MATCH REPORT: Chippenham Town 1-0 Havant & Waterlooville – Mon 30th Aug 2021

Chippenham’s first home league game of the season saw them edge out much-fancied Havant and Waterlooville in a keenly contested Bank Holiday fixture between two unbeaten sides.

Chippenham’s first home league game of the season saw them edge out much-fancied Havant & Waterlooville in a keenly contested Bank Holiday fixture between two unbeaten sides.

The Hawks did all the early pressing without really troubling Will Henry in the Bluebird goal.

James Roberts fired across the face of goal on two minutes and ten minutes later hooked an effort over the bar after Henry had come off his line and missed his punch.

An Oscar Gobern corner saw Manny Adebowale head over.

Chippenham finally came into the game on twenty minutes when Ross Stearn’s free kick was gathered at the second attempt by Ross Worner.

Three minutes later Stearn cut in from the left and forced Worner into a falling save. Just after the half hour mark Harvey Bunker’s low swerving shot hit with the outside of his foot was saved by Worner.

The Hampshire side’s best chance of the half came on thirty five minutes when a cross from the right was well met by Roberts but from a good position he failed to hit the target with his headed effort, whilst a further Hawks corner saw Roberts shoot wide.

The all important goal came two minutes before the break when Stearn’s corner saw a powerful header from Will Richards give Worner no chance. Before the break Henry saved a Tommy Wright effort.

After the interval Adebowale had two early chances from corners, the first he headed over whilst the second saw his headed effort blocked on the line. On fifty six minutes a Bluebird cross deflected off a Hawks defender into the path of Stearn but with only the advancing Worner standing between him and the goal he was unable to make contact with the bouncing ball.

Just after the hour the towering Adabowale again headed a Hawks corner wide whilst Jake McCarthy’s shot from distance failed to find the target. On sixty nine minutes Adebowale again headed over at a corner.

A quarter of an hour from time Bluebird substitute Harry Warwick bore down on goal but with two Hawks defenders on his heels his shot went straight at Worner. Two minutes later substitute Joe Hanks’s free kick was scrambled clear whilst Luke Russe’s curling shot went just wide.

Six minutes from normal time Vince Harper’s surge into the Hawks area saw him bundled to the ground but shouts for a penalty went unanswered. A Bunker free kick cleared the bar on the ninetieth minute whilst the seventh minute of stoppage time saw a Hawks free kick come to nothing.

Chippenham: Will Henry, Vincent Harper, Spencer Hamilton, Kieran Parselle, Will Richards, Dan Griffiths (Harry Warwick 54), Alex Bray, Harvey Bunker, Adam Mann (Jennison Murie-Williams 90), Ross Stearn (Joe Hanks 62), Luke Russe subs not used: Alefe D’Abadia, Marlon Jackson

Havant & W: Ross Worner, Joe Oastler, Michael Green (Josh Passley 46), Jake McCarthy, Billy Clifford, Joe Newton, Manny Adebowale, Oscar Gobern, Scott Rendell (Alex Wall 38), Tommy Wright (Abdulai Baggie 64), James Roberts subs not used: Paul Rooney, Charlie Searle

Ref: Andrew Humpries

Ass Refs: Paul Herbert, Samuel Read

Att: 550

Report by Wil Hulbert