MIDFIELDER Ben Kirk's header four minutes from time kept the Bluebirds' promotion charge on track just as relegation strugglers Stamford looked to have frustrated them.

Manager Steve White's warning to his players not to underestimate the division's bottom teams was right after Chippenham had to come from a goal behind to take the three points on Saturday.

Goals from striker David Gilroy and Kirk gave Chippenham their third straight league win and kept them perched three points clear at the top of the Southern Premier League.

But title rivals Bedford, who narrowly beat Rugby 1-0, are poised and ready should the Bluebirds slip.

Manager Steve White is delighted with his side's form and feels stringing together results is the key to winning the division and playing in the Conference South next season.

He said: "I'm not interested in the other teams, if we can keep this form going and win our own games we will not need to be looking over our shoulders.

"There are four or five teams that can still win this league, we have to keep the players focused and keep going in the right direction."

White has been studying the fourth coming fixtures and is predicting a difficult period for the title chasing teams.

"All the top teams including ourselves have tough matches against each other, so if a side can put a few results together than any of them can make a bid."

The manager added: "We played a team scrapping in a relegation dog fight and were not beaten easily.

"I was disappointed we went a goal down despite having three or four clear cut chances to take the lead.

"I told the players at half-time to believe in themselves and their ability.

"Stamford's back three and their goalkeeper are very effective players for them but in the second half we found a way around that by attacking them down the flanks."

White was expecting a tough game as Stamford had only lost two games at home and managed nine draws.

"They have a peculiar home record and a very uneven pitch and we managed to rise above that and up our game."

Despite Chippenham coming close on several occasions, the best effort coming from a Gilroy 20 yard drive that whistled past of the post, the hosts took the lead in the 23rd minute.

Defender Delroy Gordon ran into the Chippenham box and fired past keeper Mark Hervin only to see centre back Ian Herring clear it off the line.

But the rebound fell to midfielder Carl Holmes who smashed the ball in from close range.

In the second period the visitors looked a rejuvenated team and were filled with confidence as they pushed for the equaliser. The constant pressure paid dividends as Gilroy levelled the scores in the 66th minute.

A long clearance from defender Gary Thorne flew over the home defence for the striker, who was playing in his first match since sealing a permanent move to Hardenhuish from Weston-super-Mare last week, ran on and went around home keeper Darren Watts to poke the ball into an empty net.

Stamford played deep and tried to hold on for a draw and it was looking like they were going to achieve their goal as they stopped everything Chippenham threw at them.

A fantastic free kick from winger Scott Walker trickled wide, James Constable saw a golden one on one opportunity go begging when the keeper saved with his legs and even defender Herring was making surging runs and came close when a long range drive went narrowly over the crossbar.

The travelling Chippenham fans, who drove 300 miles to watch their team play, were losing hope of a victory until the 86th minute when right back Rene Regis stormed down the flankand produced a defence cutting cross to the far post.

The tireless Kirk ran in to meet the cross and deliver a thumping header that gave Watts no chance.

Chippenham: Hervin, Regis, Mcentegart, G Thorne, Herring, Badman, Wilmot, Kirk, Gilroy, Allison (Constable 73), Walker. Subs not used: Paul, Davidson, Horgan, W Thorne.