This week saw the first real full week of action of the New Year involving teams from the Mid Wiltshire Veterans’ Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with four games played, whilst there were three games played in the North Wiltshire Division utilising all available venues.

The big match in the Mid Wiltshire Division was the meeting of two former champions when Corsham Town took on Melksham Town at Green Lane. Corsham had been the inaugural champions of the Mid Wiltshire Vets' Division back in Season 2020-21 with Melksham finishing as runners-up. The following season Melksham had been crowned champions with Corsham finishing third. Last season the two sides had once again featured in the title race, but both were pipped by Bradford Town with Melksham finishing as runners-up and Corsham again back in third. Once again this season the same two sides are involved in the title race along with Warminster Town and possibly Devizes Town who could yet emerge as challengers if they win all their games in hand. Corsham went into the game on Monday night at the top of the table, a point ahead of Warminster and three ahead of Melksham having gone on an eight-game unbeaten run in the league since losing 1-0 to Melksham in the first league meeting between the two sides back at the beginning of September. They had avenged that earlier defeat in the Wiltshire FA County Cup in December progressing to the semi-final courtesy of a 2-1 win over Melksham. On Monday night at Green Lane, they once again got the better of Melksham, two goals from Jamie Lyons and one from Simon Gray in a 3-0 win saw them open up a four-point lead at the top of the table and increase the gap over Melksham to six points, although Melksham still have two games in hand. Warminster Town, who have dropped the least number of points so far this season, saw their game on Friday night postponed due to a frozen pitch.

There were two other games in the Mid Wiltshire Division on Monday night. At MOD Lyneham, Calne Town played their first game since the beginning of December when they hosted Chippenham Town. The first meeting between the two sides back in September had seen Chippenham win 2-0 but in the return fixture they were held to a 1-1 draw by Calne and the points shared, Steve Tweddle firing in his eighth of the season for Chippenham, although two of those goals were against Winsley have subsequently been expunged from the record books.

The third game on Monday night was at Bulford Camp and it saw Durrington pick up a second consecutive win as they completed a league double over Amesbury Junior Badgers in a 5-1 win. There were two goals for Craig Lewis with Leon Collins, Chris Waddilove and Toby Watson getting the other Durrington goals, Richard Taylor with the consolation goal for the Badgers. The win for Durrington saw them climb three places in the table to fourth spot.

As well as the three league fixtures played, Tuesday night saw Westbury United and Trowbridge Town Tigers from the Mid Wiltshire Division involved in a Second Round League Cup tie at Green Lane. It was Westbury who progressed to the quarter final stage courtesy of a 4-1 win. Wayne Wheeler got the opening goal in the first minute of the match and Phil Hampson then doubled their lead and it remained 2-0 at the break.  Wheeler scored his second of the game and Westbury’s third ten minutes into the second half. Luke Maidment pulled one back for the Tigers ten minutes from time but there was to be no big comeback as an own goal two minutes from time rounded off the night’s action. Westbury will now entertain Chiseldon from the North Wiltshire Division at Green Lane with the tie set to take place this coming Monday.

There were plenty of goals this week in the games in the North Wiltshire Veterans’ Division with the three games producing 19 goals in total. Biggest winners of the week were title chasing Cricklade Town who scored seven unanswered goals on Tuesday night at Cirencester against near neighbours Blunsdon in the A419 derby game. TJ Bohane led the way helping himself to a hat-trick to move onto 13 for the season, the other goals coming from Godrey Chisanga, Marcus Hall, Matt Richards and Adam Smith. The win for Cricklade saw them close the gap to leaders Redhouse to seven points, with Cricklade having two games in hand and the two sides set to meet next month.

The other game on Tuesday night was at New College and it saw Swindon Rovers get the better of Swindon Old Boys, thanks to two first half goals from Peter Byrne and Lee Holland. The 2-0 win for Rovers saw them climb a couple of places in the table to seventh spot.

The final game of the week in the North Wiltshire Division was at the Gerard Buxton Ground on Wednesday night between Stratton Juniors and Royal Wootton Bassett Town and it produced an entertaining affair that saw the two sides score ten goals between them. Stratton had the chances early on and, after Michael Gregory had hit the bar with a shot, the same player fired his side ahead with a well-placed shot into the far corner of the net from the right-hand side of the box. Royal Wootton Bassett were soon back on level terms though, a neat passing move down the right flank ended a ball to the far post by David Bundy which was met on the volley by Jeremy Newton to make it 1-1. Royal Wootton Bassett Town went in front for the first time in the game when Mark Simpkins shot was spilled by the Stratton keeper and David Bundy was on hand for a simple tap in. Eddie Erikosima made it 3-1 when a pass from Bundy put him clear on goal, he rounded the keeper whose challenge on the Royal Wootton Bassett Town player saw the ball rebound off Erikosima’s foot and make its way into the net. A quickly taken free kick from Steve Yeardley put Jeremy Newton clear of the back line and he made no mistake as the Stratton defence stood still appealing for an offside to give Royal Wootton Bassett a 4-1 lead. An early goal in the second half from Yeardley put his side 5-1 up but after Stratton player-manager Neil Lee cleared one off the line his side started something of a comeback. A foul on Stratton’s Gregory by Simpkins saw the award of a penalty. Gregory took the spot kick himself and made no mistake to make it 5-2. The deficit was then reduced further when Luke Connolly was put through and fired in for 5-3. Royal Wootton Bassett's Yeardley then went close to scoring his second of the game, his strike from the edge of the box coming back off the cross bar. Any chance of Stratton getting anything out of the game was ended when Mark King scored an individual goal from the left-hand side of the box, beating a couple of defenders before firing an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net for 6-3. Jeremy Newton then rounded off a good night for his side and him personally, smashing a shot from the edge of the box into the far corner of the net for his hat trick and make the final score 7-3 to Royal Wootton Bassett Town. Your Sport Swindon were at the game with their cameras and subscribers can view match highlights by clicking on the link below or by clicking on the link from the Your Sport Swindon page of the League website which also has links to all the other games in the League which have been covered by Your Sport Swindon.