The big game of the week involving the Veterans’ sides was the final of the Wiltshire FA County Cup at Oakfields Stadium, home of Melksham Town FC on Wednesday night. The week before Coate had secured the League Cup with a 2-0 victory over Westbury United and they made it a cup double with another 2-0 win, fellow North Wiltshire Division side Cricklade Town the beaten finalists on this occasion. Pete Monks put Coate ahead on nine minutes and it remained just the one goal until six minutes from time, when a second from Adam Rudman made sure of that cup double. The two sides both remain in the race for the North Wiltshire Division title with Coate back in action this coming Wednesday when they meet the other side still in the mix, league leaders Redhouse.
There was just the one game played in the league in the North Wiltshire Division with Swindon Rovers unable to field a side for their scheduled fixture with Redhouse. The one game that did get played saw plenty of goals as AFC Swindon and Chiseldon shared 11 goals, Chiseldon winning it 7-4. On target for Chiseldon were leading scorer Richie Miles who hit a hat-trick, Dean Hughes, Adam O’Keeffe, Shaun Smith and Barry Winslow. The four AFC Swindon goals in reply came through Olly Moore with two, Liam Page and an own goal. Whilst falling to a defeat AFC Swindon became the first side in the division to complete their fixtures having played every single one of those 18 league games, the only side who will be able to match that will be Penhill United who are set to play their final game this coming Tuesday.
Last Monday night Corsham Town went a long way to securing the Mid Wiltshire Veterans’ Division with a 2-0 win over beaten cup finalists Westbury United who were playing their final game of the season. Goals from leading scorer Simon Gray and Ross Lye did the damage for Corsham and with Melksham Town falling to defeat the same night, Corsham went five points clear at the top of the table.
That defeat for Melksham Town came at the hands of Devizes Town, a solitary goal from Liam Hill in the last minute of the game giving the visitors all three points. Melksham saw two players sent off at the end of the game and the defeat means Corsham, who have a much better goal difference, realistically need to now gain just a point from their remaining two games although a win would be needed to definitely confirm the title. The first of those two games is this coming Monday, but it is a tricky looking fixture with Devizes Town their opponents at Green Lane. Melksham Town are also in action the same night away to Radstock Town and nothing less than a win will do for them now.
It was a good week for Devizes Town as they followed that win at Melksham with another 1-0 victory at home against Calne Town on Thursday night, leading scorer Rhys Schell with the all-important goal that meant six points from six for the week and saw Devizes move to within a point of Warminster Town ahead of the latter’s game on Friday night. That was Calne's final game of the season as they became the fourth side to complete their fixtures in the division.
Warminster Town were home to
Chippenham Town who were another side playing their final game of the season. When the two sides had met at the beginning of March Warminster had won 4-2, but Chippenham avenged that defeat thanks to a solitary goal scored by Darren Chitty, the third 1-0 result of the week. The defeat for Warminster means the best they can now hope for is runners-up spot. Warminster are also back in action on Monday night when they take on Trowbridge Town Tigers.
28 April 2024