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MATCH PREVIEW: Chippenham Town vs Slough Town | National League South, Tues 27th Sept 2022

Published: at 12:00pm

Simon Lawrence previews our upcoming National League South game against Slough Town


It’s a night under the lights for Chippenham Town FC on Tuesday as we welcome Slough Town FC to the Thornbury Surfacing Stadium in the Vanarama National League South. The ‘Rebels’ have always proven a tough test for The Bluebirds down the years and one wouldn’t imagine that changing this time around with Chippenham and Slough coming into the game in 10th and 11th respectively.

Gary Horgan’s men come into the game defending an unbeaten run at home following a late winner from Joe Parker securing all 3 points and a 2-1 victory against Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday. The game was a proper game of two halves with the most exciting moment of the first half being the emergence of Aston Villa and England International, Tyrone Mings making an appearance in the stands and big credit to the former Chippenham man who spent time with the young supporters in attendance, signing autographs and taking pictures with all that asked!

The second half however started with a bang with the words of management still ringing in their ears, Caine Bradbury received the ball from Harvey Greenslade following a succession of corners and the young midfielder unleashed a shot from 25 yards and caught Charlie Grainger out in the Dulwich goal. Dulwich would soon find themselves on a level playing field as a long ball seeking the advancing full back needed to be cut out by Will King. However, the impressive King couldn’t quite get enough purchase on a difficult clearance and George Porter was on hand to slide the ball past Will Henry in the Chippenham net and draw the Hamlet level. It looked as if the game was heading to a stalemate before the introduction of Joe Hanks. The midfielder came off the bench and latched onto a long ball from Luke Russe beating the offside trap, two men and eventually delivering a delicious chip to the back post where Joey Parker was waiting to send the TS Stadium into a familiar feeling of ecstasy following another late winner for The Bluebirds!

The referee managed to find around 6 minutes of additional play time to keep the nerves jangling for the home fans but in the end, the game came to a climax with the Chippenham supporters and players, arms aloft in celebration and with 3 vital points in the bag.

The Rebels are a familiar opponent for The Bluebirds. Slough were a tough opponent for Chippenham in the Southern Premier League and following our promotion in 2016/17, Slough came up the following year and have both been playing in the National League South ever since. Slough are managed by the joint team of John Underwood and Neil Baker and the duo are one of the longest serving management teams in non-League football following their appointment in the 2013/14 season.

Chippenham and Slough have always served up a good game of football for the spectators but no more so for the Chippenham faithful than last season where a 1-0-win courtesy of a late Ross Stearn winner at Arbour Park was coupled with an emphatic 6-1 win for The Bluebirds at home with goals from braces from both Ricky Aguiar and Jordan Young and goals from Luke Russe and Joe Hanks handing Chippenham their biggest margin of victory since joining the National League South. Will Henry would save penalties in both games as well showing us a glimpse of what was to come from the Chippenham stopper in the dramatic season finale’.

Slough will always be remembered for the FA Cup matches a couple of seasons ago where a 3-3 draw was followed with a 3-2 win to send Chippenham through to play Whyteleafe and ultimately end up in the 1st Round Proper vs Northampton Town. Matches against Slough by nature tend to be high scoring, tight affairs with all signs pointing to an excellent game of football for spectators, so make sure to come on down!

Slough Town
Slough Town’s Matt Lench
Credit : Slough Observer

Slough don’t boast a huge number of familiar faces for The Bluebirds to look out for but will certainly need to be relying on the quality of Matt Lench if they are to get anything from the game in Wiltshire. Lench has been the tormentor of Chippenham on multiple occasions down the years and his wand of a left foot will be sure to keep our defenders busy as he seeks to put the ball into dangerous areas.

Also, Swindon loanee, George Cowmeadow will be hoping that he can link up with the other striker on loan Dan Roberts at the top of the pitch. Dan Roberts of course, back to Chippenham only a few weeks after his first visit where he led the line for Dartford in an impressive 2-1 win for The Bluebirds. The long throw of Guy Hollis will prove to be a valuable weapon all evening as well and we will need to be very attentive to that so as not to get caught.

Chippenham will by absolutely flying following another late winner and most importantly the return of both Joe Hanks and Spencer Hamilton to the fold following injury. Both men marked their comebacks in trademark fashion on Saturday with Hanks the provider for the winner and Spencer’s first touch of the ball a towering header against a big, physical Dulwich side that sent the ball back up the other end of the stadium and to safety for The Bluebirds as they claimed all three points. With Alex Bray nearing fitness and Aaron Simpson is getting towards 100%, Chippenham manager Gary Horgan is going to have a nice headache with team selection with many lads pulling hard for a starting spot! With games coming thick and fast, the squad is looking in great shape for both Tuesday against Slough and of course our all-important game with Metropolitan Police on Saturday in the Emirates FA Cup.

A fantastic effort from all supporters to make sure they were in attendance and heard throughout the 90 minutes was music to the ears of all at Chippenham Town on Saturday with our highest attendance of the season so far, 628 people watching Chippenham remain unbeaten at home.

This Tuesday we are hoping that everyone who enjoyed their day on Saturday will come back and get behind the lads once more as another massive game in the National League South looms and with victory for The Bluebirds potentially seeing us climb as high as 5th in the table.

There has never been a better time to come on down and get behind your town and your club!

Don’t forget, kids go free with a paying adult and it would be great to see as many children coming along and supporting their local team and beginning their own journey with CTFC!

COME ON YOU BLUES!

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