MATCH REPORT: Chippenham Town 1-0 Tonbridge Angels | National League South | Saturday 22th November

We get our first 3 points at home since August; Jack Neville describes the action.

A second half goal results in a well earned win for Chippenham Town against Tonbridge Angels at the Thornbury Surfacing Stadium.

As has been the story of late, Chippenham have had most of the possession and controlled the game which is exactly what happened again in this fixture.

Anointed Chukwu started brightly as his hold up play allowed him to get away from his man and cut back to Tom Mehew who was arriving late into the box. Mehew took a touch past his man and looked to be tripped as he fell around the penalty spot but the referee saw nothing in it. A bright start for Chippenham on the front foot nonetheless.

A quick two minute spell for Tonbridge left them with two chances at goal, the first, a header from a corner which was nodded just wide of goal and the second, a cut back leaving Marcus Sablier a great opportunity but his shot sailed over the bar.

Chippenham had the best chance of the opening half an hour, as Will King found Chukwu over the top who cut back to Reece Fleet on the edge of the box as he hit it first time but it went just past the post.

Chuwku had multiple shots blocked during the first half but he was showing some incredible hold up play to get him into the position to be able to shoot, he just couldn’t get away from that last defender to get a shot away without being deflected.

Soon after, Caine Bradbury won a free-kick around 30 yards back from goal around the 40th minute which he stepped up to take himself. His shot was very close to nestling into the back of the net but the Tonbridge goalkeeper was there to tip it around the post.

Half-Time: Chippenham Town 0-0 Tonbridge Angels

Chippenham started the second half very similar to the first, dominating the ball and creating more and better chances than the Angels. In the 51st minute, Ethan Vaughan found Ezio Touray over the top who was then 1-on-1 with the goalkeeper but he couldn’t quite squeeze his left-footed attempt into the near post as it ended just wide of the mark.

A couple of minutes later, Chippenham produce a wonderful passage of play as it started with Will Henry in goal whose goal kick found Touray, who flicked it on to Chukwu as the pair play a one-two which allows Touray to collect the ball again before releasing Will King who had marauded up the left wing and his shot was tame and the keeper collected comfortably.

Chukwu again showed his class as he turned his man beautifully and squared a ball across to Mehew but he fired his shot over the bar. Chippenham weren’t allowing Tonbridge into their half at this point and were just completely dominating the game looking for the opener.

However, Tonbridge eventually created a counter attack which looked dangerous before Luke Haines produced a wonderful last ditch tackle to prevent any real chance for Tonbridge, Vaughan followed this up by taking the ball off of his man and clearing up the pitch again.

Anointed Chukwu made his mark on the game in the 69th minute with a lovely team goal which saw Mehew square the ball across the goal where Chukwu was waiting to tap in from close range, following an excellent passing move beforehand. An important goal which saw Chippenham take the lead deservedly after piling on the pressure.

Tonbridge looked to fire back quickly as Babajide drove in field past his man and released a shot from the edge of the box but Henry caught it safely.

Reece Fleet then took down Babajide in the box which saw the referee point to the spot. Babajide stepped up to take the penalty with a very slow run up but Will Henry guessed right and saved excellently down to his bottom right hand corner. A massive moment to keep the Bluebirds in the game.

Olaf Koszela looked to capitalise and make it 2-0 as he was played in 1-on-1 with the keeper but the ball got caught up underneath him as the Tonbridge defenders scrambled to get back and stop him.

The opposition then broke away again themselves as they got the ball down the right side of the pitch and squared the ball across which left their attacker with an open goal but Will King threw his body across the line and somehow stopped the ball from hitting the back of the net in what was a last ditch block. A big punch of the air when he got up showed how much it meant to him as that won Chippenham the game, the referee blew the final whistle moments after the block.

Full-Time: Chippenham Town 1-0 Tonbridge Angels

A great performance finally results in three points as the Bluebirds will look to build upon this and create more form in the league.

CTFC: Will Henry, Will King, Luke Haines, Canice Carroll, Ethan Vaughan, Reece Fleet, Tom Mehew, Caine Bradbury, Tom Owen-Evans (Olaf Koszela 78), Ezio Touray (Sol Wanjau-Smith 87), Anointed Chuwku