MATCH REPORT: Taunton Town 3-1 Chippenham Town | National League South | Mon 29th Aug 2022
This Bank Holiday fixture saw the first league meeting between these two sides in over twenty years when they were then both in the Western Premier League.
The first chance fell to Taunton on four minutes when Jay Foulston, one of six former Bluebirds in the Peacocks’ squad, saw his free kick eventually find its way back to him and he fired a shot over the bar.
Six minutes later Ollie Chamberlain also saw his effort go high.
Just before the quarter-hour mark, Will Richards did well to block Lee Lucas’s effort at the expense of a fruitless corner.
Taunton took the lead in the twenty-fourth minute when Foulston’s cross saw Luke Russe turn the ball into his own net.
Two minutes later good work from Dave Sims-Burgess saw the ball flash across the Bluebirds goalmouth.
A mix-up between Eddie Jones and Will Henry then almost handed the Somerset side a second goal.
Callum Gunner then saw his shot blocked whilst at the other end Sims-Burgess almost got the better of Henry but the Bluebirds keeper recovered to gather the ball.
Before the break Alfie Santos’s effort from range was blocked whilst Nat Jarvis shot high.
Five minutes into the second half a Taunton free kick saw Jake Wannell’s header saved by Henry.
Chippenham equalised a minute later with a superb curling shot from substitute Caine Bradbury.
Taunton restored their lead on fifty two minutes when former Bluebird Jake Wannell headed home Lloyd James’s free kick.
On fifty-eight minutes Seb Palmer-Houlden’s shot was deflected behind.
Taunton hit their third on sixty two minutes as Will King appeared to be fouled play continued and Chamberlain fired home an unstoppable shot.
On seventy-three minutes another James free kick saw Wannell head over.
A Chippenham corner on seventy-eight minutes saw Landon Golding’s headed effort cleared off the line.
Three minutes later a shot from Young was off target.
A Jordan Young free kick was then held by on loan Southampton keeper Jack Bycroft.
Three minutes from time substitute Dylan Morgan rattled Will Henry’s crossbar.
In stoppage time Palmer-Houlden’s headed effort was held by Bycroft whilst substitute Noah Coppin could not get any real power on his headed effort, before another Palmer-Houlden headed effort cleared the bar whilst Young’s shot grazed the bar.
Chippenham: Will Henry, Eddie Jones, Landon Golding, Will Richards, Alfie Santos (Caine Bradbury 46), Callum Gunner (Noah Coppin 75), Tom Mehew, Seb Palmer-Houlden, Joe Parker (Jordan Young 63), Luke Russe, Will King subs not used: Mat Jones, Joe Hanks,
Taunton: Jack Bycroft, Jay Foulston (Dylan Morgan 66), Nick Grimes, Dan Ball, Jake Wannell, Ollie Chamberlain, Lloyd James, Nat Jarvis (Nick McCootie 53), Zac Smith (Joe Budd 63), Dave Sims-Burgess, Lee Lucas subs not used: Harry Warwick, Ross Stearn
Attendance: 1572
Match Report by Wil Hulbert