Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Season 1985-86

Purton had spent six of the first seven years of the Wiltshire League down in Division Two. Promotion in the first season after finishing in fourth spot in Season 1976-77 had been followed by an immediate relegation after they finished rock bottom in the first ever season in the top division with just two wins in their thirty games. Five seasons back in Division Two was finally ended in Season 1982-83 with a Division Two title that saw them return to the top division. By Season 1985-86 that upward trajectory had continued and had seen them finish in ninth spot and then climb to fourth place in Season 1984-85. However, Season 1985-86 was to see them achieve their greatest honour since they had been the leading side in Wiltshire in the period just after the end of the Second World War. Purton were involved in a four-way battle for the Division One title involving Bemerton Athletic, Calne Town and Swindon based side Park. In the end Purton edged it by a single point from Bemerton, with Calne Town a further point back. Following their successful seasons, both Purton and Calne Town moved to other leagues, Purton joining the Hellenic League and Calne moving to the Western League.

In the Ghia Senior Knockout Cup it took a replay and penalties to separate Calne Town and Park, Calne eventually edging it 4-2 in the shootout at Chippenham Town’s ground.

In Division Two the title went to a club who had been forced to switch their ground three times in just a few years, their latest pitch being located at the County Ground Extension. Ferndale was the club and they were rewarded for their endeavours by lifting the Division 2 championship for the second time, seven years after they had won it for the first time. The other two promoted clubs were Salisbury based Old Manor and another Swindon side Plessey Sports. Plessey had been strongly fancied to win this division but lost their way a little near the end and finished in third spot behind Old Manor.

Division 3 saw Calne Town Reserves, Park Reserves and Purton Reserves battle it out for the title with Calne, in the end, finishing five points clear of Park with Purton a further three points behind.

There were again three sides battling it out for the title in Division 4 where Walcot  came up with a late winning run to take the top spot above Allied Dunbar Reserves and Marlborough Town Reserves who, like Walcot were promoted. 

The Ghia Junior Knockout Cup was won by Park Reserves who defeated West Swindon 2-0 in the final at the Plessey Sports Ground.

In the end of season awards at the AGM, Stratton Red Eagles won the E C Mills Sportsmanship Award, A L Wimble of Chippenham Town won the Club Secretary’s Award and J A Feltham was presented with the Ghia Referees Award.
Division 1 Champions Purton
(picture courtesy of Wiltshire Newspapers)
Top Scorers

Division 1
D. York  (Pinehurst)  23
N. Holmes  (Purton)  19
M. Collier  (Purton)  18
D. Perry  (Bemerton)  15
K. Richardson  (Bemerton)  15
I. Chalk  (Bemerton)  14
M. Garrett  (Pewsey Vale)  14

Division 2
T. Hawkins  (Plessey Sports)  21
S. Herbert  (Corsham Town)  19
S. Bell  (Corsham Town)  19
J. Little  (Plessey Sports)  18
D. Wood  (Old Manor)  17
J. Angliss  (Blunsdon United)  16

Division 3
T. Romans  (Bromham)  35
S. Skull  (West End)  27
R. Downes  (Calne Res)  22
N. Baker  (Malmesbury Vics)  21
G. Parker  (West End)  20
I. Murspratt  (Bromham)  17
B. Henshall  (West Swindon)  17
C. Pictor  (Malmesbury Vics)  16

Division 4
R. Goulding  (Stratton Red Eagles)  35
T. Byrne  (Walcot)  31
S. Dixey  (Walcot)  26
T. Twyman  (Walcot)  24
G. Jones  (Oaksey)  23
J. Parker  (Allied Dunbar)  21
K. Lawson  (Allied Dunbar)  21
T. Robathan  (Pinehurst)  21
Ghia Senior Cup 1985-86

First Round
Allied Dunbar  1  Amesbury  1  (aet)
Avebury bye
Blunsdon United bye
Burmah House  1  Sanford  2
Calne Town  3  Melksham Town Res  1
Corsham Town 1  Chippenham Town Res  2
Laverstock & Ford  7  Devizes Town Res  0
Marlborough Town bye
Old Manor  4  Warminster Town  1
Pewsey Vale  2  Ferndale Athletic  2  (aet)
Pinehurst  1  Park  5
Shrewton United  0  Purton  1
Westbury United  1  Dorcan  2  (aet)
Wills  0  Plessey Sports  1
W. Bassett Town  0  Bemerton Athletic  9
Wroughton  3  Aldbourne  1

