Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
 Melksham, Blunsdon & Holders
Bradford Town into County Cup SF

Action from Devizes Town's 7-2 win over Amesbury Junior Badgers that saw them go 2nd in the table (picture courtesy of David Giles)

Monday night saw the staging of three of the four quarter final ties in the Wiltshire FA’s Veterans’ County Cup. Holders Bradford Town were looking to retain interest in the cup competition they won last March when they travelled to Corsham Town in an all-Mid Wiltshire Division tie. When the sides had met in the league on the opening day of the season Bradford Town had been comfortable 5-1 winners, but it was a much closer affair in the cup encounter at the Southbank Ground on Monday night. The home side Corsham Town led 1-0 at the break thanks to a Daniel Beck goal but Bradford Town turned it around in the second half and goals from Adam Pugsley and substitute Carl Davies saw them through to the last four.
Joining Bradford Town in those semi-finals are fellow Mid Wiltshire Division side Melksham Town. Their opponents on Monday night were Cricklade Town from the North Wiltshire Division and in another close contest a solitary goal from Melksham’s Adam Young was all that separated the two sides at the final whistle.
Whilst the North Wiltshire Division side lost at Melksham the Division will have at least one semi-final representative as Blunsdon secured that last four spot with a 3-2 win at Green Lane against Chippenham Town, the third cup game of the night to be settled by just a one goal margin. On target for Blunsdon were leading scorer Jamie Saunders, who took his tally for the season to six, Lee Barrett and Peter Byrne. Both Chippenham goals were scored by Gino De Antonis. Blunsdon have now played as many cup games this season as league games having been drawn to play in the First Round of both cup competitions and will now start to play catch-up with their league fixtures.

The fourth and final quarter final tie between Mid Wiltshire Division side FC Calne and North Wiltshire Division side Royal Wootton Bassett Town will now be played early in the New Year due to ongoing maintenance work on the floodlights at MOD Lyneham.

As well as the cup games there were also two league fixtures in both the Mid Wiltshire and North Wiltshire Divisions. On Monday night in the Mid Wiltshire Division Westbury United moved up one place in the table with a 4-0 win against Radstock Town in a game switched to Radstock, with good collaboration between the two sides to enable the game to be played. Unfortunately for Radstock their efforts were not rewarded with a victory as two goals from Peter Ayton and one from the division’s leading scorer Philip Hampson plus a late strike from Wayne Wheeler saw the points go to the White Horse Men.

The final game in the Mid Wiltshire Division was on Tuesday night at Green Lane and it saw Devizes Town secure a comfortable 7-2 win over Amesbury Junior Badgers. Gary Campbell led the way hitting a hat-trick, Rhys Schell scored twice taking his total for the season into double figures, with further goals coming from Stephen Campbell and Robert Mitchell. The two consolation goals for the Badgers were scored by Jon Miller and Geoffrey Wells. The win for Devizes saw them climb three places to second spot, five points behind leaders Melksham Town but crucially with two games in hand.

More action from Devizes Town's 7-2 win over Amesbury Junior Badgers that saw them go 2nd in the table (picture courtesy of David Giles)

The big game in the North Wiltshire Division was on Tuesday night at New College where league leaders Redhouse were looking to maintain what looks to be a solid defence of the league title they won last season. They were up against a Chiseldon side who, prior to Tuesday, had lost just one of their opening five league games. A close game was anticipated and so it proved with Redhouse edging it thanks to a solitary goal from Sean O’Brien, O’Brien scoring for the third straight game and taking his total for the season to five. The win saw Redhouse open up a six-point lead at the top of the table, although second placed Cricklade Town have two games in hand with the top two set to meet for the first-time next month.

Redhouse & Chiseldon who were involved in a close game on Tuesday night at New College

The final game of the week was at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground on Wednesday night when Stratton Juniors Orange and Swindon Rovers fought out a 1-1 draw which saw a share of the points, Stephen Bizley with the Stratton Juniors goal. The point for Stratton saw them move up to fifth place in the table.

League Tables

Leading Scorers

Results & Next Week's Fixtures

9 December 2022
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