Chippenham 17, Abbey 25

CHIPPENHAM, who beat Abbey the previous week in the NPI Intermediate Cup, were overturned in the rematch on Saturday as they went down to their first home league defeat of the season.

With Chippenham fielding largely the same side, Abbey made a number of changes, most crucially to their threequarter line up. This new line-up proceeded to cause Chippenham serious problems as their direct running and pace at times embarrassed the home defence.

The Chippenham threequarter line, so often their most potent weapon, looked staid and static in comparison and did little to trouble their opposite numbers. Coupled with the home side's annoying and persistent ill discipline, Abbey were able to reap 15 points from penalty kicks alone, and Chippenham look to have reached a defining point in their season.

Abbey, predictably, opened the scoring with a penalty, but Chippenham hit back soon after as Kenny Brown fed off the good work of the forwards to score from a five metre pushover scrum. Abbey replied with another penalty to regain the lead before an excellent break from the visitors' scrum half, who caught the Chippenham defence napping, allowed them to score in the corner.

They extended this lead after a second clean break by the scrum half led to another try, again unconverted, which left Chippenham 16-5 down at half-time.

In the second half Chippenham did raise their game and after the first quarter were back in the hunt when prop Terry May drove through the Abbey defence to score in the corner. With James Barnard adding a superb touchline conversion the score was hauled back to 16-12 and the large home crowd were anticipating a roaring finish to the game.

Sadly though when Chippenham should have begun to exert this pressure their discipline deserted them as they were constantly penalised for offside and other petty infringements.

With two quick penalties converted by Abbey to take their lead to 22-12 Chippenham again hit back from a five metre scrum which saw flanker Ian McNerlin pick up a loose ball and drive over the line to score. Almost from the restart, though, Chippenham were penalised again and with the Abbey fly-half having a good day with the boot Chippenham were behind at 25-17, more than one score away from saving the game.

As time ran out so did Chippenham's patience as Abbey's forwards perfected some effective rolling mauls which allowed them to retain possession and suffocate the game to run out worthy winners.

Tomorrow, though, will prove how well the side can bounce back as they travel to table-topping Slough for what should be their toughest fixture of the season yet.

Chippenham B 10, Cricklade 12

WITH the second team's fixture cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch the third team were the only other season side to play, but like their senior team were unable to deliver a result.

Two players in the casualty ward and several more forced to leave the field through injury, illustrated the bruising nature of this hard-fought game.

With Chippenham losing their key line-out jumper in the first minute, they seemed certain to struggle against a team who regularly play a higher standard of rugby. However, Chippenham's reorganised side took the game to Cricklade, forcing the visitors to spend long periods of time camped in their own half.

Chippenham though were unable to capitalise on their pressure as understandably they struggled to win their line-outs. This enabled Cricklade to restrict Chippenham's first half scoring to one penalty goal from the impressive Andy Williamson.

Crucially, Cricklade themselves were to score a well-worked try from their first serious attack of the game just before half-time.

The second half saw a strong rally from the visitors, but Chippenham responded with some ferocious tackling, in particular from Australian Dave Fleming, who was making his debut.

Cricklade scored a second try, but this prompted a late rally from Chippenham, who replied with a well-worked try of their own finished by skipper Alun Jones. Andy Williamson added the conversion.

Chippenham under 14s 28,

Bristol under 14s 0

SUNDAY saw a kind break in the weather and with the sun in the sky Chippenham were able to play host to Bristol for a place in the Bristol Combination Cup final.

Chippenham opted to play up the slope into the wind in the first half and from the kick-off they attacked Bristol, but a naive piece of play finally gave Bristol a penalty and a chance to open the scoring.

However the kick at goal missed the posts and from the resulting 22 metre drop out a fine drive from the Chippenham forwards ended with centre Matthew Williamson linking up with back row forward Nick Westaway, who drew the defence and released full back Jon Tilley, who sprinted 30 metres to touch down. Chris Hunt added the conversion.

From a five metre scrum Guy Charlesworth picked up and support from the rest of the pack saw second row Kieran Marshall crash over to score under the posts, Chris Hunt again adding the penalty.

Nick Westaway seized on a defensive error to set up the score of the game. He passed the ball to centre Tom Garraway, who he then looped, and his pass to winger Joe Ransom split the Bristol defence. Ransom shipped the ball to Jon Tilley to score under the posts, Hunt's conversion bringing an end to the first half.

In the second half Chippenham failed to press their territorial advantage until the last five minutes when winger Peter Rigby received the ball at pace and danced through the Bristol defence to touch down and Hunt added the conversion.