Replays
Amesbury  v  Allied Dunbar - result to trace
Ferndale Athletic  2  Pewsey Vale  0

Second Round
Allied Dunbar  v  Wroughton - result to trace
Avebury  2  Plessey Sports  3
Bemerton Athletic  4  Park  5
Calne Town  3  Chippenham Town Res  1
Dorcan  4  Sanford  3
Ferndale Athletic  5  Marlborough Town  0
Purton  2  Blunsdon United  1
Laverstock & Ford v Old Manor - result to trace

Quarter Final
Ferndale Athletic  3  Allied Dunbar  0
Dorcan v Laverstock & Ford - result to trace
Details of other two matches to trace


Semi Final
Dorcan  2  Calne Town  4
Ferndale Athletic  0  Park  4

Final
Park  0  Calne Town  0  (at Chippenham Town)

Replay
Calne Town  1  Park  1  (4-2 on pens) (at Chippenham Town)

As reported by the Evening Advertiser.
Initial Game
Calne and Park will meet again on Friday at Chippenham in the final of the Ghia Senior Cup after their encounter on Saturday failed to produce a goal. Defences remained on top throughout with Calne’s central defender Gary Bartlett outstanding. Alan Webster did drive the ball into the Park net from a centre by Neil Hodgson after 30 minutes, but the referee ruled there had been an infringement.

Replay
It took a penalty shoot out last night at Chippenham to decide who would win the Ghia Senior Cup. After extra-time Calne and Park were all square at 1-1 in the replay of their goalless draw of the previous week. Calne ultimately won 4-2 on penalties. Park were first to score through Mark Jell in the 10th minute, but in the 80th minute Neil Hodgson’s in swerving corner went direct into Park’s net. In the penalty shoot out Calne scored one of their first two spot-kicks but Park had both efforts saved. Each then scored twice to put Calne 3-2 in front leaving Alan Webster to win the cup for them by successfully taking their fifth spot kick.
Ghia Senior Cup Winners Calne Town
(picture courtesy of Wiltshire Newspapers)
Ghia Senior Cup Runners-up Park     
(picture courtesy of Paul Harrison)
Ghia Junior Cup 1985-86

Preliminary Round
Cricklade Town  2  Aldbourne Res  1
Ramsbury  2  Bromham Res  1
Wills Res  3  Liden  1

First Round
Amesbury Res  3  Marlborough Town Res  0
Box Rovers  0  Wills  Res  1
Corsham T Res  0  W. Bassett Town Res  2
Cricklade Town  0  Malmesbury Victoria  6
Dorcan Res 2  Pinehurst Res  6  (aet)
Minety  2  Wroughton Res  1
Oaksey  2  Pewsey Vale Res  7
Oldacre  2  West Swindon  2  (aet)
Park Res  6  Blunsdon United  1
Plessey Sports Res  0  Ramsbury  7
Purton Res  1  Allied Dunbar Res  0
Rodbourne Cheney  2  Croft  3 (aet)
Spartans  2  Oakfield  1
Stratton Red Eagles  0  Calne Town Res  3
Walcot Ath  6  Bemerton Ath Res  5  (aet)
West End  4  Sanford Res  4  (aet)

Replay
Sanford Res  4  West End  2 (aet)
West Swindon  2  Oldacre  1

Second Round
Malmesbury Victoria v Walcot Athletic - result to trace
Mintey  0  Calne Town Res  6
Park Res  5  Bemerton Ath Res  1
Purton Res  7  Amesbury Res  2
Ramsbury  v  Sanford Res - result to trace
Spartans  4  Wills Res  1
West Swindon  2  Pinehurst  1
W. Bassett Town Res  3 Pewsey Vale Res 1

Quarter Final
Malmesbury Vics 2  W. Bassett Town Res  3
Park Res  5  Spartans  0
Purton Res  2  Calne Town Res  3
Sanford Res  2  West Swindon  3  (aet)

Semi Final
Park Res  4  Wootton Bassett Town Res  1
West Swindon  2  Calne Town Res  1

Final
Park Res  2  West Swindon  0  (at Plessey Sports Ground)

