| Chippenham, never the most hospitable place to go as in the past we've had flag burning, home directors giving City fans the bird and accusations of our fans aiming racist chants at their players. Today went without incident. |
| Their home is set in the grounds of Hardenhuish School with a playing surface like a billiard table, probably because their style of play doesn't use it much. |
The Bluebirds are only recent opponents for the Tigers as our meetings have spanned the past five seasons. We met in the FA Cup in October 2000 at Meadow Park in a tie that saw a replay against the then Screwfix League side that produced two red cards for the Wiltshire side, misguided accusations of racism against City fans and an eventual 5-3 victory for us.
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| Roll on a couple of seasons and the beginning of Burnsy's transformation of City. Their Championship from the season before had given Tommy Saunders' side the impetus to form another title winning campaign, brushing aside all and sundry en route. A draw at Meadow Park was countered with a 0-1 defeat at Hardenhuish with Charlie Griffin netting the goal. Lee Smith, as far from the star that we have today had a nightmare game and missed a sitter from six yards. It's incredible to think how he's improved. |
| Last season of course we were treated to a high noon FA Cup showdown with the Bluebirds. At 1-3 down it looked all over for the Tigers but a Smith inspired comeback saw City eventually run out 4-3 winners to knock out their Premier Division opponents. The Wiltshire side got their revenge for that defeat later in the season when they loaned us Adie Mings for a month! |
| Today lining up for the home team were the Thorne's, both of whom had featured for City in the past. The youngest, Wayne, a player who makes up for in enthusiasm what he lacks in talent is now captain of the Bluebirds. His elder brother Gary, still only in his mid-twenties but having played around two hundred games for the Tigers plus probably the same again for Newport County, Bath City and Merthyr Tydfil is a rock at the back. Had he been blessed with another few inches in height he would've played all of those games in the Football League. |
Andy Hoskins had been at the ground a while before the rest of the City team going through his paces as he tried and failed to pass a fitness test. With injuries to himself, Keith Knight and Adie Harris plus a stomach bug affecting several of the City stars Chris Burns' team selection would be tough.
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| Times have changed and the crowds have fluctuated quite severely. Like their neighbours Bath City, they see the re-organisation as relegation. It showed in the actions of their mascot Chippy the Bluebird who wandered around the edge of the pitch looking as though he couldn't care less. |
| With Steve White's men sitting proudly at the top of the table it was quite a surprise to see how easily City were allowed to dictate the play. The Tigers pretty much camped in their half and the home side only formed one attack that was easily dealt with by Marvin Thompson. |
| It's fair to say that Matt Aubrey's time with the club has been unspectacular and it didn't get better as he burst through the Chippenham back line only to lose sight of the ball when a chance presented itself. Jimmy Cox was more of a danger though and won a penalty when Ian Herring clumsily brought him down in the area, despite the defender's lame protests that the foul was outside the box. With no Hosky or Knight in the line up Cox made light work of the kick by sending Hervin the wrong way and the City fans into delerium. |
Within a matter of minutes it was double delight as Tom Webb scored a superb goal. A nice lay off to the edge of the area, where Webb was playing as more of a left winger than wing back (it showed because he had his collar up) and the young City star lobbed Hervin, the mercenary goalkeeper, with a shot that flew into the far corner.
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courtesy of Mike Dunstan
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| It took those two goals to shake up the home side though and Matt Bath had to race off of his line to nod clear a hopeful ball forward that striker James Constable was chasing. Two more half chances for the Tigers as top scorer Wilko tried his luck from distance and sent the ball into orbit. Smith came closer when following a one-two with Cox saw his shot deflected behind. |
| With ten minutes to go until the break Martin Paul controlled the ball on the halfway line, although it looked as if he'd caught the ball before laying it off to Ellis Wilmot. A lovely weighted pass from the former Bristol Rovers man had the beating of Marvin Thompson and Tom Webb as Constable unselfishly gave the ball to Wilmot to finish the move that he'd started. |
| It was a scarcely deserved goal and knocked City back a peg or two. Smith was lucky not to see a yellow card for a high tackle on Wayne Thorne and Matthew McEntegart, a player signed in the summer from Cirencester Town then crashed into Neil Mustoe, leaving the City captain howling in agony. |
| The stomach bug that had affected some of the City players was too much for Dave Wilkinson as he left the game minutes before half time and saw his place taken by former Hardwicke player Ben Wood. |
More ill discipline saw a late tackle on Matt Aubrey go unpunished and a Chippenham break which saw a stinging drive by Scott Walker from well outside the area which brought the best out of Matt Bath.
