Cricklade Town winners of the Wiltshire FA Veterans' County Cup

League Cup Semi-Finals

The main focus in the last week of March in the two veterans’ divisions of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League was on the two cup competitions with the two semi-finals in the League Cup and the re-arranged Wiltshire FA Veterans’ County Cup competition which had been postponed back in February at the request of Penhill United, one of the two finalists. It meant a busy week for Cricklade Town who were Penhill’s opponents and were also still in the League Cup, but it would turn out to be a good week for the club.

On Monday 23^rd March they travelled to Melksham Town’s Meads of Melksham Football Community Stadium for the first of the two intra-regional League Cup semi-finals. A goal from Nick Craft had given Cricklade Town the lead in a tight game between two of the top veterans’ sides but the game was to end in controversy with Melksham Town seeing two players dismissed for dissent following an offside decision when striker Gary Higdon had got clear of the Cricklade Town defence five minutes from the end. Not only did Melksham have to play the closing minutes of the cup semi-final two men short they will now also be without those players for some of the games in the Mid Wiltshire Division title run in.

The other semi-final was again a game between sides from the North Wiltshire and Mid Wiltshire divisions, with the league leaders of their respective divisions meeting at Nursteed Road. As expected, it was another tight affair that once again went the way of the side from the North Division as Nationwide secured a come from behind win over Devizes Town. Daniel Harvey had given Devizes an early lead, but Adam Rudman had brought Nationwide back level seven minutes before the break, that is now 19 for the season in all competitions for Rudman. Nationwide then got themselves in front for the first time in the match seven minutes into the second half, Richie Miles scoring what proved to be the winning goal as Nationwide held out for the remaining minutes to secure a 2-1 win. So both games went the way of the North Division sides settling up an all-North Division final which is set to take place on Monday 20^th April at Calne Town FC.

County Cup Final

Cricklade Town were back in action on the Friday night of the same week with the final of the Wiltshire County FA Veterans’ County Cup at Green Lane, Devizes, with Penhill United their opponents. As with the two League Cup semi-finals it was another tight affair between two evenly matched sides which in the end was decided by the best move of the night which saw Ben Brown get on the end of a cross from the left-wing midway through the second half to put Cricklade Town 1-0 up. Both teams cancelled each other out for most of the game with few, if any, clear-cut chances being created at either end. Penhill United will probably feel aggrieved that a couple of shouts they had for a penalty could well have been given on another night, particularly the one in the closing stages. They ended the game with ten men after a challenge on the Cricklade Town keeper saw a player dismissed and their manager was also sent to the stands for comments made to the officials after what had been a good game between two very good vets' sides. So it was Cricklade Town who retained the cup they had won for the first time last season with the cup heading North for the third season running with Coate having won it in Season 2023-24.

More pictures from the County Cup Final can be found on the League Facebook Group Page.

Cricklade Town ahead of the Wilts FA Vets' County Cup Final

Penhill United ahead of the Wilts FA Vets' County Cup Final

Action from Cricklade Town's 1-0 win over Penhill United in the Wilts FA Veterans' County Cup Final

North Wiltshire Division

With the cup action there has been only a handful of league fixtures in the past fortnight in the North Wiltshire Division but the games that have been played have provided more clarity as to where honours are likely to reside this season. Redhouse moved up to second place in the table with a big 6-0 win over Swindon Rovers. Joe Herbert led the way with a hat-trick with further goals from Fred Galrito, Michael Jones and David Pratt. With three games to go Redhouse can still catch Nationwide but are probably going to need to win all three and then hope Nationwide slip up in a couple of their remaining games.

In the week of all the cup action, it proved to be a good week in the league for the two teams from the Stratton stable. Goals from Liam Butcher, Nial Francis and Ogedi Uzokwe gave Stratton a 3-0 win over ExIntel, whilst stablemates FS Stratton went one better scoring four unanswered goals against AFC Swindon as their renaissance in the second half of the season continued. Town Brown led the way bagging a brace with further goals from Callum Cormack and Richard Franklin.

There were then two further league games last week including a repeat of the County Cup Final as Penhill United and Cricklade Town met for the second time in the space of five days. It was to prove to be another close encounter that saw the two sides share four goals and the points, a result which would have gone down well with both Nationwide and Redhouse in terms of the battle for honours at the top of the division, with two of their rivals both dropping two points. Chris Angel scored both of the Penhill goals with Cricklade substitute Craig Shand also scoring twice to give his side the point. Penhill moved back second level on points with Redhouse but now have just the one game left to play, whilst Cricklade with three to play now trail Redhouse and Penhill by three points and are eight points adrift of leaders Nationwide and will almost certainly not now retain the title they won last season.

The other game played in the division saw ExIntel edge a close encounter with AFC Swindon by the odd goal, two goals from Richard Wells and one from James Joyce securing a 3-2 win, Richard Bailey and Alexander Mason with the AFC Swindon goals.

Mid Wiltshire Division

There have been just two games played in the Mid Wiltshire Division in the past fortnight, and both involved Warminster Town. Monday 23^rd March saw them record a 3-0 home win over Bishops Cannings with James Vincent scoring twice and Dale Rowland getting the other goal. Bishops Cannings were playing their final league game of the season and became the second side in the division to complete their fixtures.

Warminster Town followed that victory up a week later with another home game against a side completing their season’s fixtures, Calne Town. It was to be a night of own goals as both sides managed to score for the opposition in a 1-1 draw.

Durrington have struggled in recent weeks to field a side and that position is not likely to change in the closing weeks of the season. Consequently, after discussions with the club the three games they postponed in March have been awarded to their opponents Devizes Town, Melksham Town and Warminster Town. With both Devizes Town and Melksham Town involved in the title race the equal treatment of both teams will thankfully not impact the title race in the division.