As reported by the Evening Advertiser.
Park Reserves won the Wiltshire County Ghia Junior Cup last night by defeating West Swindon 2-0 in the final on Plessey’s ground. With the example of their reserves before them, Park’s senior team will be going all out to complete a double tonight when they meet Calne in a replayed Senior final at Chippenham. In last night’s game Park scored direct from a Rob Murdock free kick in the 21st minute then through Steve Slattery 15 minutes later while aided by a following wind. They held West Swindon comfortably in the second half and missed the chance to increase their score when Gary Sealey had a penalty saved. Jim Wright was voted man of the match.
Back Row: Ray Rivett (Manager), Dave Dalgleish, Ron Denny, Phil Watson, Mark Bowles, Keith Williams, Chris Rich, Brian Lawrence
Front Row: Mike Harrison, Steve Slattery, Stuart Gould, Robert Murdoch, Frank Bridges, Jimmy Wright (picture courtesy of Wiltshire Newspapers)
Wiltshire Senior Cup 1985-86
Teams from other leagues shown in italics

First Round
Aldbourne 0 Penhill 2
Allied Dunbar bye
Amesbury Town bye
Bemerton Athletic 4  W. Bassett Town 0
Corsham Town 0 Supermarine 4
Downton bye
Ferndale Athletic 0 Purton 1
Highworth Town bye
Laverstock & Ford 4 Dorcan 1
Marlborough Town Burmah House - Marlborough won 6-5 on pens
Old Manor 3 Blunsdon United 0
Pewsey Vale 3 Avebury 1
Plessey Sports 4 Wroughton 1
Pinehurst v Shrewton - awarded to Pinehurst
Sanford bye
Wills FC bye

Second Round
Downton 6 Plessey Sports 3
Laverstock & Ford 0 Old Manor 3
Marlborough Town 0 Supermarine 6
Pewsey Vale 5 Allied Dunbar 4
Pinehurst 1 Highworth Town 5
Purton 1 Penhill 1
Sanford 2 Bemerton Athletic 5
Wills FC 1 Amesbury Town 0

Replay
Penhill 1 Purton 0

Quarter Final
Downton 1 Supermarine 3
Highworth Town 1 Wills FC 3
Penhill 2 Bemerton Athletic 1
Pewsey Vale 1 Old Manor 4

Semi Final
Old Manor  0  Supermarine  1
Wills FC 0 Penhill 2

Final
Penhill  0  Supermarine  2  (at Swindon Town)
Wiltshire Junior Cup 1985-86
Teams from other leagues shown in italics

Preliminary Round
Bratton v Redlynch - result to trace
Bradford United  3  Croft  0
Lavington & Easterton  2  Box Rovers  4
Raychem v  John Bull  - result to trace

First Round
Airsprung  v  Post Office S&S - result to trace
Bratton  0  Rodbourne Cheney WMC  3
Britec  4  West End  2
Bromham  v  CB27 - awarded to Bromham
Coatefields  2  Nationwide  4
Dowty  2  Oldacre  4
Falcon  2  Burbage  2
FC Sporting  0  Dolphin  4
Figheldean  v  Greatfield - result to trace
Kington Langley  5  Penhill RBL  0
Liden  1  Holt  0
Malmesbury Victoria v  Rowde - awarded to Malmesbury
Minety  1  Potterne  2
Oaksey  4  Stockton & Codford  1
Plessey Semics  3  Faraday  0
Ramsbury  3  Broughton Gifford  1
Ross Hilman  1  Box Rovers  0
Seend v Citadel Rangers - result to trace
Sherston  v  Rudloe - result to trace
Spartans  2  Melksham Legion  4
Spectrum  9  Oldfield  2  (aet)
Steeple Ashton v Yatesbury - result to trace
Sundstrand  v  Woodfalls - result to trace
WCBL  3  Cricklade Town  2
West Swindon  5  Stratton Red Eagles  1
7 fixtures still to trace

Second Round
Blue Circle  v Raychem SSC  - result to trace
Bradford United  v  Seend  - result to trace
Britec  0  Bromham  11
Durrington SC  v Airsprung - result to trace
Enford v Woodfalls - result to trace
Falcon  10 Nationwide  2
Kington Langley  2  Greatfield  1  (aet)
Liden  2  West Swindon  3
Malmesbury Victoria  2  Potterne  0
Melksham Legion  v Heytesbury  -  result to trace
Oaksey  v  West Lavington - result to trace
Ramsbury  5  Dolphin Hotel  1
Ross Hillman  0 Rodb. Cheney WMC  6
Sherston  v Plessey Semics - result to trace
Spectrum  v  Oldacre - result to trace
WCBL  5 Nomansland & Landford  2

