IF Chippenham Town are to be serious promotion contenders this season they must find a way of halting the conceding of late goals as for the third time in December they dropped two Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division points due to a stoppage-time equaliser.

After twice fighting back from behind to deservedly lead 3-2, former favourite Alan Griffin, who left the Bluebirds in November, converted a 91st-minute penalty to leave the Bluebirds rueing their luck for the third time in five matches.

The Cotswold derby started at a cracking pace with Matt Jones’s first-minute ball finding Dave Pratt but, under pressure from a home defender, Pratt went down as he shot, the connection was not enough to beat Raajan Gill and shouts for a penalty were ignored.

A minute later Griffin found space at a corner but headed wide.

The Centurions took the lead on four minutes when Griffin was set free behind the Bluebirds defence.

Darren Chitty made a telling block but the ball cannoned out to on-loan Eastleigh striker Tony Lee, who calmly controlled the ball before slotting home.

The rest of the half saw the Bluebirds dominate as they looked to get on equal terms.

Alex Ferguson’s eighth minute shot was held by Gill and a minute later Andy Sandell’s shot deflected off a home defender to the home keeper.

Jones’s corner then saw James Guthrie’s shot deflected behind whilst on 12 minutes Jones shot over the bar.

Six minutes later Guthrie’s cross found Pratt whose shot was blocked.

Midway through the half Lee’s dangerous cross was blocked at the near post by Garry Horgan. On 28 minutes Griffin’s 35-yard effort went wide.

Chippenham almost equalised on 39 minutes when a corner saw Gill’s attempted punch go backwards but it was hacked off the line.

A minute later Chippenham did equalise as a Cirencester clearance only found Guthrie who fired a low shot home from the edge of the area with the ball going in via a post.

A minute before the break Jones’s free kick found Will Richards who headed just too high.

Lee restored the lead 30 seconds after the restart when a cross from the left deflected off a Bluebird head and the ball found its way to Lee courtesy of Aidan Bennett and the Cirencester striker scored with a spectacular overhead kick that looped agonisingly over Chitty.

Just past the hour mark Chippenham introduced Rhys Baggridge for his debut alongside Mario Mateus and the move paid off on 68 minutes when Alex Ferguson was brought down on the edge of the area.

Sandell beat Gill from the spot to record his eighth penalty of the season.

Four minutes later a scramble in the Gloucestershire side’s area ended with Richards shooting just over the bar.

On 74 minutes Chippenham had strong claims for a penalty when Sandell’s shot hit a hand and deflected behind.

Mark Collier was spoken to by referee Graham Pearce for his protests, but from the resulting corner the ball found its way to Pratt who squeezed a low shot home.

Charlie Griffin then brought himself off the bench to join his brother Alan.

In the first minute of stoppage time Jones was adjudged to have fouled on the edge of the area and younger brother Alan planted the penalty past Chitty.

Chippenham had one last chance but Mateus was off target with his shot.

Chippenham: Chitty, Bowman, Beeden (Baggridge 61), Pook, Horgan (Mateus 61), Richards, Ferguson, Guthrie, Pratt, Sandell, Jones.

Subs not used: Felix, Rae.

Referee: Graham Pearce.

Attendance: 322