CHIPPENHAM Town threw a two-goal lead away against Chelmsford City to draw 3-3 in the National League South on Saturday, but manager Mark Collier insists it was a good result for his side.

After leading 2-0 at the break thanks to a header from Jay Foulston and a calm finish from Karnell Chambers, Chelmsford halved the deficit midway into the second 45.

An own-goal pushed Collier’s side two goals in front once again, but after Chelmsford pulled a second back with 10 minutes to go, the comeback was completed deep into injury time.

With seven players missing through either injury or suspension, Collier insisted the fact that his young side claimed a point was in fact a good result, despite the method it was achieved.

He said: “Are we positive about a 3-3 draw away from home with the young team we had out? Yes we are.

“We had five or six teenagers in that team against a big, physical Chelmsford side who appear in the play-offs year on year.

“They’ve got a great home record – they’ve beaten Bath and Billericay, so yes we’re pleased with a point and yes, we’re disappointed we haven’t got all three, but you’ve got to take the positives from a game like that.

“At five to three, would we have taken a point? Absolutely we would. But we haven’t managed to see the game out.”

Saturday’s point leaves Chippenham in mid-table and extends their small unbeaten run to two games.

Collier said continuing to pick up points however they can will be important for a club like Chippenham who cannot afford to compete with the likes of Chelmsford City in terms of finances.

Despite the gulf in experience, the Bluebirds’ boss felt his players more than made up for that with their endeavour to make things difficult for their hosts.

He said: “The bottom line is we were seven players short of what we had last Saturday, so that tells its own story.

“So we were always going to be up against it, but credit to our lads because they were absolutely fantastic with their work rate.

“For such a young side to go to one of the bigger sides in the division and get something is pleasing.

“No one has cut us open, but we found it difficult to deal with their size and physicality with the personnel we had.

“Credit to them for that, but it’s another good point for us on the road and we’ll move on.”