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Chippy's unbeaten run came to an end last night as they went down 3-0 eventually to Hungerford Town. After 40-minutes with the game goalless Chippy had edged proceedings, and had played some of their best football for a couple of seasons.
Chippy had started strongly and Steve Knight was having good joy down the left and twice cut inside and hit good efforts from distance, one which flew over the ba, the second that Domm saved well. Then Dave Skipp struck a good shot which was narrowly wide. Up the other end and Edney should have done better after Gary Morrison had slipped and presented him with a golden opportunity. Chippy's best two chance came midway through the half, first some lovely flowing football involving Varnam, Haisley, Jenkins and Skipp culminated in Volosanovs cross being hook volleyed by Knight and the ball flew agonisingly wide of the far post. Then Cameron Busby gained some joy down the right, and his cross was helped on by Skipp to Varnam who rounded the keeper, but just ran out of pitch as the ball would't quite come down for him quick enough and he drifted a yard wide of the post with the ball at his chst. The game changed when Alex Volosanovs gave the ball away cheaply and Craig Shand had too much pace for Tim Jenkins, his cross was spilled by Magpie keeper Mark Harris and Graham Edney bundled the ball home from 3-yards. This broke Chippy's back and they then conceded a second minutes later, just before the half-time whistle when after Chippy failed to clear their lines effectively Edney rolled the ball back for Shaun Terry to strike in a fine 25-yard effort which fizzed into the corner of the net.
Half-Time 2-0
The Magpies had a brief five minute spell after the break where Andy Varnam played in Knight who shot wide, but from there on it was pretty much all Hungerford as they forced Chippy back and started to pass the ball quickly and efficiently. The visiting defence was coping however, with Steve Olczak a rock at the back, and when Mark Harris was called to make a save he twice responded with good stops to deny Edney and Bradley Ward. Chippy's main man was Nathan Haisley though, who won numerus challenges that he had no right to win, his best display in the black & white stripes since signing. A typical Haisley challenge set up Chippy's best chance with just five minutes remaining, he won a cruching tackle on halfway, set Varnam away, he slipped the ball into Skipp who twisted and turned in and out before firing in a thunderous shot that Domm saved superbly with his legs. As Chippy pushed forward desperate to claw something back, they eventually conceded in the last minute, as Hungerford extended their lead. Craig Shand who was a particular menace down the right all night, again exploited the lack of pace down the left, his cross was inexplicably missed by two Chippy defenders who swung wild air shots, and there was Ward at the back post to cross for Jones to head home from 6-yards.
TEAM: Mark Harris 5, Gary Morrison 6, Tim Jenkins 5, Nathan Meade 7, Steve Olczak 8, Nathan Haisley 9*, Alex Volosanovs 5 (Gary Wilson 43/7), Dave Skipp 8, Steve Knight 6, Cameron Busby 7 (Anthony Akers 66/5), Andy Varnam 8
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