As well as the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League kicking off on Saturday there is also a full round of fixtures in Division One at the start of what is the 50th season of the league, with once again 15 teams set to participate in Division One. With an odd number of teams in the division the one side whose start to the season will be delayed are Bishops Cannings, the side who finished fourth last season, who will kick-off their season in midweek with a visit to Malmesbury Vics Development.
Malmesbury Vics Development, under new management with Krystian Hext having taken over, start their Division One campaign away at Purton Kingsdown Reserves on Saturday looking to try and achieve an immediate return to the Premier Division after last season’s relegation. Last season Purton Kingsdown Reserves played as Kingsdown Dev, finishing in 10th place in the table, a climb of three places over the previous season, and are expected to continue their upward trajectory as their young side now have an additional season’s experience at this level. Expect a close game on Saturday.
Marlborough Town are the highest placed side from last season’s Division One in action on Saturday and are another side under new management with former Calne Town and Devizes Town manager Clive McDaid at the helm at Elcot Lane. Marlborough Town open their season at home to Westbury United Reserves, who last season played as Bratton and who finished just below Marlborough in the table, although it is not clear how many of last season’s Bratton side have remained. Marlborough will be back in action again in midweek when they make the short journey to take on near neighbours Pewsey Vale Development.
Kintbury Rangers Reserves, who finished seventh in the table last season, open their campaign at home to Bradford Town Reserves on Saturday, the team who finished just below them in last season’s table. The two games between the sides last season were both close games won by Kintbury by a single goal margin, Kintbury winning 4-3 away at Bradford Town in October before completing a league double with a 1-0 win at Rec at the end of April. Expect another close game between the two sides on Saturday.
Lambourn Sports who finished last season in ninth place open their campaign with an away trip to new side Fairford Town Reserves who have moved across to the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League from the Hellenic League Division Two, a division that has now been rebranded as Alliance Division West this season. Fairford finished towards the bottom end of their division last season and it will be interesting to see how they get on in their opening fixture in our league against a Lambourn Sports side who go into the season without last season’s two leading scorers Lewis Bexon-Shaw and Kias Bonner Shea who have both stepped up to the Premier Division this season with Cricklade Town and Park United respectively.
Shrivenham Development ended last season in good form, losing just one of their final eight games of the season, that a 4-1 loss to champions Cricklade Town on a day when Cricklade confirmed their title win. Shrivenham open their season with a trip into Swindon to play Redhouse at Moredon in what will be a delayed 4pm kick-off. Last season both sides won their respective home fixture and Redhouse will be hoping that trend continues in this season’s opener. Shrivenham will be back in action in midweek when they entertain Swindon based side Stratton.
The final two games on Saturday both involve new sides to the league against two of last season’s bottom three sides. Great Western open their tenure in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with a visit from Pewsey Vale Development with the game set to give us the first result of the new season, with the game kicking off at 2pm. Pewsey struggled last season but will be hopeful of a more successful campaign this coming season and will look to get off to a winning start on the 3G at New College.
The other game featuring one of the new sides to the league sees Faringdon Town Development make the short trip into Swindon to take on Stratton who are another side under new management with former Redhouse Reserves manager Darren Dunn taking over in the dugout. As noted above Stratton will be back in action again in midweek when they make the short journey to Shrivenham.
31 July 2025