Mid Wiltshire Division

The knock-on effect of Storms Eunice closely followed by Storm Franklin meant that, with Amesbury Junior also unable to raise a side, all of Monday’s games in the Mid Wiltshire Veterans’ Division were postponed. Consequently, just one game in the division went ahead this week but it was an important game at the top of the division on Tuesday night where both Bradford Town and Devizes Town were hoping to close in on league leaders Melksham Town. Bradford Town started the night nine points behind the leaders with two games in hand but went into the game with Devizes having lost both times to their opponent’s last season. They finally ended that run of defeats on Tuesday evening with a comfortable 5-0 win. Once again it was leading scorer Rhys Schell who did the damage, their star striker smashing a hat-trick to take his total for the season to 24. Further goals from Nicholas Ross and Peter Ayrton completed the scoring and ended any chance, albeit it had only really been an outside chance, that Devizes had of the league title this season. The champions this season will now come from one of either the current league leaders Melksham Town, Bradford Town, or last season’s champions Corsham Town. Bradford’s win saw them move to within six points of the leaders now with one game in hand, the 5-0 win also seeing them match Melksham’s goal difference which could yet end up being the deciding factor this season were Bradford Town to defeat Melksham Town in their big top of the table clash next week. The top two go head-to-head at Green Lane on Tuesday night.

North Wiltshire Division

The two games in the North Division this week also had major importance at the top end of the table. On Tuesday night Redhouse were back in action looking to close the gap to the top two when they met Stratton Juniors at New College. Whilst Stratton Juniors sat at the bottom end of the table, they had already demonstrated this season that on their night they are a match for any side in the division. This was most clearly highlighted by the four points they had taken from the two games with title chasing Priory Vale earlier in the season. On Tuesday night they gave Redhouse an almighty fright leading 3-1 at one stage before Redhouse staged a comeback to score three unanswered goals to finally take all three points. Dave Rendle and Ian Fawkes both bagged a brace for Redhouse, Rendle taking his personal tally for the season to 18. On target for Stratton were their joint leading scorers Vincent McMackin and Chris Quinton, who both moved their total for the season to seven, and Peter Byrne with his first of the season. The win kept Redhouse’s title bid on track, but they certainly knew they had been in a game against a hard-working Stratton side. The win saw Redhouse to move to within three points of Priory Vale with two games in hand ahead of Priory Vale’s own fixture the following night against bottom of the table AFC Swindon.

Whilst AFC Swindon have shown much improvement in recent week’s it was always going to be a big ask that they take points off the title chasing Priory Vale side and so it proved on Wednesday evening. Two more goals for leading scorer Richie Miles as his Priory Vale side ran out 4-0 winners on the night, Nick Mackey and Martin Burberry the other scorers. The win for Priory Vale saw them move back top of the table a point clear of Royal Wootton Bassett Town with both sides having two games to play, with Redhouse again six points behind the new leaders Priory Vale as had been the case at the start of the week, but still with those three games in hand. It is important to note that both Priory Vale and Royal Wootton Bassett Town still have Redhouse to play in their final two games as the title race develops into a fascinating battle between the three sides.

24 February 2022