Chippenham Town 0 Cirencester Town 0

CIRENCESTER are becoming hard to beat.

They deservedly gained an invaluable, hard-won away point in this local derby.

Having imposed their cultured possession football on Chippenham in the first half, during which they had the swirling wind and slight slope in their favour, they defended with courage and composure in the second half as their hosts launched an aerial bombardment.

Their captain, Michael Jackson, was again the midfield anchor in a fluid 3-5-2 system that gave them the width to stretch Chippenham's rigid 4-4-2 formation.

By outnumbering Chippenham in midfield, Cirencester gave their wingbacks, Lee Smith and Matt Bicknell, space to overlap down the right and left flanks respectively.

The first goal attempt came from Chippenham, David Gilroy pouncing on a first-minute miss-kick in Cirencester's midfield to hit a low 20-yarder straight into the arms of The Centurions' new goalkeeper, Kevin Sawyer.

However, Cirencester were soon making progress, forcing a third-minute corner that Bicknell lifted into Chippenham's penalty area where Marc Richards headed goalwards, only to see the ball cleared after Chippenham goalkeeper, Steve Perrin, parried.

Midfielder Richards, continually trying get forward to join Cirencester's strikers, lost his marker in the 14th minute but headed Bicknell's left-wing free kick well over.

On 17 minutes, Cirencester's Scott Griffin almost scored an early contender for goal of the season.

Lee Smith slipped him a short inside-pass from the right touchline.

Fooling his marker by letting the ball run across his body, he opened up the space to swivel and hit a dipping, 30-yard shot that rebounded spectacularly off the crossbar with Perrin clutching at thin air.

Chippenham looked most threatening when sending high balls into Cirencester's penalty box.

Their first serious threat came from Ian Herring's long throw into the visitors' goalmouth in the 19th minute, which saw Gilroy head narrowly wide.

Cirencester almost scored from another spectacular shot when a 29th-minute corner was cleared to the edge of Chippenham's area, from where Lee Smith hit a volley that dipped narrowly over.

Not to be outdone, team-mate Rene Regis struck a 30-yarder in the 38th minute that screamed inches wide, with Perrin scrambling across his goalmouth.

Chippenham had the slope and wind in their favour in the second half, which suited their longer, more direct game.

They pegged Cirencester back and almost scored from another long throw in the 57th minute, Alan Griffin getting in front of his marker and heading goalwards from the edge of the six-yard box only to see Sawyer tip over.

Cirencester still threatened on the counter-attack.

In the 62nd minute, Mike Symons broke down the left, rode two challenges and played a cross-field pass to Lee Smith on the right flank.

Smith threaded the ball into the inside-right channel where onrushing Regis hit a low shot that Perrin saved at the near-post.

Within a minute, Lee Smith broke down the right and tested Perrin with a low 20-yarder that the goalkeeper again fielded at his near-post.

A minute later, another Chippenham long throw saw their impressive defender, Mark Badman, head narrowly over.

The stadium erupted in the 65th minute when Alan Griffin netted for Chippenham.

Having advanced from Cirencester's box to meet a long through-ball intended for Alan Griffin, Sawyer miscued a clearance that was headed forward to the Chippenham striker who turned the ball into the unguarded net.

Fortunately for Cirencester, Griffin had retreated from an offside position, resulting in his strike being ruled out.

Chippenham should have scored in the 74th minute.

A scramble in Cirencester's box saw Gilroy find space and shoot for the near-post, where Sawyer parried.

Substitute, Sam Allison, blazed the rebound over the gapping goal.

On 75 minutes, Badman collected a knockdown in Cirencester's box and beat Sawyer with a shot that Lee Molyneaux cleared off the line.

Two minutes later, Chippenham had another 'goal' disallowed for offside when Gilroy netted a rebound after Sawyer parried Allison's shot.

It was Matt Smith's turn to clear off Cirencester's goal line in the 85th minute when Andy Griffin connected with a flick on.

Four minutes from time, Chippenham substitute, Paul Milsom flicked another long throw just wide of Cirencester's goal.

The Centurions occasionally rode their luck to survive Chippenham's second-half onslaught but earned their good fortune with their commendable spirit and prodigious work-rate.

With Sawyer a massive presence behind them, Cirencester's back three of Matt Smith, Jones and Molyneux were outstanding.

With such a solid platform to build on, Cirencester's new manager, Neil Hards, has laid the foundations for progress.

Man of the match: Matt Smith (Cirencester) Chippenham: Steve Perrin, Simon Charity (Paul Milsom 80), Alex Stanley, Ross Adams, Adam Garner, Mark Badman, Sean Seavill (Sam Allison 66), Ian Herring (c), David Gilroy, Alan Griffin, Andy Robertson (Danny Maye 69). Cirencester: Kevin Sawyer, Lee Smith, Matt Bicknell, Rene Regis, Steve Cowe (80), Matt Jones, Lee Molyneaux, Marc Richards, Michael Jackson (c), Mike Symons, Scott Griffin (b 42), Matt Smith. Referee: Simon Knapp (Pucklechurch, Bristol) Attendance: 558