CHIPPPENHAM Town recorded their second successive victory at Hardenhuish Park in the space of five days on Saturday as they kept the pressure up on the sides at the top of the Southern League Premier Division.

After controlling the game to lead 2-0 around the hour mark, the Bluebirds lost goalscorers Andy Sandell and Matt Smith to groin injuries, and despite King’s Lynn Town switching to an attacking 4-4-2 formation, the Bluebirds somehow kept the Norfolk side at bay in the final 12 minutes after the visitors had pulled a goal back.

After six minutes, Lee Stevenson’s corner was allowed to bounce inside the home side’s six-yard box before hitting a post and being subsequently cleared.

As Lynn took the game to the Wiltshire side in the opening stages, Sam Warburton sent a shot high over the bar.

Keeper Alex Street was called into action on eight minutes when Matt Jones’ free-kick deflected off the wall but was easily gathered.

Chippenham were incensed on 14 minutes when last defender Tom Ward appeared to put his arm across Sandell to halt the striker’s surge forward, but the home supporters were mystified when referee James Durkin gave the free-kick to the visitors.

Just before the half-hour mark, Street was forced into a diving save when Sandell’s long throw found home skipper Greg Tindle and his impressive scissor-kick had the Linnets keeper at full-stretch.

Chippenham were awarded a free-kick on 33 minutes when Sandell was sandwiched between two Linnets defenders and this time Ward picked up a yellow card.

Sandell, the division’s top-scorer, took the kick himself and his rifling shot gave Steet no chance as it nestled in the top left-hand corner.

Before the break, the Bluebirds almost made it two but Sandell’s cross to the unmarked Dave Pratt went behind his fellow strike partner.

In the first minute of the second period, the lively Pratt found Sandell, whose shot hit the foot of a post before Street was able to dive on the loose ball.

The Linnets keeper then safely held an effort from Matt Smith whilst at the other end, Lee Smith’s free-kick saw a goalmouth scramble, with two successive shots blocked by the home defence.

Sandell’s driven cross was then headed over by Alex Ferguson before Lynn fell two behind after a mistake by Ward on 58 minutes allowed Ferguson to find Smith in acres of space on the right, and he drove forward before cutting a shot across Street and into the far corner.

Pratt then fired across the face of goal before another effort from Sandell was deflected behind for a fruitless corner.

Midway through the half, the ball deflected to Smith in a similar position to his goal but this time, despite again cutting his shot past Street, it rolled wide of the far post.

The game then turned very much in favour of the away side as Chippenham lost Sandell and Smith to injury and Lynn brought on three substitutes, switching to a 4-4-2 formation.

However, before the away side’s pressure began to tell, Ferguson shot against a post from close in on 76 minutes.

Two minutes later, Stevenson halved the deficit when he bundled home a right-wing cross from substitute Kurtis Revan.

Revan then saw an 84th-minute effort pushed around a post by Darren Chitty, and three minutes later, the home keeper denied Revan with two successive blocks.

In the final minute of normal time, fellow substitute Ryan Hawkins saw Chitty bravely get down to save his effort and in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Lynn’s final chance saw Chitty again deny Hawkins at the expense of a corner.

Keeper Street joined the attack for the flag kick but the home side cleared their lines to hold on for the three points.

CHIPPENHAM TOWN: Darren Chitty, Dan Bowman, Nuno Felix, Gary Horgan, Greg Tindle, Rhys Baggridge, Alex Ferguson, Matt Smith (James Guthrie 70), David Pratt, Andy Sandell (Michael Pook 76), Matt Jones.

Subs not used: Jon Beeden, Mario Mateus, James Rae.

Referee: James Durkin (Portland)

Attendance: 388