CHIPPENHAM'S 100 per cent league record came to an end in disappointing fashion with a comprehensive defeat away to nearest rivals Marlow.
Playing virtually the same side that they had blown away so convincingly at the end of last season, this time Chippenham's inability to come to terms with some bizarre refereeing was to prove their downfall.
Chippenham found themselves on the back foot from the start as Marlow were offered two simple penalties awarded for holding onto the ball in the ruck. This was to be a constant theme as Chippenham were not allowed any time to play the ball at the ruck by a referee who seemed well out of his depth.
With skipper Scott Sherratt sin-binned early on for alleged repeated infringements, Chippenham's 14 men finally started to take the game to Marlow and this pressure resulted in a charge down of an attempted clearance kick by centre Dan Reynolds, who won the race to the touch down and then completed the job with a touchline conversion to give Chippenham the lead.
The frustration eventually became too much for Sherratt as he was sent off for one infringement too many in the eyes of the whistle blower. Even so it took a mistake from Chippenham to allow Marlow back into the game when a mishit clearance kick by scrum half Tim Dunford bounced kindly for the Marlow hooker to storm over. With a drop goal added minutes later Marlow were in the driving seat.
Chippenham full back Trevor Lloyd was sinbinned, again for holding on to the ball at the breakdown and, with a penalty added the 13 men could not stem the tide as Marlow intelligently used the space and the referee to their advantage to run in two late tries.
Chippenham will do well to forget this game and instead focus on righting wrongs with the visit of Redingensians to Allington Field this Saturday and the chance to reassert their grip on the South West Two East league.
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