CHIPPENHAM TOWN 3 DORCHESTER TOWN 1

LEAGUE leaders Chippenham recovered from Jonah Ayunga’s early strike at Hardenhuish Park this afternoon to maintain pole position in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division.

Lee Phillips cancelled out Ayunga’s first-minute goal on the stroke of half-time before Alex Ferguson and Ryan Campbell netted after the interval to seal all three points for the Bluebirds.

Matt Oldring and Ayunga returned to the Dorchester team after missing the 0-0 draw against Dunstable last time out.

However, there was still no Neil Martin through injury and Charlie Davis was again among the substitutes.

Nick Crittenden dropped to the bench having started against the Duns and Mark Irvine was out of the matchday squad altogether.

Ayunga, who had also been absent from the team for the win at Hungerford and home stalemate with Frome, clearly didn’t need much time to find his feet again.

The youngster stunned the Chippenham faithful by scoring for the visitors in their first attack inside the opening 60 seconds.

That means Ayunga has now scored in each of his first three league matches this season following efforts against Histon and Cirencester.

Dorchester maintained their positive start and Tony Lee saw an acrobatic bicycle kick blocked by a Chippenham defender.

Lee had the ball in the hosts’ net just before the 20-minute mark, but on this occasion a linesman’s flag denied the county town outfit from doubling their advantage.

Both sides created further opportunities to score as the game reached the half-hour.

First, Ben Watson hit a sweet strike that flew straight at Chippenham keeper Kent Kauppinen, while at the other end the home side squandered a great chance to draw level when a header from point-blank range went wide.

Watson then turned provider but his cross was glanced just wide by that man Ayunga.

However, the Magpies were dealt a body blow seconds before the interval.

Having cleared a long throw-in for a corner, Dorchester failed to deal with the set-piece and substitute Phillips pounced to make it 1-1.

Into the second period and Oakley Hanger’s pinpoint cross resulted in Bradley Tarbuck firing just over from a narrow angle.

The Bluebirds came back strongly and put Mark Jermyn’s men under some considerable pressure, with only a goalline clearance preventing them from taking the lead.

Not long after that, Dorchester player-assistant manager Crittenden was brought on in place of goalscorer Ayunga.

But Crittenden’s introduction to the game couldn’t stop Chippenham going in front, though there was an element of controversy about the goal.

Ferguson ended up dispatching the ball past Alan Walker-Harris but only after the referee had overruled his assistant who had flagged for offside in the build-up.

To compound Dorchester’s problems, Lee was then stretchered off and, just a few minutes later, Tarbuck also left the fray – Luke Woodland and Jason Brookes were their replacements.

A couple of half-chances to equalise did come the visitors’ way, although Jermyn and Woodland couldn’t keep their shots down, while the ball wouldn’t sit nicely for Watson when well positioned.

And as it looked like the hosts were going to win by the odd goal, Bluebirds substitute Campbell rubbed salt into Dorchester’s wounds when he scored from distance with virtually the last kick of the game.

Chippenham: Kauppinen, Ballinger, Jones, Pook, Tindle, Preece, Ferguson, Smith, Allen, Sandell, Guthrie. Subs: Campbell, Harvey, McCormack, Phillips, Bevan.

Magpies: Walker-Harris, Hanger, Smeeton, Jermyn, Oldring, Dillon, Tarbuck, Morgan, Ayunga, Watson, Lee. Subs: Crittenden, Murphy, Brookes, Woodland, Davis.

Bookings: Chippenham – Tindle (dissent)

Magpies – None

Referee: Mark Dadds (Bristol)

Attendance: 380