CHIPPENHAM Town recorded a rare but well-deserved victory at Redditch - a result that kept them at the top of the Southern League Premier Division.

Both goals came in the first half but top scorer Andy Sandell was booked for needlessly kicking the ball away and will now serve a suspension for picking up 10 bookings.

It was Chippenham's second successive away victory on an artificial surface coming after their single goal victory at Slough.

The Bluebirds started strongly with Dave Pratt unfortunate to see his seventh-minute headed effort, from a tight angle go wide.

However, a minute later Pratt was instrumental in Chippenham taking the lead as Redditch keeper Luke O'Reilly came out to block his effort the ball rebounded to Joe McClennan whose measured shot gave two covering defenders on the line no chance, at the same time registering his first goal since returning to Chippenham colours.

The goal spurred the hosts into action and the game became quite heated as Darren Chitty saved a deflected effort from Jhai Dhillon.

McClennan was again proving pivotal in Chippenham attacks and his cross saw Alex Ferguson unleash a vicious shot that O'Reilly again failed to hold and the ball rolled past a post for a corner from which Ferguson headed over.

The hosts were then incensed when referee Benjamin Speedie, a late replacement, failed to award them a penalty when Max Loveridge appeared to be fouled by Greg Tindle and their cause was not helped as player-manager Darren Byfield failed to get the loose ball on target.

The Redditch boss then saw another effort flash across the face of goal.

Chippenham took the wind out of the home side's sails eight minutes before the break with a second goal as a strong run from Matt Jones saw the home side fail to clear and Will Richards pounced to fire home against his former side.

Before the interval O'Reilly again failed to hold the ball this time from a long range effort by Jones.

After the interval Sandell and McClennan both wasted chances whilst Greg Tindle rescued his side by blocking an effort from Byfield that was destined for the back of the net.

Good work from Ferguson and Sandell then presented Jones with a good chance but he failed to get his shot from 12 yards on target. Jones was then presented with another good chance when O'Reilly failed to claim a high ball but he again failed to hit the target.

In the final quarter of an hour Richards was twice unlucky from corners from substitute Matt Smith as his headed effort was stopped on the line by Loveridge and then a thunderous shot left the cross bar shaking.

Chippenham: Chitty Bowman, Felix, Horgan, Tindle, Richards, Ferguson (Pook 77), McClennan (McClennan 62), Pratt, Sandell, Jones (Guthrie 62).

Subs not used: Beeden, Mateus.

Referee: Benjamin Speedie.

Attendance: 277