Veterans' League Cup

This week it was the turn of the League Cup to take centre stage in the Veterans’ Divisions of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with the four outstanding Second Round ties scheduled to take place although in the end only two were played. The game between Radstock Town and Calne Town  was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and will now be re-staged in the New Year, whilst Devizes Town were given a walkover in their tie scheduled for Friday night against Purton Kingsdown, with the Swindon based side unable to raise a side.

The two ties that did go ahead saw teams from the North Wiltshire Division progress to the Quarter Final stage. In the all North-Wiltshire Division clash at Moredon between ExIntel and Chiseldon it was Chiseldon who progressed to the next round thanks to two late goals. Dean Hart put them ahead two minutes from time and then a second from Scott Boden confirmed it would be Chiseldon who went through to the last eight.

The other tie played saw North Wiltshire Division side Royal Wootton Bassett Town up against Barford Hornets from the Mid Wiltshire Division. With Barford Hornets struggling at the foot of their division, and without a win all season, the game went very much to form with Royal Wootton Bassett Town scoring four unanswered goals to safely progress to the next round. There were two goals for Jeremy Newton and one apiece from Chris Head and Martin Ohrland. The only blemish on the night for the North Wiltshire Division side was ending the game with just ten men with Josh Connolly sent off. 

The draw for the Quarter Finals has been made by Chairman Brian Busson and League Secretary Jim Thorn. The draw sees last season’s beaten finalists and winners in Season 2023-24 Nationwide at home to the winners of the Radstock Town v Calne Town tie, Season 2022-23 cup winners Melksham Town  will be at home to Royal Wootton Bassett Town, Season 2021-22 winners Cricklade Town will be away to Chiseldon in an all-North Wiltshire Division tie, whilst the final tie is an all-Mid Wiltshire Division affair with Warminster Town set to be home to Devizes Town.

Full details of the League Cup rounds so far this season is shown below:

North Wiltshire Veterans' Division

In addition to the cup games there were two league games played in the North Wiltshire Division, with both the top two, Cricklade Town and Nationwide in action and both winning to open up a four-point lead at the top of the table. Cricklade Town were away to AFC Swindon and were made to work hard for the three points with the two sides turning round at the break with the game still without a goal. The second half would prove to be Cricklade’s though. Sam Collier fired them ahead and having made the breakthrough he then went on to score three more times as Cricklade ran out 4-0 winners, with Collier getting all four goals to take over leadership of the North Wiltshire Division goal scoring chart.

Nationwide were up against another of the title chasing sides Redhouse. When the two sides had met in the County Cup earlier in the season, Redhouse had edged a close encounter 2-1. It was to once again be a tight game settled by a one goal margin, but on this occasion, it was Nationwide who came out on top to avenge that earlier cup defeat, goals from Richie Miles and Neil Snow securing a 2-1 win, with Michael Jones getting the Redhouse reply.  The win sees Nationwide join Cricklade Town at the top of the table on 25 points but with Nationwide having a game in hand.

Mid Wiltshire Division

The one scheduled league game in the Mid Wiltshire Veterans' Division between Warminster Town and Durrington was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.