Our Record: London
How do The Bluebirds measure up against clubs from the capital?
Very soon our lads will play a team from London, so this piece is about our record against a few teams from the capital. Some of the sides we have been involved in very entertaining games, the likes of Wealdstone and Cheshunt in particular. There is no better place to start, with our next London fixture coming up against Hampton & Richmond Borough on 26th October.
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Us Bluebirds do not have a good record against the Beavers, having never won away at The Beveree stadium in our history with the first meeting between the two sides coming there in late 2017 in what was a 1-0 win for Hampton & Richmond that day, a late goal from Callum Hudosn-Odoi’s brother, Bradley, securing them all three points. We have won just twice in our history against Hampton & Richmond, drawing three times and losing six times.
The first win for our boys in blue against Hampton came on the 29th December 2018, we raced into a three goal lead with goals coming from Karnell Chambers, Will Richards also scored from a corner and Nathaniel Jarvis scored from a cross that was poorly dealt with by Hampton & Richmond. The Beavers found themselves back in the game late on after two stunning efforts from Matt Whichelow. The first one being a sweetly struck volley from outside the box that arrowed into the top corner, and the second being an audacious lob over the keeper from about 30 yards out. It wasn’t enough for the away side though as the blue army held on for a valuable three points in Wiltshire. The most recent win for us against Hampton & Richmond came in a 2-1 win for us at Hardenhuish Park back in April of 2023. It was Hampton who opened the scoring after 32 minutes after Sam Deadfield’s corner wasn’t dealt with properly and Dean Inman was left unmarked for a simple tap-in to put the away side in front. The hosts then found themselves level just after the hour mark after a good cross from Tom Mehew was flicked on by Alex Bray past Alan Julian in goal to make the score all square. We then grabbed a winner in the 80th minute when Matt McClure’s lovely through ball found Joe Parker racing through on goal. He showed great composure to dink the ball over Julian to seal the points for the side from Wiltshire.
The most recent outing between the two sides came at The Beveree stadium last season in March where we went 1-0 up very early on through a Tom Owen-Evans header. However, the party wouldn’t last long as just after 50 minutes into the second half, Hampton found themselves level after a very good ball played in by Luis Fernandez was headed into the net by Mason Bloomfield as the striker got his second goal of the season against the Bluebirds. It would go from bad to worse for us though as in the dying seconds, Bloomfield would haunt us yet again, scoring on the rebound from a Will Henry save to snatch all the points for the Beavers in London that day.
Hayes & Yeading
Since Hayes & Yeading merged together in 2007, we have only played them on two occasions. That was in the Southern League Premier Division in the 2016/2017 season where it was a three nil win for Mark Collier’s men at Hardenhuish Park and then later on in the season our boys in blue dug in deep to come from behind to beat them 2-1 away from home. David Pratt scoring the winning goal in the last minute in a game which helped us on our way to achieve promotion to the National League South that year, meanwhile Hayes & Yeading unfortunately got relegated that season to the Division One East.
Uxbridge
Likewise with Hayes and Yeading, we have only faced Uxbridge twice in our entire history. The Bluebirds’ record against them is one win and one defeat. The first meeting was at the home of Uxbridge, Honeycroft, in an FA Cup Qualifying round in 2015. We won that game 3-0 putting the Blue Army through to the next round where we would eventually be knocked out to Maidstone United.
However, the most recent game against Uxbridge ended in defeat at Hardenhuish Park in the FA Trophy second round in November 2021. The game ended 1-0 to Uxbridge with Alexander Whitham’s rocket of a strike from the edge of the box in the second half was enough to see Uxbridge through the third round that season.
Enfield
Since Enfield reformed in 2001, we have only played them once coming this season. A dramatic 3-2 win at home back in August in a game which saw the home side trailing with ten minutes to go. With Enfield winning 2-1 with goals from Billy Leonard and Hisham Kasimu for the away side and Matt McClure with a goal for our boys, we really had to dig deep. A silky strike from Tom Owen-Evans in the eightieth minute brought us level and then a stunning hit from Aaron Amadi-Holloway in injury time sealed a sensational win for the Bluebirds in front of a jubilant home crowd.
Dulwich Hamlet
We have a pretty decent record against Dulwich Hamlet going to battle on 11 occasions in their history, with 4 wins for us compared to their 3 and also 4 draws playing out between the two sides.
