Friday night saw the third staging of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Veterans League Cup Final with the final being held at Melksham Town FC. The League Directors, Officers and Management Committee would like thank Melksham Town for the use of Oakfields Stadium for the second season running for the Vet’s final. As was the case last season, the final saw a representative from both the Mid Wiltshire Veterans’ Division and the North Wiltshire Veterans’ Division contest the final, Westbury United being the Mid Wiltshire Division representative and Coate being the side from the North. With both appearing in their first cup final there was guaranteed to be a new name on the trophy.

Westbury United currently sit in sixth place in the Mid Wiltshire Division with just one game to play. They had reserved their best form this season for this cup competition knocking out two of the fancied sides in Winsley (basically made up of last season’s Mid Wiltshire Division champions Bradford Town) and Cricklade Town, previous winners of the cup, as well as defeating Chiseldon and Trowbridge Town Tigers on the way to the final.

Coate, who sit third in the North Wiltshire Division, started their passage to the final against Mid Wiltshire Division opposition in Devizes Town, a 2-1 win setting up a tie with Swindon Old Boys. However, Old Boys were unable to raise a side for the game and the tie was awarded to Coate. The quarter final saw them up against fellow North Division side Penhill United and a narrow 2-1 saw them through to a semi-final match up against fellow North Wiltshire Division title challengers Redhouse which they won 2-0.

The final on Friday night was the proverbial game of two halves with Coate having much the better of the first half with Westbury United stepping up their game after the break and creating the better chances in the second half. There was nothing between the two sides in the opening ten minutes but as the first half wore on Coate started to get the upper hand, creating several good chances. They went close to taking the lead on 16 minutes when a corner to the far post was met by the head of Andrew Goodchild, with the effort going just over the bar. They had another good chance three minutes later when a free kick into the box from Goodchild found its way to Brady Lilley on the edge of the area, but his shot lacked power and went straight to keeper Sam Tucker and was easily saved.

A goal was coming though, but when it came it was as a result of route one football. A long clearance from defence from Goodchild sailed over the Westbury defence and saw Neil Snow out pace his marker and get to the ball as Tucker came rushing out of his goal, his touch with the outside of his foot beating the keeper and directing the ball into the net for 1-0 to Coate. Shortly after it was 2-0, a defensive error seeing the ball fall to Snow who made no mistake with his second of the game to make it 2-0. There was to be one more chance for Coate with a free kick on the edge of the box, but it was fired well over the bar and the teams turned round at the break with Coate two goals to the good.

Whilst Coate had dominated the first half it was a different story after the break as Westbury upped their game as they sought to get a foothold back in the game. A header from Nick Ross forced an excellent save from Andy Phoenix in the Coate goal. The resulting corner nearly saw Coate concede as a mishit clearance went just wide of the post for another corner.

Westbury continue to push for a goal and crosses into the box, as well as Wheeler’s long throws, were causing a few issues for the Coate defence. Eight minutes from time a cross into the box from Dale Rowland found the head of Nick Ross but his header went just the wrong side of the post. It wasn’t all one-way traffic though and Snow went close to getting his hat-trick with an audacious chipped shot which went just inches too high. Westbury's Ross then had another header from a corner at the other end but this time his effort went well wide.  Westbury’s last real chance of the game fell the way of player-chairman Philip Hampson but his shot from distance went well wide and despite having the better of the possession in the second half Westbury were unable to find the net as it finished 2-0 to the side from Swindon. Congratulations to Coate on their victory and commiserations to Westbury who played their part in an entertaining final. The cup and individual mementos were presented by League Chairman Brian Busson. Coate will now look to make it a cup double this coming week when they return to Melksham for the Wiltshire County FA’s Veterans’ County Cup. Martin Pearce was at the Final with his camera and more of Martin’s excellent photos can be viewed on the League’s Facebook Group page.

Click on picture below to view PDF of the Cup Final Programme

League Fixtures

Meanwhile in the league there were two games played in the North Wiltshire Division and four in the Mid Wiltshire Division as the season reaches its final stages. After this week’s round of games there are just six games to play in the North Wiltshire Division and eleven in the Mid Wiltshire Division with honours in both divisions still to be decided.

The two games played in the North Wiltshire Division saw both Penhill United and Chiseldon pick up wins. On Tuesday night at Chiseldon Recreation Ground goals from Dean Hughes, Adam O’Keeffe and Richie Miles secured a 3-1 win for Chiseldon over Swindon Rovers, Robin Barratt with the consolation goal for Rovers.

The following night Penhill United avenged a 3-2 defeat they suffered at the hands of Royal Wootton Bassett Town back in February with a convincing 5-1 win at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. Wroughton manager Chris Flanagan set them on their way with the opening goal for Penhill with Gary Pike, Chris Angell, Jermaine Spellman and Steve Bunting also finding the back of the net, Jeremy Newton with the solitary reply for Royal Wootton Bassett Town.

Cricklade Town were awarded the points when Stratton Juniors called off against them for the second time the season due to being unable to raise a side denying Cricklade the opportunity to enhance their goal difference. The “win” was enough to send Cricklade top of the table with Redhouse one point behind and Coate two points behind, both having played ne game less but scheduled to play each other in one of their two final games.

In the Mid Wiltshire Division Melksham Town closed the gap to leaders Corsham Town with a 3-0 win over third placed Warminster Town. Two goals for David Macey and one for Ollie Gee as Melksham moved to within two points of Corsham with both teams having three games to play.

It was a busy week for Warminster Town who were playing catch up with their fixtures due to the number of postponements caused by the wet weather during the winter months which has been problematical for the sides making use of grass pitches. They were back in action on Friday and bounced back from that defeat on Monday with a narrow 2-1 victory over Calne Town thanks to goals from Louis Sparey and James Vincent, Chris Robinson with the reply for Calne. The win for Warminster sees them trail Melksham by five points with a game in hand.

There was an entertaining affair at Green Lane on Monday night between Chippenham Town and Durrington with the two sides sharing eight goals with Durrington edging it 5-3 thanks to goals from Luke Mason (2), Craig Watters, Ian Bateman and Philip Lawes. On target for Chippenham were Steve Tweddle with two and Darren Chitty.

Another side who are behind with their fixtures due to the bad weather are Devizes Town who consolidated their fourth place spot in the table with a 3-0 win over Trowbridge Town Tigers thanks to first half goals from leading scorer Rhys Schell and Stephen Campbell and one after the break scored by Daniel Sloan.

The game between Radstock Town and Corsham Town was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Corsham will now have to cope without a couple of key players in their final three league games with both Jamie Lyons and keeper Gareth Evans featuring for Corsham Town first team in their final Hellenic League Premier Division game against Highworth Town, and now ineligible to play in the Veterans’ Division this season.