CHIPPENHAM Park chief Dave Ferris says ‘communication is king’ as his side look to find their killer instinct.

Park took on Hellenic League Purton in the second round of the Wiltshire Senior Cup but were unable to capitalise on their pressure before being undone by two deflected second-half strikes.

“We had a good amount of possession in their final third and up until the point that we actually conceded, I thought that we were the better side,” said Ferris.

“Himmy’s (Lee Himsworth) had the ball knocked down to him plenty of times but nobody’s told him that he had time to make a cup of tea in the amount of time that he’s had and he’s ended up striking it first time.

“And it’s those sort of things that have let us down. At the end of the day, communication is king but we’re very poor on communication.

“We’re a young side and we’re still learning but it’s these sorts of things that make it very painful for the lads when they’re getting in to the dressing room.

“We’ve haven’t got a nasty person out there because we don’t feel that we need that. We’ve got a bunch of lads that are trying to get the ball on the deck and play football.

“We’re ultimately trying to score goals and it’s just that side of it that’s missing at the moment. One day, there will be a side that will have five or six put past them.”

Striker Himsworth struck across the face of goal early on while Purton’s Jamie McGahey brought a save out of stand-in keeper Dan Price at the other end.

Blaine Fitzgerald was also denied by Price while Mark Robinson tested Gary Stevens in the visitors’ goal.

Purton took the lead in the 77th minute as Fitzgerald’s speculative strike from range took a wicked deflection off the head of Park’s Jordan Pinder on its way into the net.

Price saved superbly from Fitzgerald moments later but the visitors did grab a quick-fire second as Nick McCrae’s header looped in off the foot of Luke Murden.

Job done for Town

TREVOR Rawlings concedes he is still up against it in terms of player numbers despite easing the problem a little with two signings.

Town have brought in right-back Jason Henley from Yate Town Reserves, while the signing of frontman Aaron Tinson from Chippenham Park should be completed this week.

A goal in each half was enough to book the visitors’ place in the last eight of the Wiltshire Senior Cup, Darrin Moss and Matty Jenkins on the scoresheet.

Rawlings said: “We took a lot of young lads down because of the injuries and they came through for us.

“We had no strikers at all, it was all goalkeepers and midfielders, but we never looked in dangers and probably could have had a few more.

“It’s a bit of a patched-up squad, but hopefully we’ve got a few coming back into it now.’’

Misses cost the visitors

DEVIZES failed to make the most of their first half chances as they bowed out of the county cup.

The visitors had two clear opportunities inside the first 10 minutes.

Captain Dan Sloan volleyed over, before Jake Waters skied from the edge of the box.

Devizes’ Jack Bramwell also had the ball in the net but was flagged offside.

Highworth took the lead with five minutes of the first half remaining as Matty Bennett’s speculative effort from 20 yards took a cruel deflection off Gareth Davies, which wrong-footed Tilley.

Two minutes after the interval, the advantage was doubled as Bennett claimed his second with a tap-in.

Sloan also had an effort cleared off the line by the well-placed Chris Flanagan.

Holders stay on course

DARREN Perrin admired the professionalism of his side as they booked their place in the last eight of the county cup at the Wiltshire League Premier Division leaders.

Dan Kovacs struck twice, while Will Stead also netted and Ryan Bennett scored his first goal since joining the club as the holders progressed largely untroubled.

Perrin said: “It was a very professional and comfortable display.

“It was a difficult playing surface but I thought we acquitted ourselves very well.

“I don’t know much about the division Shrewton are in but I’d say they will be up there challenging in it at the end of the season.

“I was delighted with how we played and the way we approached the game.’’

Top scorer Gary Higdon should be fit to return to the squad for the trip to Bishop Sutton in the Toolstation League Premier Division on Saturday Perrin is also hoping to complete the signing of left-sided player Luke Smith, who is returning from America on Friday and has let Nathan Farquarson go to Warminster Town.

Cup defeat, but Pewsey are still flavour of the month

PEWSEY Vale have been named the Sydenhams League’s Division One club of the month and will receive their award before the home game against Andover New Street on Saturday.

Vale bowed out of the Russell Cotes Cup after an entertaining defeat on Tuesday night.

They led 2-1 with 20 minutes remaining before late goals took the home side through.

Portchester grabbed an early lead as Jamie Musselwhite netted from a rebound but, after Jack Hopper had hit the bar, Adam Field levelled for Lewis Taylor’s Vale.

Field’s pass found Hopper to give Vale the advantage after half time but Portchester hit back late on as Nathan Kirby and Danny Thompson scored to take them through. Vale’s fine league form continued on Saturday as they won 4-3 at Ringwood Town.

A Tom Ritchie penalty, after Field had been brought down, secured the points, Ritchie’s second spot-kick of the game, with Field and substitute Craig Wall also netting.

Woodley treble piles on pain for wobbling Bassett

WOOTTON Bassett’s horror run in the league continued as they slipped to defeat against Abingdon United for the second time this season.

The reverse was a fifth on the trot for Jeff Roberts’ men, who are now fourth bottom of the table.

Bassett forged ahead after a quarter of an hour when recent signing from Corsham Town Dan Lardner was picked out by Ryan Stanners and he struck a deflected effort into the net from 20 yards.

Mathew Woodley equalised with a stunning left-footed drive from range and nine minutes before the break, a Woodley free kick put United in front.

Bassett hit back immediately, though, from the unlikely source of Adam Corcoran – moved to the left wing from his usual defensive role – who grabbed two goals.

First he swept home at the far post after Stanners flicked on a Kyle Rigley cross and two minutes later, he nodded Stanners’ delivery into the opposite corner. The hosts ensured it was 3-3 at half-time when keeper Steve Allison failed to collect a free kick from deep and Adam Garner converted from close range.

After the break Sam Ockwell crashed against the bar before United got their winner with 12 minutes left, Woodley completing his hat-trick with a screamer that fizzed into the bottom-left corner.

n IT’S also five successive defeats for Gareth Davies’ Malmesbury Victoria outfit after they went down 3-0 to promotion-chasing Tuffley Rovers in Division One West on Saturday.

Jordan Fletcher, Steve Bick and Mark Ford were on target for the Gloucestershire visitors.

FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @gazsport