MATCH PREVIEW: Chippenham Town vs Tonbridge Angels | National League South | Saturday 7th September 2024
Harry Minton previews our home game against Tonbridge Angels
Another difficult test awaits the Bluebirds this weekend as we welcome Tonbridge Angels to Hardenhuish Park. The visitors have had a brilliant start to the season, one of only two teams in the league to have remained unbeaten in the first seven games alongside Hemel Hempstead Town, with the Tudors currently sitting top of National League South.
The Angels boast the best defensive record so far this year having only conceded five goals and most recently a clean sheet against St Albans City in a 2-0 home win. Our boys in blue are coming off the back of a 3-0 defeat away to Torquay United, all three goals for the home side coming inside the first thirty minutes.
Recent Encounters
The last time we beat Tonbridge on home soil was when we first played them in the National League South when they were promoted in 2019. The Bluebirds won 2-1. Striking first through Tariq Ossai just before half time, getting on the end of a good cross from Chris Zebroski, the provider then turned goal scorer in the second half in what looked to seal the win for Mark Collier’s men that day. The away side threw a little scare near the end of the match after a penalty was awarded and Chippenham goalkeeper Will Puddy was sent off. Luke Haines, then on loan from Swindon Town, would fill in goal but was helpless to stop Tom Derry’s spot kick. Haines would retrieve crosses and keep the Angels at bay to see out the win The most recent outing between those two teams in Wiltshire was early last season in a game which saw the Angels take all three points that day winning by two goals to one. They scored the opener after fifteen minutes from a Stefan Payne header who was left free in the box. Another lapse in concentration seemed to occur, this time for the Angels as a quick Bluebirds freekick seemed to catch them off guard as Matt McClure was left unmarked for a simple tap-in for the equaliser. There was more late drama as the Bluebirds’ hearts were broken when Lewis Gard scored a penalty to win the game for Tonbridge.
Familiar Faces
We will welcome Mo Dabre back to Hardenhuish Park this Saturday. The midfielder had a short loan spell with us from our neighbours Swindon Town in the second half of the 2021/2022 season. He would score one goal in a Chippenham shirt, a strike from the edge of the box away at Billericay Town in what was the only goal of the game that day. He oversaw the boys in Blue reach the playoffs that season, unfortunately losing in the semi-final after extra time 1-0 to Ebbsfleet United.
One to Watch
One player in the Tonbridge Angels team that the Bluebirds would be hoping to keep quiet is Sean Shields. He has had a very good start to the season, scoring five goals which makes him the joint fourth top goal scorer so far. In what has been a difficult midweek following the Torquay result, a defensively resilient Tonbridge will be a tough test.
