The third Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Veterans’ Cup Final will see two new teams contest the final and a new name on the Cup as the winners from Season 2021-22, Cricklade Town from the North Wiltshire Division, were knocked out at the semi-final stage by Mid Wiltshire Division side Westbury United on Monday night. The game was a tight affair decided by a solitary goal scored by Westbury’s Dale Rowland in the first half. Cricklade pushed hard for an equaliser hitting the frame of the goal on several occasions but could not find that elusive equaliser. So, it will be Westbury United who meet Coate in the final scheduled for Friday 19^th April at Oakfield Stadium, Melksham. If Cricklade had defeated Westbury it would have meant the same two sides competing for the League Cup and Wiltshire FA County Cup, but that scenario will not now happen as Cricklade’s chances of a treble were ended by their South Wiltshire opponents.

For Coate that treble is still very much a possibility, and they kept their North WIltshire Division title challenge on track with a 4-1 win over Royal Wootton Bassett Town on Wednesday night at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. Royal Wootton Bassett Town took an early lead through Mark King, the Royal Wootton Bassett striker firing in with a low left foot drive from the edge of the box. They were not ahead for long though as title chasing Coate levelled courtesy of Kev Gulliver’s strike from the edge of the 18-yard box after a poor clearance from the keeper. Coate’s leading scorer Paul Stonehouse then went close on a couple of occasions as Coate started to dominate proceedings. There were to be no further goals in the half though as the two teams turned around at the break all square.

The start of the second half saw Royal Wootton Bassett Town have a chance to regain the lead when Chris Head got the wrong side of the Coate defence, but he took too long to get his shot away allowing the Coate defence to get back and prevent him from having a shot. Head went close again when once again getting behind the Coate defence, a ball down the left channel finding the pacey striker who this time got his shot away, but it went just the wrong side of the far post.  At the other end Stonehouse then went close for Coate, his shot from the edge of the box just going over the crossbar as it remained 1-1. Stonehouse then had another golden chance when a goal kick routine from Royal Wootton Bassett Town went horribly wrong and they gave the ball away on the edge of their own box, but Stonehouse fired wide of the post on this occasion. His side were not to be denied for long though a neat passing move saw the ball played out to as Adam Rudman who hit a low shot from the edge of the box into the far corner to put Coate ahead for the first time in the game.  Coate made sure of the three points with two further goals late on, and both were quality strikes. A cross from the left-hand side found Mason Worthington on the edge of the six-yard box, he controlled the ball with his first touch before volleying for the best goal of the night to make it 3-1.  The fourth came not long after when Mark Simpkins was dispossessed on the edge of his own 18-yard box by Paul Stonehouse who took a couple of strides forward before hitting an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net for another quality finish to round off a good night for Coate. Coate are now seven points behind unbeaten leaders Redhouse with two games in hand with the two teams facing off this coming Tuesday night at Green Lane. Your Sport Swindon were there with their cameras on Wednesday night 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 where all the games covered by Your Sport Swindon can also be accessed.

The previous night had seen Penhill United temporarily move above Coate in the table with a hard-fought win over AFC Swindon. Goalless at the break, a second half goal from Chris Angell was to prove to be all that separated the sides on the night as Penhill picked up their eighth win of the campaign. Coate’s win the following night saw them slip back to fourth spot but they are now nine points clear of Chiseldon and look on track for a top four finish in their first season of Vets football.

There was possibly a pivotal moment in the title race in the Mid Wiltshire Veterans’ Division on Monday night when Trowbridge Town Tigers, who had lost all seven previous meetings with Melksham Town, held the title chasing Melksham side to a 0-0 draw in a game switched to the 3G at Selwood Academy. An impressive result for Tim Brown’s side who moved above Calne Town in the table as a result of the point gained. 

League leaders Corsham Town then made no mistake the following night, inflicting a heavy 8-1 defeat on bottom of the table Amesbury Junior Badgers to open up a five-point lead over Melksham at the top of the table. Simon Gray led the way for Corsham hitting five of the eight goals, with the other three coming through Ross Hall, Ross Lye and Jamie Lyons. Although Melksham have a game in hand over Corsham it is now very much advantage Corsham who have six games to play. They have a much easier run in than their two nearest challengers Melksham and Warminster Town, who still have to play each other twice.

Warminster Town, along with Devizes Town and Radstock Town, saw their respective home games postponed due to waterlogged pitches. Warminster and Devizes are now behind with their fixtures due to the difficult wet winter that we have experienced this season and are both going to have a busy end to the season. Thankfully both are set to be away on 3G pitches this coming week so should get to play their games.