BLUEBIRDS defender Nathan Rudge insists that there’s no need for panic stations after they suffered their fourth defeat of the season at fellow promotion-chasers Cambridge City last weekend.

The 3-0 reverse leaves Adie Mings’ side 13th in the table after seven games of the new Evo-Stik Southern Premier League season.

But centre back Rudge says that there’s a long way to go before the Bluebirds begin to worry about their chances of finishing the campaign at the summit of the Southern League.

“You can’t get away from the fact that we’re only seven games into the season because some people are talking as if we’re in turmoil and there’s only one or two matches left,” said Rudge, who has started every one of Chippenham’s games so far this season.

“There’s no reason to push the panic button already because there’s a long way to go and Adie and Gary (Kemp, coach) know all about this division and how to do well.

“Our problem is that we’re giving goals away at the moment – I made mistakes for two goals on Saturday and we need to cut that out as soon as we can.

“There are no easy games in this league and it really doesn’t matter if you’re playing a team like Cambridge or a team at the bottom of the table.

“I think everyone can see that we’re struggling with a few injuries but as soon as we get people back, that will help us to do better.”

All three Cambridge goals were the product of defensive mistakes but Craig Hammonds, the division’s leading scorer last season, proved a thorn in Chippenham’s side all afternoon.

Chippenham made the early running, but Hammonds headed the opener past Will Puddy just before the 20th-minute mark from a Joey Abbs’ corner.

Lewis Powell tested home keeper Zac Barrett before half time and started the second half well, but Hammonds rattled the bar before Abbs’ pass allowed Tony Burke to slide home the second just after the hour.

Cambridge wrapped the points up on 83 minutes when Hammonds dispossessed Nathan Rudge on the edge of the area and the big target man nimbly rounded Puddy before finding the empty net.