AFTER their trip down the M4 Chippenham were slow to get out of the blocks in trying to avenge their surprise defeat to Windsor earlier in the season and the home side took an early lead with a penalty awarded 15 metres out and directly in front.

But the visitors regrouped, and after 17 minutes, had the chance to bring the scores level but missed a shot at goal.

Three minutes later Windsor took advantage of only their second incursion into Chippenham territory, the visitors penalised for not rolling away from the ball in a tacklem and the home side took a 6-0 lead.

Blindside flanker Koroi Misimisi was then sin-binned after 25 minutes for illegally pulling a player from a maul but Windsor couldn't capitalise on the one man advantage.

Just before half-time, Chippenham lost control of the ball at the base of a scrum and the home side's winger broke up the right touchline. The defence covered but gave away a penalty at the resulting ruck.

After lacking composure and panicking with the ball, Chippenham took a nine point deficit into the second half.

The opening minutes of the first half were fast, furious and frantic. Kicking for the corner from a penalty, Chippenham executed a catch and drive from a line-out and prop Karl Parry-Curtis spun off the back of a maul to power over the line to finally open his side's account.

Andy Williamson kicked the conversion and the game picked up a gear. A dangerous tackle on scrum-half Williamson saw the Windsor player sent to the sin-bin. Williamson recovered to convert the penalty which saw Chippenham take the lead, 10-9.

Hooker Jonathon Whiteman then scored from five metres out after some good interlinking play allowed the visitors to make better progress and the conversion gave Chippenham a more comfortable 17-9 buffer.

This lead was further increased on 72 minutes when the ball was kicked deep by Windsor and was caught by flanker Misimisi who powerfully carried ahead. He offloaded to Thornton who sidestepped his way through the Windsor tackles before passing to Whiteman who also outflanked the waiting tackles to score in the corner.

A final flourish from Windsor didn't bring more points and Chippenham maintained their place atop the league.

Coach Rob Alford was pragmatic about the result afterwards.

"Unlike the earlier encounter with Windsor where we lost 23-5, and despite being 9-0 down at half-time, this was never a grame in which we looked like losing," he said.

"Composure became the key word for the second half and once we had turned around, it was just a matter of being patient.

"Our youth policy is certaining paying-off and once again we finished the game with four 19-year-olds.

"It was especially pleasing to see prop Simon Drage (19) make his return after a shoulder injury and flanker Daniel Shuker (19) made a big impact when he joined the game midway through the second half."

Midsomer Norton 0

Chippenham 3rd 13

A much changed side from the team which lost to Avon last week made amends for that poor display on Saturday in bitterly cold conditions.

Strong defence from Chippenham held the home side at bay before on 20 minutes Chippenham won a scrum on the halfway line. The ball came out to Matt Jenkins who passed on to Dan Reynolds. He then dummied the Norton waiting defence and ran in under the posts to score.

In the second half both teams found the ball difficult to handle and the match turned into a forwards' battle.

In the last 15 minutes Midsomer gave away a two kickable penalties which were converted by Reynolds to tie up the contest.