An interesting night last night with 3 games played in the NLS and at close of play. Chippenham Town are in 10th place staring those playoffs directly in the face as we move towards a Saturday clash against Concord Rangers at the TS Stadium. 

Starting just down the road, Bath City went off like a steam train going 1-0 inside 2 minutes through Donovan Wilson. However, Dulwich found their resolve and fired 4 goals back in response to leave City manager Jerry Gill clutching his head in disbelief at another weak and limp Bath City performance. With only 3 points coming against Billericay in game week 2, this leaves City defeated in their last 5 league outings and routed to the bottom of the NLS table (I hope all Chippenham fans can sympathize with our rivals, as they did us when we were in a relegation battle) Just kidding, laugh away it's really funny. 

Elsewhere Dorking finished the game in familiar fashion with another win and another red card as they beat Oxford City 3-2 at home to move top of the table. Another two goals from in form striker, ex Havant & Waterlooville's Jason Prior taking his tally this season to an incredible 11 goals in 9 games for the league leaders. Oxford will be left berating the loss of a 1-0 half time lead as they slip to 13th and now 6 points off the playoffs after a very bright start. 

In the battle of the botttom, Braintree claimed a massive 2-0 win over 11th placed Tonbridge with ex striker Tom Derry returning to Longmead to haunt the Angels putting the game out of reach for the Kent club and moving Braintree up to 19th after 2 wins from 2 under new management. The team that were pointless before hand are flexing their muscles a bit making almost a whole teams worth of changes from the side that lost the last game under the previous regime and it is really starting to show for the Iron as the seek to move away from the drop zone. 

The league is finely poised to move into what should be (Covid allowing) a very busy Christmas period for all. Last game in November it would seem for us this weekend and I am hoping that a resurgent Chippenham will be able to get revenge on Concord for a rather fortunate victory against us in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round and see us add another 3 points to our tally. This could see us climb as high as 8th with results permitting Havant not due to play again and Hampton facing Billericay. So let's hope this goes our way and more importantly. Let's hope this is the last time we have to watch from afar with the news the football supporters should be in theory allowed to return to stadiums after the current lockdown has reached it's conclusion. Of course this will be subject to Chippenham's "Tier Restrictions" and the club will update in time but I for one think it will be great to see the TS Stadium with a few hundred Chippenham supporters once again and to those stayaways, hopefully this has been a stark reminder of how much we miss football and the club needs us to thrive. A bumper crowd for our last game against Wealdstone, I hope we hit our capacity allowed for our next! COYMB