The first two meetings came in the 2018/2019 season where Dulwich would win both games. The first being in East Dulwich, following a 2-0 win for the home side with both goals coming from Dipo Akinyemi. Akinyemi would then bag a brace in the reverse fixture, including a penalty in a 2-1 win at Hardenhuish Park, Nick McCootie getting the only goal for the Wiltshire club after a late rally following the Hamlet went down to ten men near the end of the game.
We then played Dulwich four times the following season and didn’t win once, with 3 draws and 1 defeat. We had two 2-2 draws, one of which being in the FA Trophy, a 1-1 draw away in the league and a 2-1 defeat at home in the FA Trophy replay.
The Bluebirds then tasted victory for the first time over the London based club with a 2-0 win away from in October 2020. Goals from Chris Zebroski after a good cross from Kieran Parselle and a Bradley Ash goal from a Ross Stearn set piece sealed victory for Chippenham that day. The two most recent games we have gone up against the Hamlet have also been wins as well, a late winner from Joe Parker in a 2-1 victory in September 2022, Caine Bradbury also scored a beautiful strike in that game from the edge of the box. And then we won 1-0 away from home against them thanks to another Joe Parker goal in the first half after a good through ball from Tom Mehew ended up condemning Dulwich Hamlet to Step 3 football.
Cheshunt
In the Bluebirds’ history they have faced Cheshunt a total of eight times, with Chippenham winning o-n three occasions to the Ambers’ two and there has also been three draws between the two sides.
The first meeting came in 2006 in the Southern League Premier Division and it was a 1-1 draw away at Theobalds Lane. We ended up making the playoffs that season, however it sadly wasn’t to be as we lost in the final to Bedford Town 3-2.
The first win against the London outfit came in the following season, a narrow 1-0 win at Hardenhuish Park made sure we got revenge on Cheshunt after losing 3-0 at their place earlier on in the season. The 2007/2008 season saw Chippenham record their biggest wins against Cheshunt, with a 5-1 win at home in September and then a 4-1 win at Theobalds lane towards the end of the season in April. Cheshunt did not put up a great fight that year as they were relegated to the Isthmian League Division One North that year, finishing rock bottom of the league and conceding over 100 goals.
There then was a fourteen year hiatus where the two sides didn’t meet until November 2022 at Theobalds Lane, this time at Step 2 in the National League South. Then on loan Harry Parsons gave us the lead after ten minutes after good work by Alex Bray to find the striker free in the penalty area. Alefe Santos then made it two after his incredible strike from long range just ten minutes after the opener. Cheshunt were determined to find a way back into the game and early on in the second half they found a goal back after a neat through ball from Joe Re found Ken Charles unmarked in the box. Charles had an easy finish past Will Henry to halve the deficit for the Ambers. The Bluebirds were undone by another through ball just two minutes later, this time substitute Manny Maja finding Charles and he made no mistake in scoring his and Cheshunt’s second of the game. Charles then completed his hat trick and Cheshunt’s turn around in the 73rd minute of the game after poor defending led to the striker having an open net to score and seal the three points for Cheshunt that night.
The most recent meeting came at Hardenhuish Park in February of 2023 in what was an eight goal thriller. It involved Cheshunt taking an early lead in the sixth minute when Zech Obiero was given too much space on the left, he found Tyrelle Newton free in the box who slotted the ball into the bottom corner to put the Ambers 1-0 in front. The drama would only ramp up in a first half which saw Cheshunt take a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes when Zack Newton grabbed their second after firing the ball into an empty net. Joe Hanks then got one back for Chippenham on 24 minutes after good play by Luke Russe to find the through ball past the Cheshunt defence, Hanks then found the equaliser after a series of poor defending and pinball inside the Cheshunt box, the ball fell to the midfielder and he found the bottom corner. Cheshunt weren’t done there as just four minutes later they had a corner that was dealt with initially but then it fell to Lewis Hobbs to have a free strike towards goal, the power taking it past Henry in net as the Ambers made it 3-2, there was more late drama right at the end of the first half as Santos’ shot was spilled by the Cheshunt goalkeeper and Hanks had a tap in for his first half hat trick!! Cheshunt got a fourth just after the hour mark after Will King’s errand pass found Charles through on goal and he was there to haunt the hosts once again, securing his fourth goal against the Wiltshire side that season, the game had another twist in the tale as in the 94th minute, Chippenham were awarded a penalty for a foul by Billy Cracknell on Alex Bray inside the area. Matt McClure was given the task of equalising from the spot and he calmly slotted it into the bottom right corner, sending the keeper the wrong way to snatch a point for the Bluebirds in an eight goal thriller!!!
Welling United
We have a mixed record against the Wings, having only won once at their place, Park View Road. That being a narrow 1-0 win in December 2020 thanks to a Bradley Ash header from a corner.
The most memorable games in recent history include a 3-2 win for our boys in blue back in March 2023. We had to deal with going a goal behind early in the first half through a goal by Taylor Mahoney, the Bluebirds fought back to lead at halftime with goals from Joe Parker and Matt McClure. Mahoney struck again for the Wings in the second half from the spot after a handball by Spencer Hamilton. But with fifteen minutes to go, Ed Williams found the winner to give us all three points in Wiltshire and continue our unbeaten streak we had in that second half of the season steering us clear from a relegation battle .
The Wings ran rampant in Wiltshire back in 2018 winning 4-1, Brendan Kiernan scoring twice , before Karnell Chambers scored our consolation goal on the volley from a throw-in. However the Wings made it a resounding win after a penalty from Bradley Goldberg and a strike from Thierry Audel again on the volley sealed the points for the away side that day in comfortable fashion.
Us Bluebirds did get our revenge on Welling last season, when we beat them by the exact same scoreline (4-1) after going a goal down through Jack Burchell’s strike from close range in the first half. It was Luke Haines who equalised with a sensational strike from forty yards from goal, Tyreke Johnson then scored another spectacular effort from almost the same position where he scored his debut goal against Aveley in a 1-0 win. Tom Owen-Evans made it a third before Johnson again rounded off a perfect team move to make the score 4-1 to the boys in Blue in what was a perfect afternoon on Non League Day last season.
Wealdstone
We have never won away against Wealdstone, though we were involved in a crazy 4-4 draw back in 2018 at the Stones’ home ground Grosvenor Vale. The first half was manic with the Bluebirds leading 3-2 at half time, a couple of acrobatic efforts from Nick McCootie for the away side and Bradley Bubb for the hosts. Andy Sandell also got a brace during the first half for Chippenham and Glenn Wilson finding himself on the scoresheet for Wealdstone. This match wasn’t only dramatic because of the scoreline, there were also three sendings off in this game too! Mark Collier’s lads received two second yellows, one in the first half for Dean Evans and one in the second half for Alex Ferguson. Meanwhile the Stones were reduced to ten at the start of the second forty five when Edward Oshodi looked to have slapped Sandell in the face. The home side scored twice in the second half with two headers from former Chippenham player David Pratt who had them leading for the first time in the game. But then Sandell completed his hattrick ten minutes from time to level the scores at 4-4 which is how the match finished in an eight goal thriller.
The first ever match up between those two teams was a 2-0 win to our boys in blue at Hardenhuish Park in 2006, the most recent meeting also being Wiltshire, however on this occasion the game ended in a 1-1 draw with Swindon Town loanee Scott Twine scoring from Alex Bray’s cross after a quarter of an hour and then it was Michel Efete who levelled things up for Wealdstone in the second half in what was the final game before lockdown started.
Bromley
The Bluebirds have only faced Bromley twice in their entire history which is remarkable to think and both occasions have been away from home as well. However, they haven’t been happy memories for us going away to face the Ravens. They prevented our boys from going to the first round of the FA trophy in the 2007/2008 season when they knocked us out 2-1 in the third qualifying round before Bromley were beaten in the first round by Crawley Town.
Chippenham also travelled to Bromley just last season again in the FA Trophy, this time to face the former winners in the fourth round proper, which is the furthest we have ever made it in the competition. The game finished 1-1 with Michael Cheek and Craig Fasanmade on the scoresheet. It came down to spot kicks to decide the tie, with Bromley holding their nerve as they scored all four of their penalties and the Blue Army had to suffer the pain of losing on a shootout as Tom Owen-Evans and Caine Bradbury both missed their penalties.
