08/08/2026
Wiltshire Walking Football League 2026 Final Round โ Menโs Over 50s, Over 60s and Over 65s
๐ง๐ช๐ข ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐กโ๐ง ๐๐๐
Swindonโs Over 50s and Over 65s are Wiltshire County Champions in 2026.
Sandwiched in between, the Over 60s could not make it a quadruple of title wins, having won the championship for the last 3 years and slip from pole position to 3rd in the final standings.
However, the final day had lots of twists and turns as the following reports highlight.
๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐
๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฐ-๐ฏ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ป๐ฒ
Swindon had to rely on other results going their way to stand any hope of clawing back an 8-point lead from pacesetters Melksham.
They made the best possible start with two quickfire goals from talisman Paul Watling and Dave Heskett to put Swindon in the driving seat.
However, just when Swindon were in cruise control, Calne hit back with the industrious Steve reducing the deficit to just one goal.
Swindon restored their two-goal cushion from the restart with Paul Watling producing an unstoppable toe-poke from 15 yards. Calne wouldnโt lie down and two goals in quick succession saw them level the tie at 3-apiece.
And a virtual repeat of Swindonโs third goal saw Paul Watling complete his hat-trick and this time Swindon game-managed the remaining 5 minutes to earn a valuable victory.
A thrilling game that had both sides shaking their heads in disbelief at the end. Not one for the purists, however, who will be dismayed at the number of goals scored / conceded.
Meanwhile on the adjacent pitch, Melksham were doing their level best to throw the title away with only their second defeat of the season.
๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ-๐ฌ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต
Swindonโs rich vein of good form continued with a comprehensive win over Highworth.
Goals from Dave Heskett and Paul Watling ensured that there was no way back for the Worthians.
๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป ๐ญ-๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐
When Carlo Cinquegrani opened the scoring for Swindon, for a fleeting moment, Melkshamโs lead at the top had been completely overturned and Swindon were now in the driving seat.
But the lead did not last long and the Devizes midfield capitalised on the now fading Swindon side and a deserved equaliser came courtesy of Devizes number 6, Paul.
The comeback was complete when Jeffโs shot deflected off Dave Heskett and past the Swindon keeper to the delight of both him and his teammates.
And Devizesโ Big Roger can feel slightly aggrieved when his shot cannoned off the underside of the crossbar was adjudged ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ to have crossed the line.
No complaints from Swindon and Melksham are now champions.
๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฌ-๐ญ ๐ ๐ฒ๐น๐ธ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐บ
Swindon matched Melksham all the way..... well almost.
For the first time this season, Swindon accumulated 4 running offences, resulting in a penalty and Melksham converted from the spot.
Their unbeaten run versus Swindon in all competitions now stretches to 9 games (4 wins and 5 draws) and when the sides next meet again in April 2027, it will be almost two years since Swindon tasted victory over the newly-crowned champions.
Proof that Melkhamโs rise to Wiltshire County Champions has been some time in the making.
Congratulations on a thoroughly deserved title win.
๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฏ-๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฟ๐ - Walkover
A no-show from the south-Wiltshire side meant that Swindon were awarded a 3-0 victory.
๐ง๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
John Kirkman (GK)
Mark Gray
Nigel Loveless
Dave Heskett (2)
Carlo Cinquegrani (1)
Michael Cox
Paul Watling (4)
๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ: Mark Gray
๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ฌ๐
๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ-๐ญ ๐ ๐ฒ๐น๐ธ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐บ ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฑ
A brace from Bruno Rodrigues gave Swindon an unassailable lead, or so it seemed.
A momentary lapse saw Melksham gain a foothold and an anxious final five minutes had the Swindon hierarchy on edge, but the players had enough about them to see this one through.
With Highworth Greens thumping Trowbridge 3-0, the outcome of title winners was still very much in the melting pot.
๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป ๐ญ-๐ฌ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ
A sublime finish from iceman Rich Bailey was enough to give Swindon the spoils against a very competitive Frome side.
If there was a prize for player of the tournament, Rich Bailey would be in the shake-up.
Swindon could do no more and the title was now out of their hands.
๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฌ-๐ฌ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ
Highworth needed a win by any measure and the title was theirs, but it was Frome who came closest to scoring after some uncharacteristically sloppy defensive play from their opponents.
The Worthians never really got going and Frome became king-makers with a 0-0 draw with the title going the way of a jubilant Swindon side.
๐ง๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
Jason Brown (GK)
Rich Bailey (1)
Richie Dennis
Dave Howell
Keith Walker
Tony Rodriguez
Bruno Rodrigues (2)
Neil Symes ยฉ
Gavin Barron
๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต / ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ: Paddy Armstrong
๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐
Swindon lift the title at only the third time of asking and look to be a force in this league for years to come. Having qualified for the WFA National Cup Finals in Nottingham (to be played in September), the newly-crowned Wiltshire Champions can count this as their finest hourโฆ.. to date.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐๐น๐๐
Swindon 2-0 Salisbury
Swindon 1-0 Trowbridge
Swindon 1-1 Calne
Swindon 0-0 Salisbury
Swindon 1-0 Highworth
Swindon 2-0 Salisbury - Walkover
๐ง๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
Martin Sharkey (GK)
Pete Wright
Pete Money
Nigel Loveless (2)
Pete Cook
Carlo Cinquegrani (1)
Marcus Hooper
John Floyd ยฉ (2)
๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ: Dave Heskett
Swindon Walking Football extend their gratitude to the Wiltshire County Walking Football League - organisers and officials who make this league possible.