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| Lee Smith finished the half by missing a great chance to restore City's two goal advantage. Another of his surging runs took care of two defenders and a lucky deflection off another saw him face to face with Hervin, but somehow he managed to shoot into the side netting with the goal gaping. |
| I thought we had scored. I was wrong. |
| With Jimmy Cox also falling victim to the bug at half time, Chris Burns had to work hard ralling his troops whilst the supporters were treated to the naffest football ground music ever. One hit wonders like Lou Bega's Mambo Number Five, Sex on the Beach by T-Spoon and the Ketchup Song blaired out over the Hardenhuish Park public address system. For Christ's sake! |
| The second half started alarmingly as a low ball across the face of the City goal eluded everyone except the thug-like striker Paul who couldn't trap a bag of cement and was tackled. But City didn't take heed of the danger signs and were punished when Walker squeezed a shot under Bath. |
| Scott Walker, a target for Chris Burns in the close season shot under Bath's dive. The bug in the Tigers camp extended to the fans as our stomach's churned when the home fans celebrated, telling us in no uncertain terms that the usually reliable Tigers stopper had made a mess of an easy save. |
Substitute Stiles might've been surprised at the ferocity of some of the tackles that were flying in as he made the step up from the Hellenic to the Southern League, and would take his first away game as a baptism of fire. After all, it's not every week that he'll face 'footballers' like Wayne Thorne.
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courtesy of Mike Dunstan
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| Marvin almost made a hash of a simple clearance when the ball bobbled to the Chippenham striker but the young defender recovered to deflect the shot away in time. City weren't dead and buried though and Aubrey should've hit the target when a corner found it's way to him at the far post but he could only drag a shot across the face of the goal. |
| Chippenham brought on pace in Sam Allison to replace Wilmot as they sniffed a winner. City's could've had one too when Lee Smith sent a lovely cross over but no-one could get a touch. The ball wasn't cleared and Neil Mustoe tried to replicate Webb's earlier strike, but much to Chris Burns' frustration slashed a shot wildly over the bar. |
| A free kick from the same player brought a comfortable save from Hervin before a Constable header from Gary Thorne's flick on ended on top of the net. However it was obvious that Chippenham were going to score again. |
| Whenever we've been to Hardenhuish Park before the home side have always seemed to have some kind of advantage playing downhill, and today was no exception. Once they'd got their somewhat fortunate equaliser there was only ever going to be one winner. A long punt from Hervin took one bounce as the City defenders left it to their goalkeeper and vice versa. Scott Walker ran into the gap and volleyed the ball home from an angle. |
| Stood among the home supporters I felt embarrassed and let down how easily Thommo, Griff and Bathy had made it for Walker to score. I can only assume that they practice telepathy in their training sessions because no-one was talking to each other. |
| The closest City came to finding a way back into the game was a header over the bar from Tom Webb and even the introduction of Lee Davis for Avery had no effect. A late tangle between Martin Paul and Marvin Thompson when the Chippenham man pulled the shirt of the City defender to prevent him attacking brought no action from the referee. |
| A third defeat of the season means that City have now lost half of their games and if their cursed luck with injuries to key players continues it's a losing run that won't end easily. |
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| Tiger Roar Man of the Match - Lee Smith |
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Lee Smith
Star Man |
Showed his true worth to City in an out and out attacking sense and made a fool of ex-Tiger Wayne Thorne on more occasions that I can remember. It was just a shame that his shot on the stroke of half time went the wrong side of the post.
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