THREE goals in eight second-half minutes ensured Mark Collier's unbeaten league start as Chippenham Town manager continued tonight.

Alan Griffin struck twice - his seventh and eighth goals of the season - after midfielder Rob Dean had opened his account for the club on his home debut.

Cody Cooke struck a stunning long-range effort for Truro with five minutes remaining but despite a strong finish, the visitors were a beaten side by then.

The home side meanwhile, were well worth their win in the end, despite a disjointed first half which City probably shaded despite a lack of many clear-cut chances.

Dean was handed his first start for the club since joining from Swindon Supermarine and Saturday goalscorer Tom Knighton started up front in two changes from the 3-3 draw at Biggleswade, the injured Lee Phillips and suspended James Guthrie making way.

On a bitterly cold night, Joe McClennan offered the greatest threat in the opening 45 minutes for the Bluebirds, but too often the final ball let Town down.

At the other end, Town keeper Matt Bulman did well to punch clear a dangerous inswinging corner before new signing Jon Beeden got himself in a tangle on the edge of the box and Bulman had to get down low to push away and effort from Cooke.

Truro should have taken the lead just after the quarter of an hour mark when another dangerous ball into the box from Cooke was only half-cleared, Bulman spreading himself brilliantly to keep out Liam Eddy from point-blank range.

The Bluebirds escaped again before half time when nobody dealt with a routine ball and, when Jamie Lowry fired back into the middle, home defenders Shane Blackmore and Stuart Tovey both mis-kicked with Eddy looming before finally clearing.

Whatever Collier and assistant Tom Jones said at half time clearly worked wonders though, as their side emerged as a different outfit.

McClennan was continuing to cause problems and when Tovey's delightful ball sent him down the right on 50 minutes, the opening goal arrived. McClennan crossed low and as Knighton and then Griffin had efforts blocked, Dean calmly picked his spot in the corner of the net.

The lead was doubled within four minutes as McClennan again reached the byline and when his powerful cross wasn''t dealt with, Griffin was the calmest man in the ground to loft the ball over goalkeeper Grant Fisher and a defender on the line from close range.

The home side were in dreamland just before the hour mark as Knighton found himself free on the left byline and his perfectly-weighted pass inside to Griffin allowed the big striker to side-foot into the bottom corner.

The job was all but done after that, although Griffin could have completed his hat-trick when he lofted wide with 12 minutes left.

Truro finished well, leaving the Chippenham defence scrambling, although there was nothing they could do about Cooke's sweetly-struck strike from 30 yards with 10 minutes to go.

Chippenham Town: Matt Bulman, Stuart Tovey, Jon Beeden, Iain Harvey, Shane Blackmore, Tyron Leigh, Joe McClennan, Rob Dean, Alan Griffin (captain), Tom Knighton (Corey King 77), Harley Purnell.

Subs not used: Luke Murden, Callum Wright, Joe Tumelty, Ben John.

Truro City: Grant Fisher, Dan Evans (Joe Broad 65), Shane White, Paul Kendall (captain), Aaron Pugh, Warren Daw, Cody Cooke, Jamie Lowry, Liam Eddy (Les Afful 65), Ben Watson, Olly Brokenshire (Neil Slateford 70).

Subs not used: Jordan Copp, Jared Sims.

Referee: Tim Wood (Gloucester)

Yellow cards: none

Attendance: 266

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