North Wiltshire Division

Redhouse have been playing catch up with their fixtures but went into Wednesday night’s game against South Cerney Rangers knowing that three points would take them top of the table above both Priory Vale and Royal Wootton Bassett Town. In the first meeting between the two sides this season, leading scorer Dave Rendle put Redhouse one nil up with a little over five minutes on the clock, Rendle hitting a shot from the edge of the box over the Cerney keeper and into the roof of the net. With Rendle getting that early goal he moved to within one of the Division’s leading scorer Richie Miles but that was as good as it got for Redhouse’s leading striker as he went on to have a night of near misses. His side extended their lead around the 15-minute mark, Jonny Coole curling a shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net for 2-0. Rendle thought he had made it 3-0 shortly after when another shot from outside the box hit the crossbar and bounced down and, with the absence of goal line technology, the claims that it had crossed the line were waved away. Redhouse were then presented with a golden chance to make it 3-0 when Tafari Anderson was brought down in the box and a penalty awarded. Rendle stepped up to take the spot kick but his penalty was well saved by the South Cerney keeper but unfortunately for the Rangers the ball fell to Chris Hughes who was following up and fired into the net for his second of the game. Redhouse kept up the pressure and Rendle found himself clear of the South Cerney back line but his shot from the edge of the six-yard box hit the outside of the post and to safety. South Cerney had their best chance of the half on the stroke of half time with the award of a free kick just outside the box in a central position. Whilst powerfully hit the ball did not trouble keeper Stewart Thompson as his wall did its job and the ball was cleared to safety leaving it 3-0 at the break.

Whilst Redhouse continued to dominate proceedings the expected flurry of goals did not happen. A free kick from Jonny Coole went just over the bar and two guilt edged chances for Rendle were spurned. The first saw him get on the end of a cross from the right on the edge of the six-yard box but his header came back off the post. He was then once again put clear of the Cerney defence, but this time he shot wide of the post and it remained 3-0. Redhouse were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal when, on a rare break from the back, a ball down the right found Cerney’s Jason Stevens who outpaced the Redhouse back line to fire past Stewart Thompson in the Redhouse goal to make it 3-1 on 39 minutes. This gave South Cerney confidence, and they very nearly repeated an identical move moments later, Stevens once again getting beyond the back line but on this occasion, he was unable to repeat the finish. They then had a shot from outside the box that just went over but there was to be no further goals as it finished 3-1 to Redhouse. The win sent Redhouse top of the table with their next scheduled fixture being the crunch clash with Priory Vale. The only blemish on the night for new league leaders was another couple of injuries picked up and they will be hoping that the mini-break until that big top of the table clash allows all their players to fully recover for a game that could well ultimately decide the league title.

The first meeting between Cricklade Town and Swindon Old Boys had been a high scoring game with Cricklade edging it 5-3 and there were once again plenty of goals in the return fixture but on this occasion they all went to Cricklade who dominated from start to finish. They went ahead early on Jamie Richards hitting a superb, chipped shot from the edge of the left hand side of the 18-yard box into the far right hand side of the net for 1-0. Cricklade then had numerous chances to extend the lead but a combination of some last ditched defending and missed shots saw it remain 1-0 until another shot from the edge of the box, this time from Adam Mayhew made it 2-0 before half time.  Cricklade continued to pressurise the Swindon Old Boys goal after the break and Adam Smith extended their lead when he fired a low shot into the far corner of the net for 3-0. The same player then notched a second with a fine individual goal. Picking up a pass on the left-hand side of the box he beat a couple of defenders and then fired in from a tight angle to make it 4-0. The night’s scoring was then rounded-off by Cricklade’s leading scorer Ryan Keech, Keech getting beyond the Swindon Old Boys back line and coolly slotting a side foot shot into the corner of the net for his 13^th of the season. Your Sport Swindon were at the game and subscribers can view the highlights by clicking on the link below or the link on the Your Sport Swindon page of the league website which also gives access to all 10 of the Veterans’ games Your Sport Swindon have covered so far this season in the North Division.

Mid Wiltshire Division

On Monday night in the Mid Wiltshire Division Bradford Town were looking to close the gap to the league leaders Melksham Town when they met Amesbury Junior Badgers who were playing their final league game of the season. Having lost all of the previous 17 games and with Bradford Town looking to improve their goal difference it was always going to be a tough night for the Badgers, but they can take consolation from the fact they improved on their last showing against Bradford Town. Bradford eventually ran out 10-0 winners, the defeat for the Badgers being four less than the first meeting back in October. Steve Tweddle led the way for Bradford Town hitting four to move onto 23 for the season. Both Peter Ayrton and Simon Dolbear bagged a brace, with further goals from Nick Ross and substitute Jacob Gaines completing the scoring. Bradford Town's thought's will now turn to Friday's final of the Wiltshire County FA's Veterans' County Cup Final at Green Lane, Devizes when they take on Royal Wootton Bassett Town from the North Division.

The other Amesbury Junior side were in action on Tuesday night at Green Lane where they met a Chippenham Yard Dogs side who sat one place below them in the league table in seventh spot. Whilst Amesbury had won both games last season the second game had been a close-run thing decided by a solitary goal and another close game was expected and so it proved as the two sides shared six goals and the points. Two goals for Matthew White and one for Jason Forde for the Yard Dogs, a fifth of the season from Daniel Field and further goals from Dean Shaw and Phillip Lawes in reply for Amesbury. The draw left both sides in the same position in the table as they had occupied at the start of the night and the two sides will be back in action against each other again next Tuesday at Bulford in a quick-fire return fixture.

10 March 2022