EVO-STIK LEAGUE SOUTHERN PREMIER DIVISION: Chippenham Town 1 Stourbridge 2 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

EVO-STIK LEAGUE SOUTHERN PREMIER DIVISION: Chippenham Town 1 Stourbridge 2

10:00am Sunday 15th April 2012 in News

CHIPPENHAM Town slipped to their eighth home defeat of the season as their freefall down the league table continued.

Even the noisy and colourful carnival atmosphere created by 31 members of the visiting Norwegian branch of the Chippenham Town supporters’ club failed to halt Town’s slide down the table.

The opening period saw the Bluebirds give as good as they received as Alan Griffin just failed to open the scoring when his lofted shot went over keeper Lewis Solly but landed on the roof of the net.

Ross Stearn’s cross was then smartly headed goalwards by Griffin but Solly pulled off a stunning save to stop the ball entering the top corner of his net.

At the other end Kevin Sawyer, returning after a lengthy lay-off, was equally as impressive as he first beat out Leon Broadhurst’s free kick before he too produced an excellent save as he tipped Jamie Oliver’s headed effort onto the bar.

Unfortunately for Sawyer he produced the best save of the match on 48 minutes only to be let down by his defence.

Despite cleanly winning the ball Ashley Williams was adjudged to have committed a foul.

Sean Geddes’ free kick looked to be curling into the net until Sawyer threw himself across goal and pushed the ball onto the bar.

Only the visitors’ Oliver had anticipated events and he was left to head the loose ball into an empty net to give Stourbridge the lead.

Worse was to follow for the Bluebirds ten minutes later when Geddes’ corner found Sawyer back peddling and he appeared to tip the ball onto the angle of post and bar.

In the scramble that followed Oliver again netted only for the referee to disallow the effort for a foul.

However, referee David Ricketts' attention was sought by one of his assistants who claimed Geddes’ corner had crossed the line and the goal was awarded.

As Stourbridge protected their lead Chippenham could only create half chances until the first minute of stoppage time when Alex Kite was impeded in the area and Griffin’s low penalty gave Solly no chance, but it was too prove a mere consolation.

Chippenham: Sawyer, Harvey, Kite, Williams, Casey, Rudge (Randhawa 81), Lye, Stearn, Gullick (Gilroy 61), Griffin, Guthrie sub not used: Matthews

Referee: David Ricketts

Assistant Referees: Simon Ireland, Alan Baldwin

Yellow cards - Chippenham: Harvey; Stourbridge: Broadhurst, Oliver,

Attendance: 393

REACTION & PICTURES IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES