A SUPERB second half team display, full of grit and determination and capped by a stunning Ashan Holgate goal five minutes from time, saw Chippenham inflict a rare defeat on leageu leaders Poole Town on Saturday.

The Dolphins opened strongly and Luke Roberts saw a first minute shot blocked.

On-loan Bournemouth striker Matt Butcher then failed with two further efforts in the opening quarter of an hour, first forcing Kent Kauppinen to gather a low shot at the second attempt before firing a 35-yard effort over.

Chippenham grew in confidence after that and Jordan Roberts forced Nick Hutchings into a diving save. Hutchings then slipped in the act of taking a goal kick and was fortunate to see Charlie Griffin’s instinctive volley fly wide of the unprotected goal.

James Guthrie then failed to take advantage of two poor clearances by the Poole defence as his weak shot was easily gathered by Hutchings before firing another effort high.

Chippenham could have taken the lead just before the break but Holgate’s ball to the unmarked Alex Ferguson, but the Bluebirds top-scorer screwed his shot wide.

After the break, Mason Walsh failed to hit the target for the Dolphins whilst Roberts thumped an effort over for the Bluebirds.

On 79 minutes, the Dolphins were fortunate to escape when substitute Luke Ballinger’s free-kick found Ferguson, whose shot was pushed onto the inside of a post by Hutchings. The ball bounced back and hit the Poole keeper before being cleared.

But with 85 minutes on the clock, a Holgate strike was blocked and fell to Ferguson, who laid the ball back to Holgate and the striker rifled a low shot past Hutchings to send Chippenham’s largest crowd of the season wild.

Six minutes of stoppage time saw the Bluebirds hold out, with on-loan Cherries striker Joe Quigley firing over following a long throw in the 96th minute.

CHIPPENHAM TOWN: Kent Kauppinen, Conor McCormack (Luke Ballinger 69), Jon Beeden, Matt Coupe, Jordan Roberts, Mark Preece, Alex Ferguson, Michael Pook (Iain Harvey 72), Charlie Griffin (Jack Odam 66), Ashan Holgate, James Guthrie.

Sub not used : Greg Tindle

Referee: Sam Allison (Trowbridge) 

Attendance: 413