Evostik Southern League Premier Division
Hardenhuish Park
Saturday 9th January 2015

Brakes began 2016 as they had ended 2015 - with a defeat, but were unfortunate not to snatch a late point to end their recent dismal run as they almost capped a second fightback from two goals down at a rain lashed Hardenhuish Park.

With the weather putting paid to their opening two fixtures of the New Year there had been a gap of two weeks since the reverse at Bedworth United, and as in that game, Leamington almost got off to the perfect start inside the opening couple of minutes. Ben Mackey angled a pass behind the Chippenham defence for Rob Ogleby to run on to, but his shot lacked the power to trouble Bluebirds keeper Kent Kauppinen.

Alan Griffin fired over the bar and wide, while Ogleby and Joe Halsall saw shots blocked as the game opened out.

Chippenham danger man Andy Sandell came close to opening the scoring when he struck the outside the post. Tony Breeden made a good block soon afterwards, but was powerless to prevent Sandell from opening the scoring when he got across Jamie Hood to head into the bottom corner on 36 minutes.

With half time approaching the home side appeared to have taken control as they added a second, Griffin taking advantage of a fortunate ricochet off Jamie Tank to poke the ball under the advancing Breeden.

Ogleby was off target again as he cut inside to fire across goal following good work from Mackey, but Breeden kept Brakes in touch as he prevented what could have been a killer third goal right on half time, parrying a shot from James Guthrie before gathering the ball at the second attempt.

Playing down the slope in the second half, Leamington came out with renewed vigour. Joe Magunda fired over the bar from a half clearance, and Richard Taundry tried his luck from distance, directing his shot straight at the keeper.

A Chippenham break saw Griffin fire over the bar from the edge of the box, but a double substitution by Paul Holleran helped the game swing briefly in Leamington’s favour. Lee Moore, one of those introduced, saw a shot deflected behind for a corner, from which the ball was played back in by Taundry for Jack Edwards to thump home a close range header.

Within two minutes the scores were level, the other substitute Ross Oulton darting down the right from midfield to find Ben Mackey in the centre, who swivelled to fire right footed into the bottom corner.

The turnaround was almost complete minutes later when Moore broke upfield again, finding Mackey at the far post with a great cross, but Kauppinen somehow managed to push the striker’s header onto the frame of the goal, a defender completing the clearance off the line.

Sadly after all their endeavour to get back into the game Leamington were soon behind again, Alex Ferguson pouncing to stab home from in front of goal after a scramble following a Chippenham corner.

Griffin then notched his second of the game, slamming in from another blocked shot to restore his side’s two goal cushion.

To their credit Brakes refused to throw in the towel, Jamie Tank looping in a header following a long throw in to make the closing stages more interesting. Edwards came agonisingly close to levelling things up again when his downward header from a left wing cross beat Kauppinen but struck the post.

Despite late pressure Leamington were left to contemplate a fourth straight league defeat which has seen them slip to 12th in the table. However, with just 4 points separating them from the play off places and games in hand on most of the sides above them all is not lost just yet, but with what is already a heavily congested second half to the season, with the threat of more bad weather to cause further havoc, a turnaround in fortunes needs to come sooner rather than later. The manner of the second half performance here suggests that it can be achieved.

Attendance: 395

Chippenham Town: Kent Kauppinen, Luke Ballinger, Harry Grant, Michael Pook, Greg Tindle ©, Mark Preece, Alex Ferguson, Matt Smith (17 Matt Jones, 79), Alan Griffin, Andy Sandell, James Guthrie (15 Ollie Taylor, 79).

Subs not used: 12 Omar Simpson, 14 Ryan Campbell, 16 Scott Bevan.

Leamington: Tony Breeden, James Fry, Richard Taundry, Joe Magunda (15 Lee Moore, 58), Jamie Hood, Jamie Tank, Rob Ogleby (16 Ross Oulton, 58), Joe Halsall (14 Ben George, 86), Ben Mackey, Jack Edwards, Lee Chilton.

Subs not used: 12 Will Green, 17 Connor Gudger.

Referee: Mr Benjamin Jones

Assistant Referees: Mr Grzegorz Kornasiewicz & Mr Costandinos Christodoulou

Brakes Man of the Match: Richard Taundry