CHIPPENHAM Town manager Mark Collier lamented his side’s Jekyll and Hyde performance on Monday as they let a two-goal lead slip to go down 3-2 away at Gloucester City in National League South, writes JONATHAN LEIGHFIELD.

The Bluebirds came into the game against relegation-threatened City having picked up commendable wins over Dartford the previous week and league champions Torquay United on Good Friday, but ended up falling way short in their quest to finish the season with four-straight wins.

Town’s 3-2 win over already promoted Torquay looked to have given them a real energy in the opening 45 minutes against Gloucester as Tariq Ossai opened the scoring for Chippenham before a penalty, given for handball, was tucked away by Josh Smile prior to the interval.

With all going so well for Collier’s men, Gloucester flipped the game on its head in the space of seven second-half minutes.

Ex-Swindon Town midfielder Fabien Robert dribbled past several Bluebirds before finishing smartly, before Joe Hanks converted a penalty two minutes later.

The comeback was complete shortly after following a strike from Jake Jackson – a result that ensured City's safety from relegation.

While there was jubilation for the home side, visiting boss Collier was left seething after watching his side throw away three points.

He said: “Disappointed is an absolute understatement. To be 2-0 up and in absolute complete control of the game, we created several other chances and Gloucester hadn’t had a sniff of the ball, really.

“In the second half, they decided to step it up and rightfully so. They were 2-0 down at home, and we just go on the backfoot. We didn't competed, we didn't scrap for anything, we didn't win any second balls.

“They got a first and second goal quite quickly, and then we were just frightened for our lives.

“We didn’t work their goalkeeper in the second half. It was a totally inadequate performance by us in the second half and there are no excuses for it.”

Chippenham have one game left – home to Chelmsford City – as they battle with Oxford City to finish 12th in the table.

Collier feels that their middling league position perfectly represents the kind of team they are.

He said: “Gary Horgan (assistant manager) made the point – we’re in the position in the league that we are because we play well, we’re indifferent, we play well, we’re indifferent, and we can’t be doing that.

“We have to find some consistency – we’ve been very inconsistent over the season – because we were excellent in the first half and very, very poor in the second half.

“Sometimes, you’ve just got to rally around each other and dig in.

“Too many people have had off games in the second half. At this level, if you have too many people off it, then you’re going to get punished, and that’s exactly what Gloucester did.”