Match Report – Chippenham Town Dev v Faringdon Town

Supplementary Cup

A real game of two halves!

Town made the same journey as last weekend to Beversbrook Sports, against the same opposition but in the 1st Round of the Supplementary Cup this week.

Town had to make seven changes from the league victory last time out over Chippenham Town Development, which gave an opportunity to players who have been on the fringes and Reserves.

The home side started the game on the front foot, with their passing game and Town were having to stay solid and disciplined. Both sides had early efforts on goal, most notably Matt Wood headed against the crossbar, but neither keeper was tested and the opening 30 minutes was more of the same, with loads of Chippy pressure and Town trying to counter.

On 32 minutes the deadlock was broken, Town were in the ascendancy but lost the ball cheaply and the quick transition by the home side saw them cut through Town and ball was slid home for the opener. Shortly after and it was 2-0.

Town played a short goal kick and an attempted pass from Andy Goodchild to his centre back partner Wood was played straight to the home striker, who made no mistake from close range. The teams made their way to the changing rooms and the home side would appear to have been celebrating their first win of the season, from the noise and commotion coming from inside.

The Town management laid down some steps to move the game forward as we had nothing to lose in this cup competition and the next goal was critical. Luckily for Town, having started on the front foot, they scored the next goal as Matty Pill played a great diagonal ball to the on rushing Adam Sly from the left back position, he cut inside his opponent before sliding the ball past the advancing keeper for 2-1.

Five minutes later and Sly almost equalised as his effort just cleared the crossbar. Town brought on Josh Forth to centre half, with Goodchild joining Robbie Harrington upfront to apply pressure to the home backline. Almost immediately Town were level as a free kick awarded 25 yards from goal was struck by Harrington and despite the keepers efforts he failed to keep it out.

Town were not totally in control and the young Chippy side were now struggling to put two passes together as Town shut them down at every opportunity. Town did take the lead on 64 minutes as Goodchild was fouled on the edge of the home penalty area.

Harrington again strode forward and put the ball in the opposite corner of the goal to his first, leaving the keeper stranded on his line. Soon after and it was 4-2, Sly now in a more advanced position stole the ball off the fullback, played in Goodchild and his left foot shot was too much for the keeper as the ball rolled underneath his dive.

With 15 minutes remaining it was wave after wave of Town pressure, with Sly and Goodchild linking up again for Town’s fifth as Goody placed the ball past the advancing home number 1.

With the game coming to an end, Goodchild thought he had grabbed his hattrick as he coolly lobbed the keeper after stealing the ball from the centre half, however, the referee and the home linesman had other ideas and a free-kick was awarded for an alleged foul, much to most people’s amazement.

However that was not the end of the scoring as Sly capped off a great second-half performance for him and the team when he latched onto the ball on the halfway line, seeing the keeper off his line, he hit a great effort which the man in grey could only palm onto the goal as he back pedalled from the edge of his area for a 6-2 victory and Town are in the draw for the second round of a cup competition for the first time in many seasons.

Town manager Chris Benson was pleased with the reaction from the lads after the first half performance. Two wins in a row for the squad and with forthcoming fixtures being favourable, it’s hoped we can put a run together going into the coming weeks.

Final Score: Chippenham Town Dev 2 – 6 Faringdon Town

Team: C Guinness-Smith, D Harrington, A Sly, A Rudman(c), M Wood, A Goodchild, W Brigado (55 J Forth), M Pill, R Harrington, O Baker (70 K Muhid) A Lynham

Next Game: Saturday 5th October, Home v Clanfield (85) Dev