MATCH REPORT: Chippenham Town 2-1 Farnborough | National League South | Tuesday 4th April 2023

The Bluebirds recorded their second league double of the season (after Weymouth) but this was more impressive in terms of performance and result as the Hampshire side lie seventh in the table.

Farnborough showed why they are in the play-off mix as a fast start saw Selim Saied’s shot blocked and Mason Bloomfield shoot wide followed by two fruitless corners all inside the opening ten minutes.

Chippenham responded with a long ball to Joe Parker who ran in behind the defence but his angled shot from the right went across the face of goal and past the far post.

Farnborough were soon back on the attack and Tommy Willard’s eleventh minute shot was kicked off the line by Will King.

As both sides continued to look to attack Joe Hanks’s shot was blocked as was an effort from Bloomfield.

Midway through the half a Jonathon Page free kick was met by the head of visiting skipper Kevin Lokko but Will Henry was able to make an easy save.

Alex Bray’s shot then lacked the power to beat Jack Turner whilst Saied’s effort was charged down.

On the half hour Bray found Owen Windsor but again his effort was blocked by the defence, a minute later substitute Ed Jones also found Windsor with his shot being deflected for a corner.

Seven minutes before the break Bray picked out Hanks whose rasping shot was superbly tipped over by Turner.

From the resulting corner the ball was turned in by Ollie Tomlinson to give the Bluebirds the lead.

Before the interval Windsor and Farnborough’s Adam Lovatt both failed to hit the target.

HALF TIME: Chippenham Town 1-0 Farnborough

Six minutes into the second half Farnborough won two corners and from the second one Jack Ball headed the equalizer.

Chippenham retaliated with yet another shot from Bray being blocked and a fruitless corner.

A Parker cross then hit John Oyenuga and just rolled wide. Midway through the half Williams’ corner was headed over by Tomlinson.

The winning goal came on seventy three minutes as a long ball found Parker who cut into the area before shooting home.

The final quarter of an hour saw Tom Mehew’s shot blocked whilst four minutes from time a scramble in the Chippenham area saw Bloomfield hit the cross bar from a few yards out whilst in stoppage time a long throw from the visitors again led to a scramble with Lokko unable to capitalise and Henry falling on the ball.

FULL TIME: Chippenham Town 2-1 Farnborough

Chippenham: Will Henry, Eddie Jones, Will King, Ollie Tomlinson, Will Richards (Spencer Hamilton 49), Tom Mehew, Luke Russe, Joe Hanks, (Ed Williams 59) Alex Bray, Joe Parker, Owen Windsor (Matt McClure 77) subs not used: Aaron Simpson, Alfie Santos

Farnborough: Jack Turner, Jack Bull, Courtney Fearn (Ricky Holmes 46),  Kevin Lokko, Jonathon Page, Selim Saied (Ronan Silva 82), John Oyenuga (Alfie Saunders 80), Mason Bloomfield, Tommy Willard, Jordan Norville-Williams, Adam Lovatt sub not used: Freddie Grant

Ref: Harry Warner

Ass Refs: Adam Gregory, Oliver Kaya

Attendance: 615

Match report by Wil Hulbert