CHIPPENHAM Town manager Mark Collier is more confident than ever that his side can do more than compete at National League South Level.

Playing in the sixth tier of English football for the first time, Collier admits one or two doubts may have entered his head having seen the quality of opposition.

However, a goalless draw at home to Havant and Waterlooville, followed by a 5-2 demolition of Bath City on the road on Tuesday night, has given the Hardenhuish Park boss the confidence in his squad.

“It’s fantastic,” he said. “It was history for the club on Saturday, going and making our debut in the league.

“I went and watched Hungerford on Monday night and the game was very quick and there was lots of pace and power and I thought, ‘can we really cope with that?’ “Then, you come and watch your own team and they put in a performance like that against one of the big sides in the division.

“We’re a club that’s on the move and hopefully we can continue to do so.”

Matt Smith made history for the club as he netted the Bluebirds' first ever goal in the National League South and it opened the floodgates as Andy Sandell’s brace added to goals from Dave Pratt and Will Roberts in what Collier described as the perfectly-executed game plan.

“We thought they (Bath) were a little bit short of pace at the back and we could keep turning them around,” he explained.

“If the balls forward were of good quality, we could get in behind and we thought we could be a threat.

“We were disappointed to concede, we made a little error for their goal, and they have scored again late on but the game is over by then.

“We’ve scored five goals but we’ve made lots of blocks and they’ve put their head on the line a few times and we’re going to have to have that spirit and application for all the games.

“It’s rubbed off on us from last year and long may that continue.

“To come to Bath, one of the big hitters in the division, a team who were expected to do very well, to score five is particularly pleasing and it’s a good start with four points from two games.”

Chippenham now face newly-relegated Braintree Town on Saturday and Josh Morgan-Williams, who missed Tuesday’s game due to a discipline issue, will be back available for Collier, who anticipates taking a smaller squad of 16 to Essex.

“We have to go to Braintree on Saturday, that’s a difficult place again and it’s not going to be the massive crowd, the lights won’t be on and the pitch might not be as good, so we need to make sure we go there and we’re organised,”

“This will be a squad game. We’re not going to win anything with 16 or 17 players, we’re going to need 18, 19, 20 and it’s a good time to stick together while we continue to progress.”