MATCH REPORT: Chippenham Town 1-1 Dover Athletic | National League South | Saturday 18th October

Chippenham perform well with Dover clinical.

Dover made the 175 mile trip to the Thornbury Surfacing Stadium and would leave with a single point as Luke Baptiste’s strike cancelled out Tom Owen-Evans’ early goal.

In the fourth minute of the match, Reece Fleet played the ball to Tom Owen-Evans who took a touch before unleashing a powerful effort which flew past the Dover goalkeeper for the opening goal.

Just seconds later Olaf Kozela played in Ezio Touray who found himself one on one with Walker, Touray shot hard and low but his effort was saved. A really impressive start from the bluebirds as they continued there search for a second.

Kozela was again at the heart of our attack as he drove down the left hand side, beat his man before shooting from a tight angle inside the area. Another chance missed for Chippenham to double our lead.

On 26 minutes Kozela played the ball down the left flank to Jake Evans, who switched play with a precise cross-field pass to Tom Owen-Evans. Owen-Evans controlled it superbly before unleashing a shot that took several deflections on its way through, ultimately going out of play for a goal kick.

Soon after, Canice Carroll, making his first home start, found himself in a good area and passes off the ball across the six yard box which finds Touray at the back post whose effort was saved by Walker.

Just before the interval Haines delivered a well-weighted free kick from the right, which found Dan Ellison inside the box. The defender just about glanced a header into a congested area but just wide of the near post.

Half-time: Chippenham Town 1-0 Dover Athletic

Chippenham came close once again as Tom Owen-Evans fizzed the ball into the penalty area from a free-kick. The ball ricocheted off several players before falling kindly to Carroll, whose glancing header looped just over the crossbar.

Not long after, the visitors drew level through a long throw-in from the right which was flicked on, allowing Luke Baptiste to soar into the air and produce an acrobatic finish to equalise for Dover.

With just ten minutes to go, another chance for Chippenham to retake the lead Tom Owen-Evans dribbled into the area and shoot with his left foot aiming to curl it into the far corner but it’s comfortably caught by the Dover goalkeeper.

Chippenham Town produced a dominant attacking display but were left to rue missed opportunities as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Dover Athletic.

Full-time: Chippenham Town 1-0 Dover Athletic

CTFC: Will Henry, Lewis Colwell, Luke Haines (C), Dan Ellison, Canice Carroll, Ethan Vaughan, Jake Evans (Tom Mehew 87) , Reece Fleet, Tom Owen-Evans, Ezio Touray, Olaf Koszela (Sol Wanjau-Smith 81)