Bromley then went on to reach the semi finals where they would lose to eventual runners up Solihull Moors 2-1. The Ravens did get their revenge on the Moors though, after beating them in the National League Playoff Final at Wembley on penalties once again after a 2-2 draw after extra time, securing a promotion to the EFL for the first time in the clubs history.
Metropolitan Police
Once again, Chippenham have rarely faced Met Police in their history, in fact only once have the two sides played each other. That was back in the 22/23 season in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round. The Bluebirds had to come from a goal down in the first half through a decent Josh Keeya strike from the edge of the area after the ball was pinballing around that area. We were level just after the break through when Jordan Young’s corner was met by the head of Spencer Hamilton and then there was a late winner with a Caine Bradbury volley to knock the Met out of the FA Cup.
That season of course was very memorable for everyone associated with Chippenham Town as we made it to the Second Round Proper for the first ever time, knocking out League One outfit Lincoln City 1-0 in the first round as well at Hardenhuish Park.
Hendon
Our boys in Blue have played the Greens a total of three times in the clubs history, with two of them being at home and Chippenham going undefeated in the three games played so far as well. The first time those two teams faced was in the FA Cup third qualifying round in the 2018/2019 season. We ran out 4-1 winners in Wiltshire, with a stunning effort from outside the box from full back George Rigg being the pick of the bunch. We then got knocked out in the final round before the proper competition started to Maidenhead United after a replay.
Talking of replays, the Bluebirds were involved in one with Hendon this time in the Fourth Qualifying Round. It was filled with drama as Chippenham took a two goal lead early on away from home with goals from Craig Fasanmade, his first goal for the club and his first start and another goal from Jordan Young directly from a free kick. The Greens fought back in the second half though, it was two goals for Liam Brooks. The first was from the penalty spot, the second was an incredible volley after they had a free kick rebound off the post. Late on in the game they had another penalty, and it was double jeopardy for Gary Horgan’s boys as Will Richards saw red. However, Will Henry was there to save the day as he saved the penalty from Brooks this time as he went the same way as he did for his first penalty. The tie was to be decided in a replay at Hardenhuish Park. In a game filled with high intensity and much anticipation, it was Joe Parker’s deflected shot in the fortieth minute that sealed the tie for the Bluebirds. And the rest, as they say, is history!!!
Wingate & Finchley
We have faced the Blues on two occasions, those coming in 2018 in the FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round. The game at Hardenhuish Park ended in a 1-1 draw with Nathaniel Jarvis on target for the hosts in the first half and then Charlie Cole equalising in the second 45. And so the tie was brought back to The Maurice Rebak Stadium for the replay and despite us going a goal ahead against them again, we ended up losing 3-2 as Wingate and Finchley denied us qualification to the FA Trophy proper where they went on to beat Dulwich Hamlet 2-0 at home in the first round before losing 4-2 away to Hemel Hempstead in the second round.
Carshalton Athletic
The Wiltshire outfit have only played the Robins once in their history, and it was more FA Trophy heartbreak for the Bluebirds this time in 2005 where they lost 2-0 at home to Carshalton in yet again the final qualifying round. Carshalton Athletic then went on to beat Yeading 2-1 away in the first round before losing 2-0 away at Accrington Stanley in a replay in the second round.
Hornchurch
This will be the first time the Urchins face the team from the West Country, following their promotion to the National League South last season. It will be a big game when the two sides first meet at Hornchurch Stadium on 21st December as both teams are in around each other right now in the bottom half. The London based club do have a tough run in up until they play us, with four teams they will face are currently above them in the table (three of them are in the top ten as well in Torquay United, Hemel Hempstead Town and Eastbourne Borough). They will hope to take full advantage of their three games towards the end of November against Weymouth, Enfield Town and Hampton & Richmond, all three sides currently in around Hornchurch in the table.
However, the Hardenhuish Park club have a difficult run of fixtures coming up too, in which they play five of the current top ten, in Truro City, Eastbourne Borough, Slough Town, Farnborough and Dorking Wanderers. Although three of these games are at home which will be vital for us. Also have games coming up against the likes of Hampton & Richmond, Welling United and St Albans City which are games we should be looking at getting maximum points from. It looks all set to be a good game just before Christmas and we also welcome them to Hardenhuish Park on the final day of the season which will be a much anticipated match up as well!!
