CHIPPENHAM Town chief Mark Collier conceded his side were more than a little fortunate to come away from Merthyr Town with a point on Tuesday night after a second 2-2 draw in four days.

A late Biggleswade Town strike denied the Bluebirds victory on Saturday but in Wales, it was Chippenham who were the comeback kings.

Ryan Prosser’s first-half double had Merthyr well in control of this Southern League Premier Division contest, only for them to be pegged back by the visitors after the break.

It took just two minutes of the second half for Chippenham to get themselves going as Andy Sandell turned home following a long Dan Bowden throw into the box.

Sandell was the hero again 13 minutes from time, lashing home his 20th goal of the season from the penalty spot after he had been brought down, earning the Bluebirds a point in the process.

“By our own admission, we were quite poor in the first half,” said Collier.

“They are a decent outfit on their home patch and I think they could well find themselves in the play-offs on their home form alone. I don’t see many teams going there and getting much.

“We were 2-0 down at half-time and it could have been a lot worse.

“We had words with the players and we made a few changes and it seemed to have the desired effect and we did very well in the second half.

“In the end, we’ve gone to a hard place away from home and come away with a point.

“We were a bit fortuitous to get something but on Saturday, we were a bit unfortunate not to win.

“We know that the luck evens itself out over the course of the season and sometimes you get a bit of a break. We maybe got one of those on Tuesday, especially based on our performance in the first half, which was not good enough.

“The players were made aware of that and credit to them, they came back in the second half and got themselves a point.”

The result keeps Chippenham in the play-off places and they face another top-five side this weekend when Hitchin Town visit Hardenhuish Park.

Town will be without suspended captain Greg Tindle and Nuno Felix, who has twisted an ankle, while Alex Ferguson and Matt Smith are both doubts after limping off early at Merthyr.

Collier added: “Hitchin are a decent side, they are very consistent. They were in the play-offs last year and they will expect to be in the play-offs again this year too.

“It’s a very difficult game and Hitchin are as tough as they come in this division.”

Chippenham: Chitty, Bowman, Felix (Guthrie 70), Pook, Tindle, Richards, Ferguson (Jones 45), Smith (Mateus 53), Pratt, Sandell, Horgan.

Sub not used: Beeden.

Referee: Alan Berrow (Lydney).

Attendance: 386.