FA Trohpy Second Round Qualifying.
Chippenham Town 3-2 Heybridge Swifts.
LUCKY Chippenham Town survived a late scare as they almost surrendered a 3-0 lead with 15 minutes to go.
Aaron Cornwall and Sam Allison's quickfire strikes in the second half, added to Tobi Jinadu's own goal, should have seen the Bluebirds home but late goals from Sean Marks and Stafford Browne made them sweat.
Dale Peckham was dropped for the returning Kes Metitiri with Halliday, Scott Lye and Jake Reid all starting after the midweek Errea Cup win at Bridgwater Town.
Robbie King fired over from 18-yards as Heybridge made the early running but Reid saw a shot blocked by keeper Ollie Morris Sanders' legs and from the resulting corner, Halliday's header was hacked off the line but rebounded off Jinadu and in after eight minutes.
The play quickly turned into a scrappy affair as neither side was prepared to let the other settle.
Luke Gullick drifted a header wide before former Brighton winger Stafford Browne flashed a shot wide after 24 minutes and then had Chris Snoddy save low from 20 yards.
Allison and King were well off target for their respective teams but Danny Gabriel was considerably closer when his shot from distance whistled just over.
With the flat atmosphere doing little to inspire the teams, Daryl Bourgeois' free kick from 35 yards almost dropped in as Swifts started to edge the half.
But Reid had Morris-Sanders scrambling with a glancing header before Halliday missed David Wareham's cross but recovered as Browne slipped with the goal at his mercy on half time.
Gullick headed straight at Morris-Sanders after the re-start and Allison nodded wide in a tepid opening to the second period.
Gullick then volleyed into Morris-Sanders' arms on the hour as the game opened up and the former Calne Town frontman saw another header drift off target.
While it remained 1-0, Heybridge were always in the game but Cornwall doubled the host's lead with 20 minutes to go.
Gullick broke down the right and squared the ball to the winger who took one touch before lashing in from ten yards.
Two minutes later the Bluebirds went further ahead when Jinadu handled in the area and Allison coolly converted the spot kick.
Heybridge hit back immediately when Marks bundled in after Snoddy failed to hold Danny Barber's free kick.
The goals gave the game uncharacteristic excitement - which went up a notch when Browne's audacious overhead kick made it 3-2 after 82 minutes.
The Bluebirds were rocking and Browne shot at Snoddy but the hosts hung on.
First team coach Gary Kemp said: "We cannot fault how hard the players are working but we have got to learn how to close games down and we have got to win 1-0 sometimes.
"It is fantastic for the fans but we have got to take some pride in our defending."
Chippenham Town: Snoddy, Adams, Halliday, Metitiri, Price, Allison, Lye, Holly (c) (Badman, 32), Reid (Pratt, 68), Cornwall (Etheridge, 73), Gullick.
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