Cambridge City v Chippenham Town - Live

2:50pm Saturday 3rd January 2009

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1 Min: Steve Casey takes out Chaffey by the corner flag and gets a booking, with the home fans demanding more. In the immediate aftermath Chippenham have another lucky escape when Bloomfield hit’s the post with a header for Cambridge. Eventful opening minute!

7 Mins: On a counter attack, David Pratt breaks into the box but appears to be bundled over by the Cambridge defender. Referee waves away his appeals but it looked a good shout.

12 Mins: Lucky escape for the Bluebirds as Scott Lye loses the ball in the centre circle allowing Scott Neilson to break away down the right. He passes it to the aptly-named Adie Cambridge who blasgts it out of play.

13 Mins: Chance for Chippenham as David Pratt chases down and forces a mistake from Cambridge keeper Barrett who makes an error and allows the ball to roll to the feet of Lye, whose weak effort is cleared by a defender.

17 Mins: Pratt goes down holding his head after clashing with Sean Seavill when attempting to get on the end of a ball into the box. He appears to be ok.

22 Mins: Typically tireless chasing down from Scott Lye earns a corner and he takes it himself but he fails to beat the first man at the near post. Will the absence of Kye Holly‘s set pieces be influential today?

25 Mins: Huge error from Allison who tried to shepherd a ball out for a goal kick but is dispossessed and allows the forward to cross a ball to Neilson at the back post. Halliday goes to ground and almost commit’s a foul but gives away only a corner. The resulting sett piece finds the head of Chaffey, unmarked, six yards out but he can only put it over the bar. Another escape but it should never have been allowed to happen at all.

30 Mins: Chippenham should be in front! Pratt‘s acrobatic overhead kick was well saved initially but Harvey broke up the counter attack and played in Seavill. The forward found Lye unmarked from eight yards but he pulls it wide of the post. He holds his head in his hands and knows he should have done better.

38 Mins: The visitors have grown in composure but a scary moment at the back almost allowed the home side to take the lead. Haniver‘s ball in was flicked on by Midgley and Snoddy spilled when he should have caught but he makes up for the error by jumping bravely onto the loose ball.

44 Mins: Booking for Ashley Fuller for a foul on Williams in the centre circle. Earlier Seavill‘s shot appeared to be blocked by a Cambridge hand but it only drew muted appeals for a penalty.

45 Mins: Seavill cuts in from the byline and puts a deep cross into Allison at the back post. His cut back finds Pratt who again tries the overhead which beats the keeper but also the left hand post.

HALF TIME: Both sides go in even but it is Chippenham who will be more pleased with the opening period. Cambridge had the better early chances but the visitors grew in composure and enjoyed better possession and goal-scoring opportunities as the game went on. Chaffey should have put the home side ahead but Lye equally should have at least hit the target later in the half. All to play for in the second period.

48 Mins: Chippenham start with intent as Gullick and Seavill both have efforts on target in the opening three minutes of the second half. Harvey is lucky to till not be booked after a series of fouls and verbal spats with the referee.

52 Mins: Pratt is clearly fouled in the final third but nothing is given and at the other end Halliday hacks down the breaking Neilson, causing a mini flare up, with Harvey booked in the aftermath for dissent. Snoddy spills the free kick but there is no danger.

55 Mins: Chaffey booked for dissent after appearing to be held back by Lye, but seeing the free kick given against him. An aggressive second half looks in store.

60 Mins: Great chance for Gullick. Allison runs clear of the defence down the right wing and finds him at the back post. He cuts in and curls a shot past the keeper but it is cleared off the line by Fuller.

62 Mins: Corner drifted in by Cambridge, finds Nightingale who smashes over from 20 yards. Double sub by Cambridge who, strangely, have taken off the player looking most dangerous in Scott Neilson. A sign of the home side‘s growing desperation perhaps?

66 Mins: This game is really coming to life! Allison plays in Pratt who takes one more touch than perhaps was needed but gets his shot in anyway from a narrow angle only to see I palmed away by Barrett.

72 Mins: Seavill angrily pushes Nightingale and indicates he has been elbowed off the ball. Adams slices a clearance to give away a corner but it comes to nothing. Both sides are makingg mistakes and surely one will soon lead to a crucial goal?

75 Mins:Cambridge 25 yard free kick, taken by Adie Cambridge, blasted over the bar.

GOAL - 78 MINS: Allison beats his marker and puts a wicked ball into the box. He finds Pratt who takes a touch but the ball pinballs and he gets the rebound to poke it home from close range.

SENDING OFF - LEE CHAFFEY, CAMBRIDGE CITY, 81 MINS

81 Mins: Chaffey kicks out at Lye in frustration and earns a second yellow, but it could easily have been a straight red. The home are losing their discipline. Chaffey throws his shirt on the floor as storms off.

84 Mins: Mason shoots from close range but it goes agonisingly wide. Chippenham will be furious if they let this slip now.

86 Mins: Halliday clears off the line! The Bluebirds are having to soak up a lot of late pressure from the ten men. Can they hold onto three point?

FULL TIME - CAMBRIDGE CITY 0, CHIPPENHAM TOWN 1

They‘ve done it! Chippenham hold on for a fantastic three points and very much deserved it was too. They ran themselves into the ground to cap a perfect start to 2009.

Team News: Two changes for Chippenham from the side that beat Tiverton on New Years Day. Alex Kite misses out for personal reasons while Kye Holly has re-aggravated the calf injury that forced him to miss the trip to Bashley. Skipper Iain Harvey and Sean Seavill will start in their place. In other news, forward Joe White has returned to Bristol Rovers after the expiration of his three, one-month loans spells.

Chippenham Town: Snoddy, Adams, Halliday, Williams, Casey, Harvey, Lye, Allison, Pratt, Seavill, Gullick.
Subs not used: Gardner, Sercombe, Bryan.

Booked: Casey, Harvey,

Goals: Pratt 78,

Cambridge City: Barrett, Haniver, Chaffey, Theobald, Smith, Nightingale, Neilson (Smith 64), Cambridge, Bloomfield, Midgley, Fuller (Mason 64).
Subs not used: Radcliffe, Krause, Fuff.

Booked: Fuller, Chaffey x2 (SENT OFF)

Ref: Will Hardie (Huntingdon)

Att: 405