Mid Wiltshire Division

Once again it was just two games in each division of the Veterans’ divisions this week. In the Mid Wiltshire Division three of the top four sides were in action with the big game of the week being at Green Lane where league leaders Melksham Town were Devizes Town’s visitors. Last season both teams had won their respective home games, but both had been close affairs. The sides had also met twice this season, Melksham winning 2-0 in the league and then narrowly defeating Devizes again in the Veterans’ County Cup, 1-0 the score on that occasion. Another close game was anticipated and so it proved as the two sides shared four goals and the points. Nick Oram scored twice for the home side Devizes and Melksham’s leading scorer Charlie Griffin also bagged a brace to take his total for the season to 17. The point increased Melksham’s lead at the top over Bradford Town to four points with Bradford now having a game in hand and Melksham now may well need to win both of their final games to lift the title, although Bradford Town still have Devizes Town to play.

Corsham Town moved above Devizes Town into third spot in the table with a narrow 1-0 win over FC Calne who lost for the first time in a while, having gone into Monday night’s game at Corsham on the back of five straight wins. The all-important Corsham goal was scored by substitute Simon Gray.

North Wiltshire Division

There are new leaders in the North Wiltshire Division as Priory Vale recorded a comfortable 4-1 win over Swindon Rovers on Wednesday night at the Gerard Buxton Ground. The Division’s leading scorer Richie Miles took his tally for the season to 23 scoring two of the Priory Vale goals, a sixth of the season from James Lovell and a first of the season from Michael McCluskey completing the scoring for the new leaders. The consolation goal for Swindon Rovers came from the penalty spot, Mark Simpkins putting the spot kick away to move onto 12 for the season. Priory Vale are now three points clear at the top but have just one game to play, that game being against their nearest rivals for the title Redhouse. Redhouse  then meet South Cerney before finishing their own fixtures with another big game against third placed Royal Wootton Bassett Town.

The previous evening at New College, Stratton Juniors had avenged their surprise defeat at the hands of AFC Swindon at the end of January with a comfortable 4-1 in the return fixture. The goals were shared around with one goal each for Chris Allen, Peter Byrne, Matthew Tate and an eighth of the season for Jamie Ashby.

17 March 2022