National League South

Tuesday 25th January 2022

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.48

Chippenham Town 3 St. Albans City 1, attendance 449

17’ 1-0

41’ 2-0

65’ 3-0

72’ 3-1

@ Hardenhuish Park

Bristol Road

Chippenham

SN14 6LR

£13 Admission

£3 Programme, didn’t bother buying.

Having been in Somerset this afternoon, it seemed the ideal time to revisit a ground I hadn’t been to since 1st January 1993, when I saw Chippenham Town draw 2-2 with Frome Town in a Western League Premier Division match. The club had been using social media to push the fact that you could buy tickets online in advance, up until 5 o’clock this evening, but it was actually more expensive than paying at the turnstile, so I can’t see why anyone would bother, especially as it was possible to pay by cash or card on the gate. I remembered very little about the ground. It has certainly got character a plenty, along with it’s end to end sloping pitch, but it is not great for actually getting a decent view of the game. There are just too many pillars and it doesn’t help that the floodlight pylons on one side of the ground are inside the pitch surround.

The match was between two teams just outside the play off places, as 9th hosted 8th in the league table. If they were to win their games in hand, St. Albans could go within two points of leaders Dorking Wanderers. Chippenham have played more games than all the clubs above them, so are less likely to be in the mix come season’s end.

Chippenham went ahead after seventeen minutes, a shot across the ’keeper finding the far corner of the net. They doubled their lead four minutes before halftime when a blocked tackle saw the ball break for a left footed finish from the edge of the box. Midway through the second half it was 3-0, when a cracking 25 yarder looped over the ’keeper into the top corner. St. Albans did pull one back, but never threatened to take a share of the points.

Had I known beforehand that my route home would see the M4 being closed from Junction 17-16 and then Junction 12-11, as well as the M3 from Junction 3-2, then I may have headed straight home from Bristol City U23’s and done something more local instead.

Professional Development League

Tuesday 25th January 2022

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Bristol City U23 1 Charlton Athletic U23 2, attendance 128

32’ 0-1

80’ 0-2

86’ 1-2

@ Robins High Performance Centre, Stadium Pitch

Cleveland Road

Failand

BS8 3TN

Admission Free, Print at Home Ticket

Team Sheet, free.

I had seen Bristol City U18 lose 0-1 to Chelsea U18 back on 5th September 2009, where the game was played at the Q.E.H. Sports Ground. Car parking is still at this ground, but the new Robins High Performance Centre has been built next door, towards Bristol, with a main Stadium Pitch that has just over 300 seats. Admission is free, but you have to book a ticket online.

Today’s game was poor. Charlton created far more chances and were deserved winners. The opening goal came from a follow in on a shot that came back off the crossbar and their second was a tap in at the far post, after the ball was played across the six yard box. The late City goal, followed in after the ’keeper parried a shot from the edge of the box, was little more than a consolation.