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Halesowen Town 2-1 Chippenham Town.

Ten man Chippenham Town suffered play-off agony for the third time as they squandered the lead to lose 2-1 at Halesowen Town.

After a tension wracked first hour the game exploded into life when substitute Sam Allison volleyed the Bluebirds ahead on 66 minutes but, within five minutes, Ross Adams was sent off for a professional foul on Eldon Maquemba and Dean Brennan scored from the spot.

Then, on 79 minutes, Maquemba hit a glorious effort into the top corner from 25-yards to send the majority 1,105 wild and put the hosts on course for Saturday's final at Team Bath.

The Bluebirds started with the same XI which started Tuesday's abandoned game while the hosts brought in Rodney Hicks for Ikechi Anya.

Luke Gullick had the first sighter of the night when he forced Mark Osborn to tip his rising drive over, while Brennan and Darren Caskey wasted free kicks when in good positions.

Rather than the blistering start of Tuesday night, both sides were looking for the long ball to unlock their opponents and it almost paid off for the hosts after 16 minutes.

Matthew McEntegart mis-judged a long punt to send Brennan through on goal but, after a good first touch, he shot woefully wide.

Eight minutes later and the forward, who was proving a constant threat, had the ball in the net after beating Snoddy with a crisp 12-yard volley, but was denied by the linesman's flag.

The Bluebirds were struggling to find their rhythm as the Yeltz tried to force proceedings and Maquemba's rising drive from the angle saw Snoddy concede a corner.

From Caskey's flag kick Dennis Pearce's header was hacked off the line by Holly.

The Bluebirds midfielder was doing his best to feed the front pairing of Gullick and Pratt but the pacey frontmen were struggling to get a foothold in the game.

Fourteen goal Pratt did have a chance when he escaped the attentions of Pearce but failed to get his six-yard header on target.

The hosts' game plan was then thrown into slight disarray when Rodney Hicks was stretchered off after a challenge from McEntegart and was replaced by Ikechi Anya five minutes before half time.

But they adapted well to the change and the ever dangerous Brennan saw Kevin Halliday block his close range effort.

Then, in the fourth minute of first half injury time, Maquemba danced past Adams and Ollie Price, only to drag his effort wide of the near post.

But, Snoddy's goal kick was headed straight back to Brennan who broke down the right but screwed his shot across goal.

Half time: Halesowen Town 0-0 Chippenham Town.

The second half began as the first ended with the visitors looking to exploit Maquemba broke down the right but his cut back was ballooned over by Andy Hall.

McEntegart was living a dangerous life having already been booked on 50 minutes for a foul on Maquemba and he received his final warning for climbing over the striker.

Snoddy then saved Caskey's free kick, while Scott Lye shot over at the other end.

But, as the half wore on, the Halesowen midfield started to lack the drive of their early play and Brennan had suddenly gone quiet.

Iain Harvey scufffed a shot wide before substitute Allison put the Bluebirds ahead on 66 minutes.

Pratt won possession from Pearce on the byline and cut the ball back to Allison, who had only been on the pitch seven minutes, to volley in from six yards.

But, five minutes later Maquemba raced onto a long ball and Adams brought him down as he went away from goal.

Referee Martin duly produced the red card for the distrought defender and Brennan blasted the ball to Snoddy's right.

Kes Metitiri was brought on for Pratt to plug the hole left by Adams but it mattered not as the Yeltz took the lead with 11 minutes to go.

Maquemba was released down the left and the striker cut inside to unleash a rasping 25-yard effort which flew past Snoddy and into the top corner via a post.

The Yeltz had edged the game and the strike was a fitting goal to win any game and the Bluebirds struggled to rally.

But Price missed a glorious chance with five minutes to go when he vollyed straight at Osborn when found, unmarked, six yards out.

Osborn beat the on-rushing Gullick to the ball in the dying seconds before the Bluebirds players sank to their knees in dispair at the final whistle.

Chippenham Town: Snoddy, Adams, Halliday, Price, McEntegart, Harvey (c), Lye (Allison, 59), Holly, Pratt (63, Metitiri), Cornwall (Seavill, 86), Gullick. SUBS: Seavill, Allison, Badman, Metitiri, Carr.

9:46pm Thursday 1st May 2008

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