Competition

Date

Easter Monday 25th April 2011

Match Report from a Chippenham perspective...

By Dan Barnes » Wiltshire Gazette

Chippenham Town’s season ended on a sour note this afternoon as they suffered a disappointing loss at local rivals Swindon Supermarine.

 

Adie Mings’ side looked to still be feeling the effects of Saturday’s energy-sapping victory over Cambridge City and they fell behind 13 minutes in when a marine free-kick from deep was headed back across the area. Striker Mitch Bryant (see picture above) flicked a heel at the ball and his effort flew in between two Chippenham defenders and into the side netting.

 

At the other end, James Guthrie scooped a right-footed shot towards goal from Lewis Powell’s cross but it was comfortable for keeper James Rae. Around 25 minutes in, Toby Osman got up well to challenge Rae from Scott Lye’s cross and the ball fell to Powell in the area. The Bluebirds frontman shifted the ball to the right before firing at goal, but a combination of the Marine keeper and defender Carl McHugh blocked the effort.

Soon afterwards, the hosts doubled their lead from another set-piece (see pictures above). Ben Wells’ free-kick caused confusion in the Chippenham box, with keeper Chris Snoddy unable to gather and the ball deflecting into the net through a host of bodies. Marine captain Dave Bampton led the celebrations after claiming the final touch. The home side could have had a third soon afterwards when Bryant got through on goal and ghosted past the onrushing Snoddy but Luke Gullick got back to deny him an open goal to aim at. Snoddy also had to get down to parry McHugh’s long-range effort before the half was out.

   

Just three minutes into the second period, Marine did get the chance to extend their lead from the penalty spot. Nathan Rudge was adjudged to have brought down Bampton off-the-ball after making a clearance, before Luke Hopper stroked the spot-kick past Snoddy into the right-hand side of the net. Despite the match being effectively dead and buried, Mings’ men grew back into the game and on 61 minutes, they pulled a goal back with a penalty of their own. Substitute Alan Griffin was tugged down in the area but McHugh and dusted himself off to fire home under keeper Rae and into the bottom left-hand corner.

 

Soon afterwards, Osman hit a cross from the left which had the Marine keeper sprawling as it just whistled over the crossbar. The Bluebirds couldn’t find another breakthrough as the home side held on to their lead and the curtain fell on Chippenham’s Zamaretto League Premier Division campaign.

 

Swindon Supermarine Supporters Player of the Year trophy was presented to Ben Wells by Steve Gunnett before the game.