There was just the one game played in the Under 18 Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League this week and it saw Radstock Town secure a fourth-place finish with a comfortable 5-0 away win at Pewsey Vale. Having lost on both their two most recent visits to Pewsey, Radstock were determined not to slip up again against the side at the bottom of the table and a hat-trick from Thomas Hobbs and two from Ollie Thomas ensured they returned with all three points. The win was enough to take them above AFC Aldermaston in the final table and achieve their highest finishing position since joining the league, although they had also been fourth at the time the season was curtailed in 2019-20. There is now just the one league fixture to finish the division, that takes place next Thursday when Pewsey entertain league champions Devizes Town. Whilst nothing is at stake for Devizes, a win for Pewsey would take them off the bottom of the table.

Before that final league game Devizes Town have the little matter of a cup final tomorrow when they meet AFC Aldermaston at Corsham Town’s Southbank Ground, the traditional venue for our cup finals for what will be the second staging of an Under 18 Cup competition by the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. The current cup holders are New College, Swindon who defeated Calne Town 3-2 in the Season 2018-19 final, in what was a very entertaining game. Covid has prevented any further cup competitions until now. Hopefully the two sides tomorrow will provide us with another cup final to remember. We are as ever most grateful to Corsham Town for hosting this final, particularly given its late staging when a lot of grass pitches have already been decommissioned for summer maintenance work.

The League Directors, Officers and Management Committee would like to congratulate both AFC Aldermaston and Devizes Town on reaching the final and thank all the teams in the Under 18 Division for completing all the group games in the cup in such short order. The two finalists are both in their first season in the Under 18 Division. Devizes Town, in particular, have had a fantastic first season in the league, being crowned the Under 18 Division champions as well as making it through to the cup final. Devizes still have that one league game to go against Pewsey Vale but are currently two points clear of runners-up Royal Wootton Bassett Town and that could become five with a win against Pewsey. Devizes lost just twice all season in the league and were unbeaten in their group games in the cup competition, winning five of their six fixtures. Interestingly one of those league defeats came against their cup final opponents, with AFC Aldermaston winning 2-1 back in November. AFC Aldermaston have finished in fifth place in the table and made the final by losing just once in their group games, including winning all three away games.

So, for both clubs it has been a successful season in what has been a very competitive Under 18 Division, with most games being close run affairs with little between the teams. In the end Devizes Town had that little bit extra which allowed them to take the title and also make the cup final with the chance of a league and cup double being achieved this weekend. They come into the final on the back of an eleven-game unbeaten run, nine of which have been won, their last defeat being that league fixture at AFC Aldermaston. However, AFC Aldermaston are also on an unbeaten run which has seen them go six games without defeat, and it should be a close-run thing in the final. The kick-off tomorrow is 3PM and best of luck to both teams.

6 May 2022