CHIPPENHAM Park manager Dave Ferris waxed lyrical about Alan Griffin after the striker turned out for his side during their crunch FA Vase clash with Bradford Town.

The Chippenham Town frontman was in competitive action for the first time since undergoing knee surgery but played the full 120 minutes, scoring Park’s equaliser before they suffered a 2-1 defeat in extra time.

Ferris was delighted that Griffin refused to just go through the motions, despite only just returning from long-term injury, and thinks the striker’s enthusiasm provided a shining example for his Toolstation League players.

“It would have been easy for him to just see how his injury was but he put his body on the line on a number of occasions and I thought that he was unlucky to get booked during the game,” said the Park boss.

“There’s always a worry when you’ve got players dropping down to play at a lower level but the enthusiasm he showed provided a huge example to my players.

“He deserved his goal too and I was happy to see him get it – it was a great delivery from a free-kick into the box and he got on the end of it with a very good header.

“He could have easily just gone through the motions. To be fair to him, he worked his cotton socks off and gave 110 per cent.”

Griffin also featured as Chippenham Town fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Slough in the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division on Tuesday.

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