MATCH PREVIEW: Chippenham vs Farnborough | Tuesday 25th November | National League South
Teejan Sowe previews our third consecutive home match, as Farnborough visit Wiltshire
After we picked up three big points against Tonbridge, all focus is now on the the visit of Farnborough.
The Opposition
Founded in 1967, 58 years ago as Farnborough Town after off field issues they would be reformed as Farnborough Football Club in the Southern League Division One South & West
In 2007/08, their first season as Farnborough Football Club, they became champions and were promoted to the Southern League Premier Division with 89 points and scoring a huge 120 goals in the process.
However, they would mutually agree terms with their manager that a step up was needed and therefore they brought in former Crawley Town and Basingstoke manager Francis Vines and assisting him would be Former Reading and Basingstoke midfielder Steve Richardson.
Boro’s Cherrywood Road Ground would receive a nice makeover and investment for the new staff and board of directors.
They miss out on back-to-back promotions only in the Play-off final with a 1-0 loss to Gloucester City even though they lead the league for six straight months during the campaign
However, in the 2009/10 season they would gain promotion to the Blue Square South after winning the league
The 2010/11 season they would yet again fall short in the Play-off final to Ebbsfleet in front of a record crowd of over 4000 people
However, the following season would be a bit of a struggle as they seen multiple defeats after becoming a full-time team and eventually would sack their manager at the time, Garry Haylock. Fortunes shifted though as new manager Spencer Day stepped through the door and successfully guided them to safety with a penultimate day win over Havant & Waterlooville.
Unfortunately, following the 2014/15 season, they would have some historical financial debts and have to implement a reduced player budget which would inevitably see them get relegated to the Isthmian Premier League and further relegation the following season.
The 2016/17 season would see them get promoted back up.
The 2021/22 season would see Boro in a tense title fight which would see them finish 3rd however this time in the play offs they won in the final and were promoted.
This season has been a mixed bag however; with Boro sitting just above the relegation zone with teams below looming but a few wins in recent games might be what they need to get their season fully up and running. Their most recent match was their most disappointing, a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Enfield Town.
Fixture History.
The first National League South meeting between The Bluebirds and Boro ended in a 1-0 win for The Bluebirds in a game that saw Matt McClure score a well-placed penalty just before halftime.
In the previous 5 meetings both teams managed to score at least 1 goal apiece, however Farnborough have had the better of the results, only losing 2 in our last 5 meetings with all 3 of their wins coming in the last 3 games.
It’s a high scoring fixture with 18 goals scored across the last 6 meetings between the two teams so expect more goals.
Dangermen
Farnborough made three statement signings in their frontline during the summer: Rakish Bingham, Dominic Poleon and the resigning of Mason Bloomfield. Bween them they notched 62 goals during the 2022/23 NLS season, and the general trend of that has continued.
Dominic Poleon – has seven this term scoring twice in his last three. He joined from Ebbsfleet over the summer and he had spent the best part of four seasons with the Fleet helping them secure promotion in the 22/23 season. He has netted against us three times during five league fixtures; all of them in one match at the TSS in early 2021. Poleon has 61 goals at this level, making him the sixth highest ever scorer in the NLS with the only currently active players out-scoring him being Alfie Rutherford and Cody Cooke.
Rakish Bingham – Also signed from Ebbsfleet over the summer, Bingham has five this league term including two in the opening two matches. We have done well to avoid the Rakish wrath as he has failed to net against us on six occasions, although we haven’t won any of those matches. Bingham sits 23rd on the divisional highest scorer list, 11th of all active players.
Mason Bloomfield – Bloomfield has scored the least of all three, with four to his name, and he hasn’t netted a league goal since September the 1st. He has played in every league match bar one (3-1 home loss to Torquay). Bloomfield has found the net against us twice, both home and away for Hampton and Richmond in the 23/24 season, both of them the opening goals in 2-1 wins. During his three appearances against us for Farnborough he has failed to register a goal.
Supporter Info
Supporters can purchase tickets via our INTIX page, and as a non-segregated match, supporters of both sides should purchase standard tickets.
See you there Blue Army 💙
