Chippenham Town 0 Stourbridge 9

...opponents at the War Memorial Athletic Ground and also secure their biggest ever win in the Southern League.

The Glassboys came into this match in great form and any fears that this return to the ‘bread and butter’ of league football would be an unwelcome distraction for the players after their memorable F A Cup exploits the previous weekend were quickly dispelled in a dramatic opening 45 minutes as they made a positive start. In the 5th minute a right-wing corner from Sean Geddes was only half cleared back in the direction of the former Walsall midfielder and from out on the right he fired in a rising shot that beat keeper Ben John but was headed off the line by Harley Purnell. Two minutes later Stourbridge opened the scoring from another Geddes right-wing flag-kick as Nathan Bennett got in a downward header and Rowe poked home with John unable to prevent the ball trickling over the line. In the 12th minute Geddes fed the ball inside from the left to Drew Canavan who exchanged passes with Rowe before screwing a shot wide from 20 yards and then a minute later the Wiltshire hosts suffered the first of two first-half sending-offs after a crude lunging tackle by Greg Tindle on Geddes just outside the Chippenham box saw the referee produce a straight red card. On 19 minutes though Lee Phillips had the ball in the net for the home side following a dangerous cross from the left by Darren Jefferies, but the whistle had already blown for a foul by Phillips on Will Richards, but a couple of minutes later the Glassboys doubled their advantage when a kick from Dean Coleman was headed on by Luke Benbow as he battled with Alan Griffin enabling Rowe to get in behind the Chippenham defence and from the right-hand side of the area he tucked away a low shot into the bottom far corner of the net. Shortly afterwards it was three with a right-wing cross from Andre Francis towards the near post area seeing Benbow challenge for the ball with his marker and it fell to Geddes who hit a thumping shot from the edge of the area that took a deflection and looped over John. The visitors threatened again in the 32nd minute as a defensive mistake from Ross Adams let in Benbow who slipped a pass into the run of Rowe and although his shot was blocked by Shane Blackmore, the ball broke to Leon Broadhurst and his drive from the left-hand side of the area was deflected for a corner. Two minutes later a left-wing corner from Geddes saw Adams inadvertently head the ball back towards his own goal and Iain Harvey instinctively handled the ball on the line, leaving the referee no option but to send the Chippenham player off and to award a penalty, however the spot-kick from Geddes was well saved by John who dived the right-way to push the ball on to the post. Stourbridge were well on top now though and George Washbourne had a low shot saved by John who was also equal to a low drive from Canavan after he had been set up by Benbow. Washbourne then played a pass inside to Canavan and he fed Rowe in turn, who hit a low shot past John’s left-hand upright. In stoppage time Benbow laid the ball into the path of Washbourne on the left-hand side of the box, but his angled low shot was saved by John and there was still time for the Glassboys to win another corner with Oliver heading the flag-kick from Geddes on to the roof of the net.

Chippenham continued to battle away despite being two men light and they carved out the first opportunity of the second period with Jack Allward sending over a cross from the left and Griffin seeing his header fly off-target. Stourbridge then returned on to the attack with Benbow putting Canavan through, however he scuffed his shot wide. In the 54th minute Jamie Oliver tried his luck from the left-hand corner of the box and his strike forced John into a tip-over save. Chippenham hit back with the ever dangerous Joe McClellan chasing for a ball down the line with Benbow and he came off best before whipping in a dangerous low centre from the left that saw Lee Phillips go for the ball with the diving Coleman and Washbourne had to hook the ball off the line before Jefferies miscued his shot on goal wide. On 59 minutes a cross-field ball from Broadhurst picked out Washbourne on the left and he found Benbow who cut inside before hitting a low shot straight at John. Eight minutes later though Geddes grabbed his second goal of the evening as he dispossessed Jefferies in midfield and then drilled a 25-yard drive past John. The introduction of Dean Bennett as part of a double change on 69 minutes paid almost immediate dividends as he had a hand in the fifth goal two minutes later with Rowe back-heeling the ball into the path of Bennett on the left before taking a return pass from the substitute to lash the ball into the near bottom corner of the net for his hat-trick goal. The Glassboys then really most the most of their numerical advantage in the final ten minutes against a tiring and demoralised home side. On 80 minutes Coleman collected a Chippenham corner before finding Roly Agbor with a quick throw. A superb diagonal pass from Agbor picked out Benbow on the left-hand edge of the box and he opened up his body to send a shot past the keeper into the opposite side of the net. Two minutes later Washbourne threaded a pass into the run of Rowe and with the home side appealing in vain for offside, Rowe stroked the ball past John to make it 7 – 0. Four minutes later Washbourne found Dean Bennett and he chipped a cross towards the left-hand side of the area that enabled Benbow to drive home a crisp first-time volley and on 88 minutes Rowe rounded off a remarkable evening with his fifth goal, being on-hand to turn in the re-bound after Benbow had cracked a first-time shot against the crossbar from Jean Kalenda’s pass.

Highlights of the match can also be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfblptgBg18