MATCH REPORT: Havant & Waterlooville 0-2 Chippenham Town | Sat 7th May 2022

A superb all round team effort from the Bluebirds highlighted by a second half double from Jordan Young saw Chippenham Town gain the final play off position ahead of their hosts, at the same time, a seventh placed finish proved to be the Bluebirds highest ever finish in National South. T

A superb all round team effort from the Bluebirds highlighted by a second half double from Jordan Young saw Chippenham Town gain the final play off position ahead of their hosts, at the same time, a seventh placed finish proved to be the Bluebirds highest ever finish in National South.

The Bluebirds dominated both halves although the Hawks did start the brighter and could have opened the scoring in the third minute when Scott Rendell headed wide whilst three minutes later Manny Duku headed wide from Tommy Wright’s whipped cross.

The Bluebirds hit back through Joe Hanks who shot wide before a further effort was blocked.

The Bluebirds then lost Alex Bray through injury to be replaced by Mo Dabre.

On eighteen minutes Hanks’ ball into the area was fired over by Dabre.

On twenty one minutes Josh Passley found James Roberts whose low shot went just wide.

Two minutes later Young robbed Ben Shroll and rounded Wormer but in the act of shooting he slipped and his effort went just wide of the open goal.

The Hawks’ Wright then cut in from wide out but shot wide whilst on the half hour Joe Oastler’s header was held by Will Henry.

A Bluebird free kick was met by Will Richards but failed to trouble Wormer.

Just before the interval Young’s free kick went over the bar, whilst at the other end Duke fired wide.

After the break Wright’s shot was too high whilst Jake McCarthy’s free kick was easily gathered by Henry.

On fifty one minutes Wormer saved a shot from Hanks and a minute later Roberts found McCarthy but his shot on the turn failed to hit the target.

On fifty six minutes a further effort from Hanks lacked the power to trouble Wormer and a minute later Roberts’ volley was deflected behind by Spencer Hamilton.

Midway through the half Alfie Santos robbed Joe Newton but shot straight at the Hawks keeper.

The Bluebirds opened the scoring on seventy minutes when Tom Mehew superbly found Young who ran on to slot the ball past Wormer. Seven minutes later the Hawks claim for a penalty from an alleged push on McCarthy was ignored by the referee and as the Bluebirds broke away Young made the game safe as he fired home from an angle.

The Hawks looked in vain for a way back as Duku was denied by a brilliant Henry save whilst McCarthy’s shot was deflected wide.

Chippenham: Will Henry, Spencer Hamilton, Danny Greenslade, Will Richards, Kieran Parselle, Luke Russe, Tom Mehew, Alefe D’Abadia, Joe Hanks, Alex Bray )Mo Dabre 16), Jordan Young (Caine Bradbury 87) subs not used: Noah Coppin, Will King, Owa Lawal

Havant & Waterlooville: Ross Wormer, Josh Passley, Joe Oastler, Ben Shroll, Jake McCarthy, Paul Rooney (Billy Clifford 55), Joe Newton, Scott Rendell (Stefan Payne 63), Tommy Wright (Jake Andrews 77), James Roberts, Manny Duku subs not used: Benny Read, Jamie Collins

Ref: D. Wootton

Match Report By Wil Hulbert