MATCH REPORT: Hemel Hempstead Town 4-2 Chippenham Town | National League South | Saturday 8th February 2025

The Bluebirds unbeaten run came to an end in Hertfordshire, as despite a goal from Hamzad Kargbo before the half time whistle, ended with defeat as the Tudors sealed all the points with three goals in the second half.

The first signs of an attack for the Bluebirds was in the 4th minute, Luke Spokes with a long ball looking for Caine Bradbury, however the latter was caught offside.

The first corner was won by the hosts Hemel with Brandon Barzey doing well down the right won the set piece past Will King.

The eventual corner was headed away by Jac Poffley.

Will Dawes tried to counter attack and found a great ball into Caine Bradbury but the number sixteen couldn’t sort his feet out in time.

On the 9th minute, Will King won a freekick for the Bluebirds in which Luke Spokes’s delivery hit the wall and was eventually cleared by Samuel Adenola.

Bradbury won the Bluebirds’s first corner in ten minutes, delivery headed away by Mazeed Ogungbo.

On the 12th minute, a great run by Brandon Barzey down the left into the box with an eventual shot saved by Will Henry and cleared by former Tudor Freddie Grant.

The 18th minute of the game saw a strike from range by Daniel Pybus but Will Henry got finger tips to it for a corner to Hemel.

The corner from George Williams was headed over by Oliver Lynch.

The deadlock was broken in the 32nd minute when Will Henry made a save originally but Tudors’ top scorer Brandon Barzey tapped in the rebound at the near post.

The hosts grew in confidence after taking the lead and three minutes later George Williams had a chance that flashed just wide of the post.

Williams then crossed it in for Oliver Lynch who’s flick header was well saved by Henry.

Chippenham found the equaliser though on the stroke of half time after the ball fell to Hamzad Kargbo on the edge of the box, the Newport loanee smashed his effort in off the crossbar, a great way to introduce yourself as a Bluebirds player.

HALF TIME: Hemel Hempstead Town 1-1 Chippenham Town

The Bluebirds started the second interval brightly, after 52 minutes, Spokes had a shot deflected and cleared away by Tompkins.

After that chance however, it seemed to be all Hemel as Lynch evaded the offside trap to be sent free on goal, he was denied by a good save by Henry though.

Chippenham were once again called into action as Mazeed Ogungbo got his head to the ball from a corner with Chippenham’s number one getting finger tips to it.

Henry made another good save once more to stop Brosnan from making it a second for the Tudors after a good pass by Barzey.

A rare opportunity in the second half fell to the Bluebirds a minute later, as Gravata’s shot was well held by Will King.

On the 70th minute, Brosnan and Barzey linked up again for Hemel, with the latters shot crashing off the post.

A minute later though however Hemel regained the lead with Lynch finishing from close range in what looked to be an offside position.

Lynch had another great chance just moments later but he scuffed this one wide thankfully for the Bluebirds.

The game looked sealed for Hemel on 78 minutes when Luke Spokes was sent off after giving the ball away to Lynch, the midfielder then dragged him down to deny a clear goal scoring opportunity.

Hemel then had a lot of pressure on the ten men of Chippenham, Barzey again forcing Henry into a great save on 81 minutes.

The game was then sealed in the 83rd minute as Hemel scored a third from an own goal from a corner, much to the disappointment of everyone connected with Chippenham.

Chippenham were the given a lifeline four minutes before injury time, as the substitute McClure finished calmly at the near post to make the score 3-2.

The hosts were still looking for a fourth, as Cerulli’s shot from the right of the box was inches wide of the far post late on.

A brilliant goal line clearance for Hemel on the 91st minute came close as the Bluebirds were pushing for the late eqauliser.

Hemel sealed it in injury time after they caught a stretched Bluebird’s side on the counter, the substitute McKeown finishiung calmly past Henry.

FULL TIME: Hemel Hempstead Town 4-2 Chippenham Town

Hemel Hempstead: 1. King, 2. Adenola, 3. Ogungbo, 4. Ajayi (c), 5. Tompkins, 6. Pybys, 7. Williams, 8. Achuba, 9. Lynch, 10. Omoko Brosnan, 11. Barzey – SUBS: Cerulli, Wiltshire, McKeown, Iaciofano, Smith

Chippenham Town: 1. Henry, 3. Grant (c), 4. Mehew, 6. Poffley, 8. Kargbo, 12. Andrews, 14. Spokes, 15. Gravata, 16. Bradbury, 17. Dawes, 20. King – SUBS: Amadi-Holloway, McClure, Owen-Evans, Bray, Parsons

Referee: Joseph Dann-Pye

Assistant Refs: Simon Parbery, Bogdan Khimych

Fourth official: Pablo Aguilar Cabanes

Match report by Harry Minton.