MATCH REPORT: Chippenham Town 3-0 Sholing | Emirates FA Cup | Sat 17th Sept 2022

After bowing out of last season’s Emirates FA Cup to a step 4 side Chippenham made no mistake against Southern League South side Sholing. After a sluggish opening thirty minutes the Bluebirds took an interval lead and then dominated the second half scoring two goals inside three minutes.

Sholing went close in the first minute as from kick off Stuart Green was left with only Will Henry to beat but his angled shot was blocked by the home keeper.

Two minutes later Joe Parker’s ball across the face of goal saw on-loan Bristol Rovers‘ Harvey Greenslade just unable to reach it.

Green then saw another shot blocked whilst Aaron Simpson cut in from the right but shot into the side netting.

On eighteen minutes Jordan Young’s free kick was easily held by Ryan Gosney whilst two minutes later Luke Russe’s curling shot went past the far post.

Gosney then saved another Young effort whilst a long throw from Sholing’s Owen Roundell saw Ryan Cluett blaze over.

Chippenham opened the scoring on thirty six minutes when Simpson found Young who drove forward before cutting in and giving Gosney no chance with a well-struck shot.

Two minutes later a Sholing clearance caused Henry to advance and he clashed with Dan Mason on the edge of the area earning a yellow card.

The resulting free kick saw Mason’s shot beat the wall but go wide.

Before the break Sam Makhloufi’s shot from distance was blocked and at the other end  Greenslade shot over.

After the break Young’s corner found a back peddling Will Tizzard but he could not direct his header on target.

A Sholing free kick then saw Rob Flooks head wide.

A quickly taken free kick just past the hour mark found Greenslade but he rushed his shot and it went wide.

Chippenham doubled their lead on seventy minutes when substitute Ed Jones’s cross found Russe in the area and he hooked his shot home.

Mason then snatched at an effort that went wide before on seventy three minutes Young slipped the ball to Greenslade who calmly slotted the ball home for his first Chippenham goal on his home debut.

Flooks again headed wide at a Sholing free kick whilst Young’s low corner saw Tizzard’s flick blocked.

On seventy nine minutes Sholing substitute Conor Whiteley was through on goal but he was denied a shot by a great covering tackle from Russe.

Henry then easily held a shot from Whiteley whilst Bluebird substitute Alfie Santos saw his shot blocked at the expense of a corner.

In stoppage time substitute Noah Coppin also saw his shot blocked by the Sholing defence.

Chippenham: Will Henry, Aaron Simpson (Eddie Jones 60), Will King, Will Tizzard, Will Richards, Luke Russe, Caine Bradbury, Joe Parker, Callum Gunner, Harvey Greenslade (Alefe D’Abadia 82), Jordan Young (Noah Coppin 80) subs not used: Dan Griffiths, Joe Hanks, Tom Mehew, Toba Obitayo Qasim

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Ryan Cluett (Tomasz Gruzewski 85), Marvin McLean (Jake Cope 78), Rob Flooks, Dan Miller, Owen Roundell, Stuart Green (Conor Whiteley 69), Robin Nicholls, Dan Mason, Sami Makhloufi, Charlie Wagstaffe subs not used: Dom Panesar-Dower, Wayne Robinson, Josh Batt, Byron Mason

Ref: Michael Smith

Ass Refs: Adam Gregory, Aleczander Ovens

Match Report by Wil Hulbert