North Wiltshire Veterans' Division

Nationwide put themselves in the driving seat in the title race in the North Wiltshire Veterans’ Division this week with a 5-1 win over Chiseldon on Thursday night, this after previous joint leaders had been beaten earlier in the week. Nationwide led 4-0 at the break thanks to two goals from both Paul Stonehouse and Adam Rudman. Nationwide then had Brady Lilley sent off early in the second half and Chiseldon took advantage to pull one back through Sean O’Brien.  However, Nationwide quickly restored their four-goal advantage through substitute Adam Devine to round off the nights scoring.

On Wednesday night the big game of the week had taken place at Moredon between Redhouse and previous joint leaders Cricklade Town. A solitary goal from Redhouse’s Joe Herbert was enough to give Redhouse all three points which saw them move level on points with their beaten opponents and Nationwide ahead of Nationwide’s game the following night. Come the end of the week both Cricklade Town and Redhouse  would sit three points behind the leaders with all three teams having nine league games left to play.

The action in the division had got underway on Monday night with the Stratton derby at Moredon, with Stratton entertaining club stablemates FS Stratton. It was to prove to be a close encounter with FS Swindon’s Ryan Mason scoring the only goal of the game to give his side all three points which saw them move off the bottom of the table and end the week with the club bragging rights until the next meeting of the two Stratton sides.

There were then two games on Tuesday night both of which ended in draws. At New College defences were on top with a complete lack of goals as struggling AFC Swindon held Purton Kingsdown to a 0-0 draw.  Purton Kingsdown have games in hand over the top five sides and are expected to still have a big say in the race for honours, but will probably see this as two points dropped against a side at the bottom end of the table. Indeed, after FS Swindon’s win on Monday night, despite the excellent result against Purton Kingsdown, AFC Swindon dropped to the bottom of the table for now.

There were plenty of goals in the other game on Tuesday night at Moredon with ExIntel and Swindon Rovers sharing the points after a 2-2 draw. Craige Roberts scored both the two ExIntel goals with Lee Holland and Andrew Waller replying for Swindon Rovers.

Whilst Redhouse were securing that win over Cricklade Town on Wednesday night, the same night Penhill United were keeping their quest for honours on track with an impressive 3-1 win over Royal Wootton Bassett Town at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground to move level on points with their beaten opponents. On target for Penhill were Jamie Ashby, Jake Johnson and Peter Myall, Sam Lawro with the Royal Wootton Bassett Town reply.

Mid Wiltshire Division

It is pleasing to report for once all four scheduled games in the Mid Wiltshire Veterans’ Division went ahead last week. With league leaders Devizes Town the only team without a fixture it gave the chasing pack the chance to close the gap at the top of the table.  On Monday night Warminster Town, who are behind with their fixtures due to multiple postponements like some of the other sides who play on grass, were playing away to Calne Town on the 3G at MOD Lyneham. They returned home with all three points following a comfortable 5-1 win thanks to two goals from Dean Osment and one apiece for Daniel Dicks, Tom Baxter and James Vincent, Anthony Doyle with the Calne goal. Whilst some sides in the division just have three league games left, three of the sides who play on grass, which includes Warminster, still have half their fixtures still to play with six of Warminster’s remaining eight league games set to be at home. Unfortunately, this week’s scheduled return game against Calne Town has once again had to be postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Melksham Town are another side behind with their games and were away at Barford Hornets on Tuesday night and were made to work extremely hard for the three points, although they got there in the end. James Tailby put Barford Hornets 1-0 up before Melksham replied with two from Gary Higdon and one from Dean Ranger to lead 3-1 at the break. Barford Hornets came out strongly in the second half, scoring twice to level matters up at 3-3, their third coming from the penalty spot, with Tailby once again on target for the home side. Melksham themselves were then awarded a penalty that Lee Morgan put away before Dean Ranger made sure of the points with his second of the game as it finished 5-3. The win saw Melksham Town move to within three points of league leaders Devizes Town.

After last week’s surprise defeat at the hands of Bishops Cannings, Durrington bounced back with a hard fought 1-0 win over Radstock Town to move above their beaten opponents into third spot in the table, Terry Brooks getting the Durrington winner.  

The final game of the week on Friday night at Green Lane saw Trowbridge Town Tigers record their fourth win of the season with a 2-1 win over Bishops Cannings, Stuart McLachlan with both Trowbridge goals and Adam Bewley scoring for Bishops Cannings with his tenth goal of the season, all three goals coming in the first half. Both sides now have just three league games to play, as have Barford Hornets.