OLI TAYLOR came off the bench to keep Chippenham Town flying high at the top of the Evo-Stik League this afternoon.

Striker Taylor, who joined Mark Collier’s Bluebirds from near neighbours Frome Town earlier this month, made his mark at Hardenhuish Park as his second-half strike accounted for Merthyr Town and maintained the home side’s momentum following their midweek FA Cup exploits.

An opportunist’s effort from Alex Ferguson almost caught out keeper Tom Bradley with around 13 minutes gone but the opening stages were mostly nip and tuck, with both sides struggling to cause problems for their opposite numbers.

The visitors had a shout for a penalty turned down when striker Kayne McLaggon went down under the challenge of Mark Preece after giving Greg Tindle the slip but referee Simon Knapp waved away the appeals for a spot-kick.

Up the other end, Ashan Holgate found himself with the ball at his feet inside the Merthyr box but blazed over the bar from a promising position whilst Bradley unconvincingly sliced away a teasing cross from Luke Ballinger.

With around ten minutes of the first period remaining, Ferguson’s cutback from the byline found its way to Ballinger on the edge of the area and he drove a shot over the crossbar whilst Martyrs defender Jarrad Wright blasted a fierce drive into the arms of Bluebirds goalie Kent Kauppinen but there was little to shout about at the break.

Merthyr fashioned an opening just a few minutes into the second period as Ian Traylor fired at goal after being teed up by Ryan Prosser but Kauppinen was equal to the effort.

Holgate and Matt Smith both had appeals for penalties turned down and then, in the 56th minute, the home side should have been ahead when Ballinger nicked the ball off Adam Davies and drove forward before setting up Ferguson at the near post but he scooped his attempted finish high over the bar.

Another shooting opportunity fell the way of Ballinger be he was again narrowly off-target and then Ferguson got on the end of Ballinger’s shot but couldn’t apply the finishing touch.

But the visitors carried a threat and after Dan Summerfield flashed an effort not far wide of the mark, Chris Allen was forced to make a last-ditch challenge to ensure that McLaggon didn’t turn home Traylor’s low pass towards the near post.

Traylor himself then went close to opening the scoring but Chippenham keeper Kauppinen rushed off his line well to make a vital save with his legs.

In the 75th minute, substitute Taylor must have thought he’d bagged his first Bluebirds goal but the striker’s goalbound effort was superbly diverted over the crossbar by full-back Davies.

However, the ex-Frome man didn’t have to wait long as a few moments later, the home side broke on the counterattack.

Lee Phillips’ cross into the box found its way to Matt Smith and his mis-hit shot flew kindly into the path of Taylor, who didn’t make the cleanest of connections himself but his effort was still sufficient to sneak past a despairing Bradley.

Midfielder Allan came close to doubling the home side’s lead as the clock ticked to 81 minutes, with his free-kick, aimed for the top corner, finger-tipped over the bar by the Martyrs goalie.

But Taylor’s goal was all that Chippenham needed, with the visitors ending the afternoon with ten men after substitute Corey Jenkins was shown a second booking for cynically tugging back the match-winner as he charged towards the Merthyr half.

CHIPPENHAM TOWN: Kent Kauppinen, Luke Ballinger, Scott Bevan, Michael Pook (Lee Phillips 75), Greg Tindle (C), Mark Preece, Alex Ferguson, Matt Smith, Ashan Holgate (Oli Taylor 62), Chris Allen, James Guthrie.

Subs not used: Jon Beeden, Matt Jones, Conor McCormack.

Attendance: 387