Third Round
Bradford United 5 Falcon 0
Heytesbury 2  Bromham  1
Kington Langley 3  Oldacre  2
Ramsbury  0  Raychem  SSC 3
Sherston 3 Durrington Sports 5
WCBL 5  Rodbourne Cheney  WMC 4
West Lavington 0  Malmesbury Victoria  5
West Swindon  5  Woodfalls 3

Quarter Final
Bradford United  1  Raychem SSC  0
Durrington Sports  4  Heytesbury  3  (aet)
Kington Langley  4  WCBL  0
Malmesbury Victoria  3  West Swindon  0

Semi Final
Bradford United  3  Malmesbury Victoria  1
Durrington Sports  2  Kington Langley  1

Final
Durrington Sports 3  Bradford United 1  (at Westbury Utd)

Management Committee Members and Club Secretaries


There were no changes to the Management Committee for the season.


Sixty seven teams entered the League and were grouped in four Divisions: two Senior and two Junior Divisions but four teams did not either start or complete the season. Meadowcroft and Tisbury United were lost from Division 1, Avebury Res from Division 3 and Croft from Division 4.
Division 1 - Clubs & Secretaries
Aldbourne - S F Watts   
Amesbury Town - C G Baggott   
Bemerton Athletic - S Noke   
Calne Town - A J Brewer   
Chippenham Town Res - A L Wimble   
Meadowcroft - A J Rowe   
Melksham Town Res - M J Perrin
Park YC - K Williams
Pewsey Vale - B M Flippance
Pinehurst - D A Miles succeeded by: N Merrett
Purton - A Eastwood
Sanford - J A Leeson
Tisbury Utd - W S Rogers
Wills - A Ballard
Wootton Bassett Town - R J W Stone
Wroughton - C G Swatton

Division 2 - Clubs & Secretaries
Allied Dunbar (ex. Walcot Ath) - E M Gray
Avebury - A V Blake
Blunsdon United - A J Hibbert
Burmah House - K J Walker succeeded by: P Laggett   
Corsham Town - B Short   
Devizes Town Res - D R Neate
Dorcan - L Berwick   
Ferndale Athletic - P D Bathe succeeded by: I E Sumbler   
Laverstock & Ford - A M Fortes succeeded by: A Lake
Marlborough Town - D W G Cripps   
Old Manor - R Avery   
Plessey Sports - C E Jones succeeded by: M S Little
Shrewton Utd - M Withers
Warminster Town Res - A D S Lawrie
Westbury Utd Res - E L Barber
Division 3 - Clubs & Secretaries
Amesbury Town Res - C G Baggott   
Avebury Res - A V Blake   
Bemerton Athletic Res - S Noke   
Bromham - R Paget
Calne Town Res - A J Brewer   
Corsham Town Res - B Short
Liden United - J T Thorn
Malmesbury Victoria - C B Forward 
Oldacre - A Wilson   
Park YC Res - K Williams  
Pewsey Vale Res - B M Flippance   
Purton Res - A Eastwood
Ramsbury - R G Mills
Sanford Res - J A Leeson
West End - M L Brewer
West Swindon - J Edmonds
Wills Res - A Ballard
Wootton Bassett Town Res - R J W Stone

Division 4 - Clubs & Secretaries
Aldbourne Res - S F Watts   
Allied Dunbar Res - E M Gray
Blunsdon Utd - A J Hibbert   
Box Rovers - A Phillips succeeded by: C Smith   
Cricklade Town - J Saunders   
Croft - G Magee
Dorcan Res - L Berwick   
Marlborough Town Res - D W G Cripps
Minety - A Osborn
Oakfield - A Hicks
Oaksey - R H Jackson
Pinehurst Res - D A Miles succeeded by: N Merrett
Plessey Semics - T G Smith
Rodbourne Cheney - R Gay
Spartans - L R Fish
Stratton Red Eagles - R F Mortimer
Walcot  - L Roberts
Wroughton Res - C G Swatton
Share by: