MATCH PREVIEW: Chippenham Town vs Chelmsford City | National League South | Saturday 28th March 2026
Charlie Sugg previews the visit of the Clarets
On Non-League day Chippenham look to continue our good home form of late as we welcome Chelmsford City.
This week in SN14
The final week of March normally brings Non-League deadline day, and it was the same this season with the Bluebirds making two new additions.
We sadly said goodbye to Canice Carroll who departs CTFC following a mutual agreement. We wish Canice the best for his future endeavours.
The first was George Birch, on loan from League One side Exeter City. An attacking player capable of playing wide and in the centre, Birch has proven EFL and NLS experience thanks to a number of First Team matches with Exeter this season as well as a short loan spell with Weston-super-Mare in November.
Birch has also had a moment to remember this season as he netted for Exeter against Manchester City at the City of Manchester Stadium in their FA Cup defeat.
The second deadline day addition was Alex Wilkie, a centre half on loan from Queens Park Rangers. Wilkie has previous men’s experience with Fairford Town and Winchester City and had a short loan spell with Hampton & Richmond in our division this season.
We are really excited to see both of them in action.
The opposition
Chelmsford had a very mixed start to their season after trying to gel together their new squad after some highly anticipated signings such as Lyle Taylor.
The Clarets won four of their opening ten games while drawing three and losing three. They hit a good patch of form at the start of November winning five straight matches scoring 12 and only conceding three, which included beating their local rivals Braintree 4-1 in the FA Cup first round.
While having an impressive FA Cup campaign, their FA Trophy campaign was short losing on penalties to Hemel Hempstead in the second round which then led to a big dip in their league form losing five of their next seven games.
After having many games of their’s postponed in January and February, The Clarets are on their best run of form of the season in time for the run-in with them looking to secure a spot in the playoffs only losing two of their last ten games with some impressive results which included a 5-0 win away at Torquay and thumping Bath City 7-1 at home.
Fixture History
The first ever competitive meeting between the two sides came in 1982 in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round where The Clarets ran out 3-1 winners.
We wouldn’t play again against Chelmsford until our promotion to the National League South in the 2017/18 season where the Bluebirds would win 3-2 with a 90th minute winner from Will Richards.
Our last win against Chelmsford came in the 2022/23 season where Joe Hanks netted the winner away from home in a 1-0 victory.
Chippenham are winless in our last six games against The Clarets with the most notable fixture being the 4-3 defeat in the FA Cup in our last meeting where we fell short, conceding to a late goal to Louie Kudiabor.
Dangermen
Lyle Taylor – The 35 year old striker joined Chelmsford in the summer and certainly hasn’t been a disappointment for The Clarets. Chippenham’s defense are going to have to look out for as he has scored 19 goals this season in 31 appearances. Taylor scored the second goal against The Bluebirds in our visit to Chelmsford in the FA Cup earlier on this season
Joe Grimwood – The centre half is another player Chippenham’s defense are going to have to look out for at set piece’s as he has been a big aerial threat this season for the Clarets finding the net three times including two in Chelmsford’s 7-1 win against Bath City.
Non-League day
This will be Chippenham’s fourth consecutive home game on Non-League day with us being in unbeaten in our previous three with a 1-0 win against Weymouth last year with Matt McClure scoring a penalty while also the game finished with both teams only having 10 players on the pitch each. In the previous year we welcomed Welling United with The Bluebirds scoring four in the last 25 minutes to secure the win. In 2023 we hosted Eastbourne Borough in a 1-1 draw, where Joe Parker scored a late equaliser to help Chippenham gain a point.
Let’s make this Non-League day a memorable one again with a big crowd and a big victory!
Supporter Information
This game is non-segregated, and tickets can be purchased via our INTIX page, as well as both cash and card on the day. It is recommended to purchase online to speed up your entry into the ground.
With no Premier League or Championship football being played it presents a unique opportunity for supporters to engage with a local Non League team.
To celebrate this occasion, we are offering all season ticket holders of EFL & Premier League sides and Bath Rugby discounted entry (£10 off) to our match with Chelmsford.
Alongside this, all Chippenham Town season ticket holders will receive a free drink from the Bluebirds Bar.
Whether you support Bristol City locally, or any other EFL or PL side, come on down and experience football at it’s best.
We would love to see this shared loud and proud by supporters; let’s PACK. THE. PARK.
See you there Bluebirds 🐣
