EVO-STIK LEAGUE SOUTHERN PREMIER DIVISION: AFC Totton 1 Chippenham Town 1 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

EVO-STIK LEAGUE SOUTHERN PREMIER DIVISION: AFC Totton 1 Chippenham Town 1

6:04pm Sunday 8th April 2012 in News

A EQUALISER eight minutes from time saw Chippenham just fail to record their first victory in nine games.

But a battling display earned them a deserved share of the spoils against the much-fancied Hampshire club.

The game was a feisty affair throughout but surprisingly produced no bookings although Totton’s Jamie Whisken was fortunate that the officials failed to see his alleged punch that floored Dave Gilroy.

The first-half stoppage time incident had followed close on the heels of referee Mr Hulume calling both captains together to order their sides to calm down.

The opening half had been punctuated with free kicks and both sides were regularly caught off side, hence chances were at a premium.

The home side did not threaten until nineteen minutes when Nathaniel Sherborne was left with only Jason Matthews to beat.

The Chippenham keeper raced off his line forcing Sherborne to knock the ball wide and by the time the Totton player regained the ball his angle had been sufficiently narrowed.

The Bluebirds best effort of the half fell to Scott Lye who beat former Town keeper James Bittner but saw his effort curl wide of a post.

Chippenham opened the scoring nine minutes after the break when Ross Stearn found Alan Griffin who advanced into the area before knocking a low shot past Bittner.

There followed a continued spell of pressure from the home side who were thwarted by a series of saves from Matthews and some last-ditch defending by the Chippenham defence.

Totton’s strike force were also off target as Charlie Knight fired across the face of goal while Stefan Brown headed over when well-placed.

Sherborne also wasted two efforts the second saw him lift his shot over the bar from eight yards out.

The pressure finally told on 82 minutes when Knight’s cross was met by Whisken and Ross Bottomley bravely dived inside the six yard box to head home – collecting a kick in the face that forced his substitution in the process.

Chippenham: Matthews, Osman, Tindle, Williams, Casey, Rudge, Lye, Stearn, Gilroy (Kite 85), Griffin, Gullick sub not used: Austin

Attendance: 627

NEWS FROM CHIPPENHAM'S EASTER MONDAY DERBY CLASH WITH SWINDON SUPERMARINE TOMORROW AT GAZETTEANDHERALD.CO.UK/SPORT AND WILTSHIRETIMES.CO.UK/SPORT AND REACTION & PICTURES IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES