MATCH REPORT: Chippenham Town 1-4 Hungerford Town | Emirates FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round | Saturday 16th September 2023

There will be no repeat of last season’s FA Cup heroics as the Bluebirds were comprehensively beaten by Southern League Premier South side Hungerford Town.

Captain Matt McClure was injured in the warm-up and things only got worse from there as normally reliable keeper Will Henry handed the Crusaders two goals, a defensive mistake saw the Berkshire side hit a fourth whilst stand-in skipper Luke Haines picked up a second yellow in stoppage time.

Hungerford’s Ellis Watts fired wide a fourth minute chance whilst on the quarter hour mark Alex Bray failed to hit the target.

Four minutes later a Luke Spokes free kick was hit straight at keeper Ryan Clarke.

On twenty minutes the Bluebirds were served a warning as Nathan Davies’ long throw saw Luke Carnell head over.

On the half hour Sean Moore’s free kick was well-saved by Henry.

Whilst a minute later a through ball found Craig Fasanmade but he failed to hit the target.

Hungerford opened the scoring on thirty three minutes as another long throw from Davies again found Carnell who headed home. Before the break Bray’s shot was blocked.

HALF TIME: Chippenham Town 0-1 Hungerford Town

Two minutes after the break Chippenham appeals for a penalty were turned down after Aaron Ahmadi-Holloway was brought down in the area.

Luke Spokes’ fine run then ended with him shooting wide.

On fifty one minutes Henry’s clearance went straight to Watts who made no mistake in finding the unguarded net.

Substitute Slavi Spasmov should have hit Hungerford’s third as he shot over from close-in.

A slip in the home defence then allowed Watts to race through but Henry did well to save his effort.

Midway though the half substitute Jake Evans shot wide, before Chippenham pulled a goal back from another substitute Caine Bradbury who found the net with a fine shot.

Amadi-Holloway then found Tyreke Johnson in the area but he scuffed his shot.

Five minutes from time Henry again gave the ball away and Moore made no mistake in finding the empty net.

In stoppage time a defensive error gave the ball to Spasov who found Watts who made no mistake from close in.

Four minutes into stoppage time saw Haines pick up his second yellow.

FULL TIME: Chippenham Town 1-4 Hungerford Town

Chippenham: Will Henry, Eddie Jones (Jake Evans 46), Aaron Amadhi-Holloway, Luke Haines, Nat Williams (Owen Windsor 65), Mal Nicholls, Luke Spokes, Alex Bray, Tyreke Johnson, Marcel Lewis (Caine Bradbury 65) Craig Fasanmade subs not used: Will King, Sam Heal, Alex Avenell

Hungerford: Ryan Clarke, Jack Alexander (Jack Stanley 86), Brad Hooper (Joe Shepherd 71), Matt Berry-Hargreaves, Nathan Davies, Connor McDonagh (Slavi Spasov 46), Sean Moore, Ramarni Medford-Smith, Ellis Watts, Luke Carnell, Rhys Tyler subs not used: Curtis Angell, Adulai Sambu, Louie Paget, Dave Tarpey

Ref: Liam Corbett

Ass Refs: Imran Khan, Craig Thompson