DR MARTENS LEAGUE: CHIPPENHAM Town's unbeaten pre-season run continued on Tuesday night as they shared the honours with Nationwide Conference giants Yeovil Town at Hardenhuish Park.

Only the brilliance of Yeovil goalkeeper Chris Weale denied midfielder Mark Harrington a winner in the closing minutes and the Bluebirds had plenty of chances to pinch victory in the second half.

Adam Stansfield also had a goal disallowed for the visitors in a frantic final few minutes, but the home side had matched their illustrious visitors throughout and a draw was the fairest outcome for both sides.

Chippenham boss Tommy Saunders was delighted with the way his men performed against a full-strength Yeovil line-up.

He said: "I thought it was an excellent performance and an excellent game of football.

"Yeovil are great at passing the ball around and the sprinkling of rain we had helped them because it helped the ball zip about. But again, we showed what a good side we are.

"They had the edge and were a bit fitter than us, but this is about their seventh or eighth game of pre-season. It was great for me that both their manager and assistant manager shook my hand at the end and said what a good team we've got. That is very pleasing."

The result also meant goalkeeper Paul Thompson has yet to concede a goal in four outings during the pre-season campaign. Saunders praised the display produced by his new number one and defence on Tuesday.

He said: "We're very strong, very organised and are really enjoying it. As long as we keep going, then we've got no problems.

"We rode our luck on occasions and Paul Thompson made a couple of good saves, but the best save of the game came at the end when their goalkeeper saved from Mark Harrington.

"Overall a draw was a fair result. There was a great crowd and a nice atmosphere and it was a good night."

After fielding a string of trialists in the opening three friendlies of the summer, Tuesday's more familiar starting line-up is likely to bear a striking resemblance to the one that is selected to face Chelmsford in the opening game of the season on August 17.

Said Saunders: "Shane Andrews was out injured and Martin Paul had work commitments on Tuesday, but seven or eight of those will be in the starting eleven."

Gareth Davies was a dominant force alongside Harrington in midfield in an opening period of few goalscoring opportunities.

Matt Rawlins twice came close to opening the scoring early on, first scuffing an effort into the arms of Weale and then firing just wide from distance, while ex-Hereford man Gavin Williams was off target on two occasions at the other end.

Dave Godley and Mark Badman were introduced for Steve Tweddle and the injured Tom Gould at the interval and the Bluebirds were lucky to survive when Michael McIndoe missed the first of a number of chances in the 48th minute.

Yeovil adopted a shoot-on-sight policy on the wet surface and Thompson did well to foil the lively Abdu Demba on the hour before Wayne Thorne blocked McIndoe's follow-up effort on the line.

Thompson then saw a long-range effort from Olly Brasshart squirm under his body and wide before a frenetic final seven minutes saw chances fall the way of both sides.

Thompson again denied McIndoe before Weale produced a fine reaction stop to keep out Harrington's fierce free kick from the edge of the box at the other end.

Stansfield then had a header ruled out for offside two minutes from time, but play soon switched to the other end and Weale again frustrated Harrington by tipping his rising 30-yard volley onto the bar after the visiting defence had failed to clear their lines.

Chippenham will welcome a familiar face to Hardenhuish Park on Saturday when ex-Deal Town manager Tommy Sampson brings Dr Martens Eastern Division side Dartford to Wiltshire for a friendly.

Sampson was in charge at Deal when they defeated the Bluebirds 1-0 in the FA Vase final at Wembley in 2000.

Said Saunders: "It is the clash of the Tommys again. He beat us 1-0 last time and obviously I'm looking for a bit of revenge."