Red-faced Holly is put on the spot

2:27pm Thursday 28th February 2008

Tiverton Town 1, Chippenham Town 0

CHIPPENHAM Town's automatic promotion hopes suffered a blow on Saturday as they went down 1-0 at Tiverton Town.

Kye Holly missed twice from the penalty spot in a game where The Bluebirds were far from their cohesive best.

Adie Mings' side made their customary quick start and forced a series of free kicks and corners, but they came to nothing.

The home side were much-improved from the team that were routed 5-1 by Chippenham in October, and they had the first chance of the game.

On-loan Bristol Rovers midfielder James Fraser sized up a shot from long range but it flew well wide of the target.

Matthew McEntagert could not find the net after Holly's free kick caused panic and soon after Will Gardner's blast was blocked by Scott Lye.

Iain Carr made a crucial intervention to deny Simon Bochenski before Gardner headed off target following a corner.

Bochenski came close to making it 1-0 when he shot across Snoddy but the ball slid past the left post.

With the interval looming Luke Gullick crashed a 35-yard half volley wide of the mark.

Chris Snoddy had a shaky start to the second period as Phil Walsh blocked his attempted clearance.

Snoddy nearly had an embarrassing moment when Iain Harvey's backpass skipped over his foot and towards the net, but The Bluebirds goalkeeper recovered with Bochenski lurking.

Tiverton took the lead on 58 minutes when Bochenski centred for Fraser and Snoddy saved brilliantly, but the ball fell to Bochenski who had an easy tap-in.

Substitute Sean Seavill looped an effort over the bar and Snoddy was alert to block from Bochenski down the other end.

The turning point came on 68 minutes when Gardner clumsily felled David Pratt in the area.

Holly saw his spot kick saved by Ray Johnston, but the referee ordered it to be retaken as the goalkeeper encroached.

Holly's second effort lacked power and the goalkeeper dived to his right to make an unlikely second save.

Seavill went close and Kes Metitiri nodded Holly's free kick wide as the minutes ticked away.

With two minutes to go Seavill shot straight at Johnson from 12 yards before Matt Villis was sent off for his second booking.

Bluebirds captain Iain Harvey said his team were unlucky not to take a share of the spoils.

Harvey said: "We deserved at least a point and that would have been a good point.

"I'm not saying we done enough to win it, they did all right and went down the other end and knocked one in.

"We weren't poor, I thought we did all right against Tiverton but it didn't go for us.

"We've been playing some brilliant football and dominating games but not getting results."