It was certainly a good night for Devizes Town on Thursday night as they put one hand on the Under 18 title with an 8-0 win over New College whilst their two nearest opponents, Royal Wootton Bassett Town and Melksham Town, were both losing. The Division’s leading scorer Jack Smith set them on their way with the opener before Arlo Stone added a second. Smith then increased his tally for the season when he intercepted a back-pass and stroked the ball into an empty net to make it 3-0 at half time. As had been the case in their last game against Royal Wootton Bassett Town, Devizes Town stepped up their game in the second half and Smith put them further ahead, giving him a hat-trick and taking his personal tally for the season in the Under 18 Division to 15. Further goals for Devizes from Danny Bowyer and Harvey Swain, the latter with a brace, saw Devizes take a 7-0 ahead before Arlo Stone notched his second of the game to round-off the scoring on the night to make the final score 8-0 in Devizes favour.

Whilst Devizes were doing their business on the night, it was a different story for the other two still in with a chance of honours this season. Royal Wootton Bassett Town travelled the short distance to Calne Town knowing nothing short of a win was needed to keep the pressure on Devizes Town after losing to Devizes a fortnight ago. It had been a close affair in the first meeting between the two sides, as is often the way in local derbies, and it was a similar story in this one. The visitors should have gone ahead in the first 20 minutes, Euan Spackman and James Johnson both firing over when presented with good chances in the 18-yard box. They did eventually take the lead in the 22^nd minute, Sonny James firing in after the Calne defence failed to deal with a corner from the right, James netting from the edge of the six-yard box after a melee in the box. The visitors Royal Wootton Bassett Town then suffered a blow when the influential Johnson was forced to come off due to an ankle injury. The visitors went close to extending their lead just after the half hour mark, Kieran Legg getting on the end of a cross from the right but firing just over. Harrison Dunsden then went close to getting the equaliser for Calne five minutes from the break, the ball falling to him on the edge of the box, but his powerful shot went just over the bar. They were not to be denied for long though, right on the stroke of half time Royal Wootton Bassett Town Louis Smith pulled off a great save, turning a powerful shot from the edge of the box round the post for a corner. However, from the resulting corner Smith failed to deal with the deep cross and the ball was turned in by Jacob Sealy at the far post for 1-1.

Second half remained nip and tuck with the better chances falling the way of the home side. In the 50^th minute a ball over the top found Dunsden behind the visitors back line but his shot went just over, and it remained all square. It remained that way until ten minutes from time when Royal Wootton Bassett Town defender Zane Pinnock was caught in the middle of his own half trying to dribble the ball out and was dispossessed, a pass into the right hand channel found Liam Brooks who was upended in the box and a penalty awarded to the home side. Leading scorer Harrison Dunsden took the responsibility and safely dispatched the ball into the net for his ninth of the season to make it 2-1 to Calne.  A few minutes later Calne had strong shouts for a second penalty but this time the officials waved play-on. With the game and their title aspirations draining away there was little offered by the visitors in the closing minutes, they forced a couple of corners but never really looked like getting back on level terms and it finished 2-1 to the home side. That was Calne Town’s final league game of the season as they finished their campaign on a high. For the visitors two defeats in their last three games has severely dented their quest for honours.

Another side who started the night with title aspirations were Melksham Town who faced a tricky looking away game at Radstock Town. Melksham also knew that they almost certainly needed to win to keep any title hopes alive but were up against an in-form Radstock Town side who had won four of their last five games and also had a good record against Melksham, winning three of their four previous league meetings. That good record for Radstock continued on Thursday night as, despite the absence of captain and regular keeper Lucas Purnell through injury, they kept their third clean sheet in a row. At the other end they scored the only goal of the game through leading scorer Lewis Wheeler, Wheeler scoring with a shot from 25 yards for his seventh of the campaign.  That is now three straight wins for Radstock ahead of next week’s big game against Devizes Town and with ten of their squad available still next season they will be hoping to be challenging for the title themselves next season.

The final game of the night was at Pewsey Vale where the home side were looking to lift themselves off the bottom of the table with a win against AFC Aldermaston. When the sides had met earlier in the season it had finished all square and another close game was anticipated and so it proved. A solitary goal for AFC Aldermaston from the penalty spot, Jacob Wilson putting the spot kick away nine minutes from time, ensured they returned to Berkshire with all three points, their fifth win in their 12 games to date.

After the dust had settled on the night’s action, league leaders Devizes now have two games to play with the destiny of the title very much in their own hands. Next week they travel to an in-form Radstock Town before completing their league fixtures with a trip to Pewsey Vale. Win one of those two games and they are guaranteed the title. Lose both and they open the door for Royal Wootton Bassett Town were they to win their own game against Pewsey. If they lose one and draw one and Royal Wootton Bassett Town win their final game, then a play-off would be needed to decide the title as FA rules do not allow goal difference to decide Under 18 divisions. There is an outside chance that Melksham Town could also be involved in a title play-off, but it would need both Devizes Town and Royal Wootton Bassett Town to lose their remaining games and Melksham to win their final game. Under that scenario a play-off would be required between Devizes Town and Melksham Town. The picture will be a lot clearer after next week's two games. 

4 February 2022