CHIPPENHAM Town made the ideal start to the new Southern Premier Division season when they claimed all three points in a 2-1 success at Dunstable Town thanks to a stoppage time winner from Andy Sandell.

Although looking below par it was no more than the Bluebirds deserved after they had led for three-quarters of an hour, only to be pegged back by a Dunstable equaliser two minutes from time.

Chippenham could already have had the game sewn up by then as shortly before the interval Sandell was through on goal only to be stopped by wily campaigner Paul Bostock in the home goal. The experienced keeper then claimed to be injured but received no treatment and eventually carried on, in the mean time referee Stephen Bates awarded a goal kick when on another day Bostock might well have received a red card and Chippenham a penalty.

An understandable nervous start from both sides saw Dunstable threaten first as Kent Kauppinen held onto Andy Watkins’s eighth minute effort.

Chippenham took the lead four minutes later when a long clearance was played on by Alex Ferguson to James Guthrie and his low cross was turned past his own keeper by defender Zac Reynolds as he stretched to block the ball.

The home side responded with headed efforts from the experienced Matt Nolan and Lorenzo Ferrari, both who have proved to be a thorn in Chippenham’s side for previous clubs, but on this occasion both failed to hit the target.

Dunstable’s best chance of the half fell to James Kaloczi who blazed over from in front of goal. In the second half Dunstable applied far more pressure on the Bluebirds goal forcing a series of fruitless corners.

Chippenham responded on sixty six minutes with Sandell’s shot going wide before Danny Talbot’s shot on the turn appeared to have earned Dunstable a share of the spoils.

However, in the third minute of stoppage time good work by substitute Lee Phillips on the right saw Sandell meet a far post cross and his shot gave Bostock no chance.

CHIPPENHAM TOWN: Kent Kauppinen, Conor McCormack, Matt Jones (Jon Beeden 63), Michael Pook, Greg Tindle, Mark Preece, Alex Ferguson, Matt Smith, Ashan Holgate (Lee Phillips 89), Andy Sandell, James Guthrie (Ryan Campbell 75)

Subs not used: Iain Harvey, Luke Ballinger.

Referee: Stephen Bates

Attendance: 107