CHIPPENHAM Ladies' record of four seasons without a red card has been recognised with an FA Fair Play Award.

Dignitaries from the Wiltshire FA were on hand to make the presentations at the Christian Malford recreation ground before Sunday's game with Woottton Bassett.

The players were all given medals and Chippenham secretary Kate Shepherd received a £200 cheque on behalf of the club.

Chippenham Ladies manager Steve Gingell said it was an honour for the club to be chosen for the award.

"We were nominated for the fair play prize by the Wiltshire County Women's League and it was between three or four teams," said Gingell. "It is an honour and privilege for us."

The manager added that while the team still played a physical game they had managed to avoid picking up a red card in four full seasons.

"To some extent we focus on fair play but we do still play a physical game," said Gingell. "We have never had a player sent off since we were formed. But that is not to say the referees rarely hand out cards.

"We have had players sent off against us and we have picked up one or two yellow cards ourselves."

Gingell said he felt his players deserved the recognition but joked that the award might prove to be a bit of a jinx.

"We will probably have eight people sent off this weekend and the record will go out the window. But it is good for the club and the money is just the job because we will be able to buy some new equipment and kit."

Chippenham Town Ladies 2

Wootton Bassett Ladies 3

BASSETT brought Chippenham's winning run to an end with a narrow victory in their Wiltshire County League encounter at Christian Malford.

Leaders Chippenham started brightly and put second-placed Bassett under some early pressure but did not take their chances and it was Bassett who opened the scoring when the lively Kirsty Hulse was put through. The home side fought back with a goal from Lucy Bailey, but before half-time Sarah Tyas forced the ball over the line from a corner to give Bassett the lead again.

Chippenham started well after the break, but Hulse scored her second to give the visitors a two-goal cushion. With 15 minutes left Bailey pulled another goal back.