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Rugby: Chippenham made it through to the final of this year's Bath Combination Cup with yet another last-gasp win over Bath University.

Bath led 25 -8 with eight minutes left on the clock but at the final whistle, Chippenham had snatched the win with a final scoreline of 25 - 30.

The game started with a fast and physical opening twenty minutes and Bath scored the opening try through their centre and then followed up the try with a successful penalty kick to take a 8-0 lead.

Chippenham hit back with a try from scrum-half Joe Alford who finished a catch and drive following a seven metre line-out to reduce the deficit to 8-5.

The students then scored a great breakaway try by their full-back. After a jinking run, he carried out a perfect chip and chase to score. A successful conversion gave them a 15-5 lead. A late penalty kick by Tom Boreham brought the home side back to 15-8 going into the half-time break.

In the second half a converted try and penalty by the students extended their lead to 25-8 with just twenty minutes left.

At this stage, the Bath University coaching staff made several tactical substitutions which seemed to galvanize Chippenham and the fight back began. It was reminiscent of three days previously when Chippenham fought back from 17-3 down with six minutes to go at Marlow.

The fight back started with a try from tight head prop, Pete Kirby after a period of intense pressure on the Bath try-line. Boreham converted and any momentum that Bath had earlier, was now lost and Chippenham now full of self belief, started to turn the screw and continued to press forward.

When skipper James Gaiger came through the middle of a ruck on the Bath 22 with the ball, the try was converted again by Boreham and this put Chippenham to within three points of taking the lead.

The constant pressure told and with eight minutes remaining, a Bath player infringed at a ruck. Again Boreham split the posts to bring Chippenham level from the penalty to the delight of the watching large crowd of supporters.

The next try was the best and last of the game. Again Chippenham pressurised the Bath defence and this time, Darren McMillan broke the line, attacking down the middle. As the cover defence approached, McMillan fed Alford, who stood up to the full-back and released centre Rupert Crockett who scored the decisive winning try.

With only four minutes left on the clock, Chippenham easily repelled anything tha that Bath tried to throw at them ensuing that they won the game to take them to the final at The Rec.

Coach John Rumble praised his side's skill,determination and shear guts at the final whistle. He said; The lads once again showed that they never know when they are beaten. After the last six weeks, most of them are tired and battered and are playing on pure determination which is something that you cannot buy. We have got two weeks now to get the walking wounded ready for the final. The physio will be working hard and they will be ready to finish off the season in style at The Rec.'

9:17am Thursday 1st May 2008

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