Chippenham Town 2,

Yate Town 0

CHIPPENHAM continued their recent good form as they opened their FA Carlsberg Vase campaign with this comfortable victory on Saturday.

The Bluebirds, who were the losing finalists in last season's Wembley final, will now meet Barking in the second round proper on Saturday December 9.

Second half goals from Mark Cutler and a Steve Tweedle penalty sandwiched Yate's Paul Metherington's sending off for an alleged elbow on Chippenham's Ian Murphy.

Honours were even at half-time, with both sides unable to break down their opponents. It was the men who grabbed the headlines - Cutler, Tweedle and Metherington - who missed the best opportunities to break the deadlock in the opening 45 minutes, all failing with half-chances.

It took only one minute of the second half for Chippenham to take the lead, with Cutler heading the hosts ahead from close range. The goal could not have come at a better time for Chippenham, with Yate having to chase the game with the second half hardly underway.

It was ten minutes to forget for Yate, as the match referee gave Metherington his marching orders, adjudging the player to have elbowed Ian Murphy after 54 minutes.

Cutler, well into his comeback after a serious knee injury, was again involved as Chippenham doubled their lead and effectively finished off ten man Yate on the hour. Cutler went surging into the area, only to be bundled over and win the hosts a penalty. Tweedle coolly stepped up to slot home and give Yate a mountain to climb, and it was just too much for the visitors.

It could have been a thrilling climax if it wasn't for a superb save by Chippenham goalkeeper Ian Jones, saving from Andy Neal within a minute of Chippenham's second.

But the extra man saw Chippenham go through comfortably, and the gap could have been wider but for a goal-line clearance from Yate's Ben Trotman in the dying seconds.

Chippenham manager Tommy Saunders, who places this competition level with the Screwfix League on his list of priorities, was pleased to see his side through, but they face a tough task in the next round at Barking.

Saunders was particularly pleased with his side's second-half performance, although it was aided by the slope of the pitch. "Playing downhill is always a big advantage," he said. "We weren't in control for the whole match, but we were in the second half."

Chippenham are now on an impressive run and the manager praised his players for their performances in recent weeks. "Good players are behind our recent form," said Saunders. "You can't win anything without good players."

"Despite our good run of form, our ambitions are still the same as they always have been. We're just going to do the best we can in every game," he added.

This weekend Chippenham play host to mid-table Dawlish in the Screwfix Direct Premier League.

Lee Burns will return to the match day squad, having completed his suspension, while Chippenham will have to manage without the services of injured duo John Woods and Nick Beaverstock. The match kicks off at 3pm on Saturday.

Backwell United 3,

Westbury United 1

WESTBURY'S woes continued on Tuesday night with another away defeat in the Premier Division.

A disputed opening goal, in which a Backwell defender appeared to handle, and two more first half strikes following defensive lapses by Westbury, put the home side firmly in control at half-time.

Westbury improved after the break and Mark Pearce pulled a goal back.

l PREMIER Division Devizes Town slumped to a surprise 4-1 home defeat at the hands of First Division Frome Town in the preliminary round of the Les Phillips Cup on Tuesday night.