Page 30 - Bath City v Hungerford Town - Monday 28 December 2020 - VNLS

NEXT MATCH PREVIEW

Chippenham Town of recently departed Ryan Brunt, Adam Mann and
City are next in action this coming Ross Stearn. This trio made 219 appearances between
Saturday when we welcome them and scored 91 goals in the black and white,
some of which were amongst the most memorable of
Chippenham Town to Twerton Park
for an eagerly anticipated local recent seasons. It’s such a pity that the City faithful will
only be able to see these former favourites via their
derby. Assuming that the weather computer screens and let’s all hope that normal service
or Covid did not intervene, the
two clubs met at Hardenhuish on Boxing Day. But of will have resumed when we next cross paths.
course, City supporters were unable to travel in their
usual large numbers to back the team as will be the CHIPPENHAM TOWN LOWDOWN:
case for our Wiltshire friends at the weekend. GROUND: Hardenhuish Park
This preview was completed before Christmas with
the Bluebirds sitting in 12th position in the table with COLOURS: All Blue
six points more than City but having played two more
matches. While only one win has been secured at NICKNAME: The Bluebirds
home, they have chalked up three on the road with
victories over Dulwich, Chelmsford and Welling with MANAGER: Mike Cook
a clean sheet being kept in each. Their four knock-out
matches included three which went to penalties and, 2019/20 FINISH: 14th
bizarrely, two of those were against Ebbsfleet, with the
Kent club recently gaining revenge in the Trophy for
their earlier Cup exit.
Although these matches are seen as the two clubs’
traditional Christmas/New Year fixtures, the first was
staged as recently as 2002 and, what with them
playing at different levels for a few seasons, and the
League’s make up meaning that the pair also played
festive fixtures with the likes of Weston-super-Mare and
Hungerford Town, this isn’t always the case.
Honours are pretty even between the two local rivals
in league matches at Twerton with City winning three,
drawing three and losing two. There were only eleven
goals scored in the first five meetings but there have Joe Raynes celebrates his winner in the 3-2 win over Chippenham Town on Boxing
been seventeen in the last three! Day last year.
Following Chippenham’s promotion in 2017, they
shocked the home club with an outstanding 5-2 win
in our first home match of the season but revenge
was sweet on New Year’s Day sixteen months later
with goals from Anthony Straker, Ross Stearn, Robbie
Cundy and Adam Mann sealing a fine 5-0 win.
Last season’s Boxing Day clash was witnessed by
nearly 1400 fans who were treated to a highly
charged and entertaining match. City were in the
middle of a long unbeaten run at the time but had
to come from behind twice to finally win 3-2 with
goals from Mann again, Ryan Brunt and Joe Raynes.
Chippenham supporters were treated to an excellent
goal provided by former City player George Rigg but
their team’s hopes were dashed by a red card. Defeat
left them perilously placed but they recovered well in
the spring to finish 14th with 25 points fewer than their
Somerset rivals.
As is so often the case, City fans will see many of their Adam Mann, who left City in the summer has been among the goals for the Bluebirds
former favourites in the Bluebirds’ lineup. Will Puddy, this season.
Ryan Case and George Rigg have all featured this
season and Saturday’s match will also see the return MARTIN POWELL

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