CHIPPENHAM Town manager Mark Collier described this afternoon's discouraging 3-1 defeat to Biggleswade Town as his lowest point since taking over at Hardenhuish Park.

The Bluebirds boss saw his side produce a below-par first half performance as the visitors carved out an insurmountable 3-0 lead, courtesy of two goals from Joel Mason and a Nat Peacock strike.

Substitute Corey King pulled a goal back late on for the home side but boss Collier was adamant that Chippenham's improved second half display shouldn't gloss over a disappointing day at the office.

“This is the lowest I've felt since I've been at the club because the first half performance was just unacceptable – I've used that word before but it just wasn't good enough,” said Collier.

“It's the same old thing. The players are prepared and they know what they've got to do but they've not carried their jobs out and it's disappointing.

“Maybe it's made myself and Tom (Jones') decisions to make at the end of the season easier, due to the fact that those players - and they know who they are - haven't performed to the level they should be doing.

“They (Biggleswade) were very direct and we knew that but we didn't press the ball in the right areas and we didn't compete in the right areas.

“Physically, they play the game they want to play it – they've got the points and they'd say they've played the game the right way, so I don't knock that.

“Our style is to get the ball down and pass it and you saw in the second half that when we do that, what a different side we are.

“But we have to be brave in possession and you have to have desire to do that. We lacked that desire to work and be difficult to beat.

“We've asked for a reaction in the second half and we've got it. We played some decent attacking football, we got in behind, and we should have scored three goals.

“Corey King has come on and made a big difference to us because he's obviously a threat going forward but I don't want it to paper over the cracks of a very, very inept first half performance.”

Defender Callum Wright came off late in the first half with an ankle injury and was due to travel to hospital for a scan whilst midfielder Iain Harvey is still sidelined with a calf problem.

The Bluebirds face a tough trip to top-of-the-table Hemel Hempstead Town next Tuesday evening.

CHIPPENHAM TOWN: Ben John, Callum Wright (Harley Purnell 42), Pete Monks, Bryan Smith, Aaron Oakley, Greg Tindle, Joe McClennan (Corey King 45), Jon Beeden, Alan Griffin (c ), Jake Harris (Lee Phillips 64), James Guthrie.

Subs not used: Jake Simpson, Tyron Leigh.

Attendance: 284

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