DR MARTENS LEAGUE: JIMMY Fraser ensured Chippenham Town's fairy tale season ended in triumph as his late volley clinched a win on the Bluebirds' final day trip on Saturday.

The promoted visitors had taken an early lead through Matt Rawlins, only for Carl Lawrence to level matters 12 minutes from time following a disputed penalty award. Adie Mings was harshly dismissed for his part in the incident after tangling with Lawrence inside the area.

Chippenham assistant manager Colin Bush was a happy man after seeing his side end the season with their sixth consecutive victory.

He said: "It was an excellent day and a proper game. There was a chance we would go there and it would be a bit like a pre-season game, but both sides went at it hammer and tongs. We didn't just want the season to die off. Thomas and I aren't a partnership to say go out there and have a bit of fun and it was a good result.

"The pre-season is too long for you to lose your last game. You always want to win it. We took two coachloads of supporters up there, which was fantastic, and they deserved a good performance."

Kettering referee Mr Capps had an erratic game, at one point booking Fraser for a foul Mings had committed.

But the big forward was later sent off for a second yellow card, a decision Bush found hard to stomach.

Said Bush: "Adie Mings was very, very harshly dealt with in the sending off incident. I do feel he gets unnecessarily punished for his strength by referees. He got one booking, but the second was just two forwards challenging in the area. The linesman decided to get himself noticed and signalled the foul, so the ref gave a penalty.

"That would have been harsh enough, so the sending-off was a double punishment. The lad has been misjudged. We don't usually defend players who get sent off, but on this occasion it was a bad decision."

Steve Brown went close to giving the visitors the lead early on, but the bumper Bluebirds following did not have to wait long for the opening goal from the ever-present Rawlins.

Fraser was the instigator and Rawlins raced onto the former Portsmouth midfielder's through ball before shooting past goalkeeper Damian Quailey from a tight angle. Jason Knight twice went close to levelling matters for Shepshed with two long-range efforts before the break, one of which forced Tony Malessa into a diving save.

Charity headed straight at Quailey from Brown's cross after the interval, before the home side hauled themselves level from the penalty spot in the 78th minute. Mings and Lawrence tangled in the air and the Chippenham forward was adjudged to have committed a foul by the assistant referee. Referee My Capps duly pointed to the spot, issuing Mings with a second yellow card.

The Bluebirds redoubled their efforts and clinched the points on 86 minutes through Fraser. Tweddle, on as a 60th minute substitute for the injured Hunt, controlled well inside the and laid the ball off for Fraser to hammer a volley into the bottom corner.

Assistant manager Bush was delighted with the likes of Mings and Fraser, who have spent much of the past month waiting patiently for their chance on the sidelines.

Said Bush: "Jimmy was excellent. He made some big tackles and just needs a bit of match-fitness. He can now live with the memory of his goal for the rest of the summer.

"All of the lads that came in did well. Danny Hunt has never once moaned and has got on with the job this season and it was a shame for him he got injured on Saturday."