THE Bluebirds were left fuming with the referee after Tuesday night's draw at Hemel Hempstead put the title out of their hands.

Rivals Histon know six points from their next two games, against Tiverton and Dunstable, will guarantee the title and kill off any final-day showdown on April 30 when the top two meet.

Chippenham had taken the lead in the first minute before the game turned nasty with a series of kicks and sly punches between players culminating in a straight red card for Mark Badman after a lunging two-footed challenge.

This left Chippenham with half an hour to hold out, but Hemel capitalised by pushing four up front and Grant Carney bundled the ball in from close range with five minutes left. White said: "It was a gallant effort from our boys and in the second half when we lost Badman the backs did well.

"We played an excellent first half and everyone did exactly what we asked them to do. We gave their back four all sorts of problems and when we got the goal I thought the second goal would be vital."

White said he had no complaints about the sending off: "Badman's destroyed in the dressing room and he knows he's let himself down and the team down."

Striker James Constable felt Badman was unlucky to be sent off considering he was on the wrong end of a punch and an elbow during the hard-fought match.

Constable said: "There were a lot of niggly things and I think the referee let Hemel get away with too much.

"He didn't seem to get hold of the game early and then he's given a rash card to Badman. I felt like I had no protection in the game."

Gilroy had tapped in a sharp low cross from Ellis Wilmot with the first attack. Chippenham continued to look stronger, limiting Hemel to one weak shot in the first 20 minutes while the travelling side sensed a second goal.

Chippenham almost deservedly doubled their lead on 20 minutes when a deep Walker corner was flapped away by Ricky Millard in the Hemel Hempstead goal only for Gary Thorne to head the ball back across.

His effort was cleared off the line with Constable's follow-up effort stabbed away to Walker who's delicate chipped cross was headed wide by Constable from eight yards.

Hemel then began to play more forcefully with striker Grant Carney firing in a low cross when put free by right-back Steve Dell on 24 minutes.

Mark Hervin failed to cope with the low ball with his vision blocked, leaving left wing George Fowler free for an easy tap in but for a Herculean leap by Chippenham's Rene Regis who flung himself at the ball to clear off the line.

Both teams came out fighting and broke into some pushing and shoving on 60 minutes after Badman's challenge. Incensed Hemel striker Bryan Hammat, victim to the challenge, stood straight up as players ran towards Badman.

Two cards were shown, one red for Badman and a yellow for the unlucky Ian Herring, who acted as peacemaker.

Just two minutes before the sending off the Bluebirds bench had been incensed themselves as Hemel's Tony Fontenelle aimed an arm at Constable, who put up with persistent fouling throughout the half.

The teams exchanged chances in a stretched game before Hemel equalised with on 85 minutes. Holding midfielder Stuart Beevor played Fontenelle through and his cross beat three defenders before the impressive Carney bundled the ball in.

Both teams still had chances to win at the death when the in-form Gilroy was found unmarked in the box after Constable had beaten the keeper.

But Gilroy's tired legs let him down as he fired inches wide from eight yards. With five minutes added time played Hervin saved low at the feet of Hammatt with the last kick of the game in a brave challenge.

Chippenham: Hervin, Regis, McEntegart, Herring, Thorne, Badman, Wilmot, Jones, Gilroy, Constable (Davidson), Walker (Charity).