The second quarter final tie in the Veterans’ League Cup was staged this week and it was an inter-divisional affair involving two teams who were unbeaten in their league games to date in their respective divisions, Cricklade Town from the North Wiltshire Division and Melksham Town from the Mid Wiltshire Division. The two sides had met at Melksham earlier in the season in the Wiltshire FA’s Veterans’ County Cup and on that occasion goals from Godfrey Chisanga and Stuart Hughes had given Cricklade a 2-0 win. On Tuesday night at Cirencester, Melksham were to avenge that earlier defeat in another close game, a solitary goal from Kris Beasley in his first game of the season for Melksham being the difference between the two sides. Melksham join Nationwide in the last four with the other two quarter final ties set to take place this coming week when Chiseldon from the North Wiltshire Division entertain Bishops Cannings from the Mid Wiltshire Division, with the other quarter final tie seeing two Mid Wiltshire Division sides, Durrington and Devizes Town battle it out for a place in the semi final. Your Sport Swindon were at the Cricklade Town v Melksham Town game and subscribers can view the highlights by clicking on the link below:

North Wiltshire Division

Whilst Cricklade were losing were going down to their first defeat of the season they would have been consoled by the league results involving their nearest rivals for the title, Nationwide and Redhouse both dropping points. On Tuesday night there was a massive shock at New College where bottom of the table Stratton Juniors picked up their first win of the season, inflicting a 6-1 defeat on previously unbeaten in the league Nationwide. Ahead of the game few would have predicted any sort of result for Stratton from the fixture let alone them putting six goals past a side who had only let in six goals in their previous ten league fixtures and started the night unbeaten. Star of the show was Nial Francis who scored four of the Stratton goals with Michael Gregory getting the other two Stratton goals.

The same night at Moredon Swindon Rovers returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over an out of sorts Royal Wootton Bassett Town,  who have now lost six games in a row, thanks to two goals from Lee Wilson and one from Taiwo Abolarin, Mark King with the consolation goal for Royal Wootton Bassett Town.

The following night, given the defeat for Nationwide, Redhouse  had the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table when they entertained Chiseldon at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. When the two sides had met earlier in the season at New College, Redhouse had claimed all three points but had to settle for just the one point in the return fixture as neither side were able to find the back of the net in a rare 0-0 draw in Vets’ football. Whilst Redhouse did in fact their lead at the top of the table to six points, they will probably view this as two points dropped in their quest for the league title.

The same night ExIntel consolidated their fourth-place position in the table with a narrow 2-1 in over Penhill United at Moredon thanks to a first half goal from Lewis Bryant and a second from Adrian Male after the break.

Mid Wiltshire Division

In the Mid Wiltshire Division Durrington reduced Devizes Town’s lead at the top of the table with a resounding 6-0 away win at Green Lane against Bishops Cannings. There were hat-tricks for both Shaune Smith and Jesse Walters as Durrington picked up their ninth win in eleven league games to date. Whilst the deficit is now just one point, Durrington have played one more game than Devizes.

There were also six goals in the game between Amesbury Junior Badgers and Chippenham Town Youth but it was to finish honours even following a 3-3 draw, only the third time this season that Amesbury had avoided defeat in their 14 games. Stuart Duck had put Amesbury ahead but two Rob Pocock goals saw Chippenham 2-1 up at the break. However, two goals from Amesbury’s Richard Taylor in the second half saw them open up a 3-2 lead but a third from Pocock to complete his hat-trick six minutes from time ensured a share of the spoils for Chippenham.

The week’s action in the two Vets’ divisions had got underway on Monday night at MOD Lyneham when goals from Paul Maddox, Chris Robinson and Ben Trafford had given Calne Town a 3-0 win over Trowbridge Town Tigers which saw them climb above their beaten opponents into fifth spot in the table as they registered back-to-back wins for the first time this season. That is now eight straight defeats for the Tigers after a promising start to the season.

The final game in the division between Warminster Town and Westbury United on Friday night was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

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