table. The goals were shared around with one apiece for Ibrahim Bigger, James Lye Ross Williams and a seventh of the season from Adam Taylor.

Bradford Town remain a point behind Corsham Town after their 5-0 away win at Trowbridge Tigers. Peter Ayrton scored twice with one each for Nicholas Ross, Steve Tweddle and leading scorer Rhys Schell.

Devizes Town had the chance to move above both Amesbury Junior and Chippenham Town Yard Dogs into fourth place on Tuesday night but they are still looking for their first win over St Andrews after they were held to a two all draw at Green Lane. On target for Devizes were last seasons top scorer Nick Oram and Bradley Newman, with Jack Heard and Steve Jackson replying for St Andrews, Jackson’s goal seeing him move onto five goals for the season. The point for Devizes saw them move above Chippenham Town Yard Dogs on goal difference but they remain a point behind Amesbury having played two games more. The point for St Andrews saw them move above FC Calne in the table.

North Wiltshire Division

There was the usual full programme of three games in the North Wiltshire Division starting at Green Lane Devizes on Monday night when two goals from Dale Keen plus one from leading scorer Steve Algar secured a 3-0 win for South Cerney Rangers over an improving AFC Swindon side. The win for South Cerney saw them move above both Swindon Old Boys and Stratton Juniors.

Tuesday night saw Redhouse in action at New College against Cricklade Town looking to defend the division’s only unbeaten record and record a win that would take them back top of the table. They were up against a Cricklade Town side they had beaten 3-1 at the end of October but Cricklade had been showing improved form in recent weeks and that continued on Tuesday night as they put in their best performance of the season to record an impressive 4-1 win to end Redhouse’s unbeaten start to the season. Redhouse went in front early on when a free kick from just outside the box came back off the post and Ian Fawkes was on hand to put it away to make it 1-0 to Redhouse. Cricklade thought they had got back on level terms with a shot from just outside the area, but a linesman’s flag saw the goal disallowed. They did not have to wait long to restore parity though as a stunning strike from Andy Brien from the left-hand side of the box, this after a neat one-two on the edge of the box, put his side back on level terms. Second half saw Cricklade take the game to Redhouse, and they went in front for the first time in the match after some good build up play down the left hand side which culminated in a low cross into the box that Ryan Keech steered into the net for 2-1. Keech then put Cricklade further ahead after a powerful run through midfield from Stuart Hemsley saw him feed the ball to Keech who fired in from the edge of the box to make it 3-1. Substitute Paul Lawrence then added a fourth after good build up play involving Andy Brien to make the final score 4-1 to Cricklade who on this form could still have a big say in the destination of the North Division league title this season. The win saw Cricklade move to within a point of Redhouse and four points behind the division leaders. Your Sport Swindon were at the game and subscribers can view the highlights by clicking on the link below or on the link from the Your Sport Swindon page of our website. Cricklade Town v Redhouse link.

Wednesday night saw another game at the top end of the table when leaders Priory Vale took on Royal Wootton Bassett Town looking to complete a quick-fire league double over their opponents having won 3-0 just over a fortnight ago. It did not go to plan though as goals from Ben Gould and Chris Head saw Royal Wootton Bassett Town avenge that earlier defeat in a feisty encounter that saw a player from each side dismissed. The win saw Royal Wootton Bassett Town move ahead of their opponents on goal difference at the top of the table, with Redhouse three points behind but with two games in hand.

9 December 2021