After taking a point off table toppers Devizes last week Sarum welcomed 2nd place Chippenham youth this week and got themselves another point.
Sarum were without a couple of influential players including goalkeeper Chris Brown thru injury but put in another tremendous performance and should have run out winners in an excellent game of football.
Sarum started in great fashion and were quick to close down the away side with tremendous energy which gave Sarum complete control of the first half. Mitch Alford stepping up from the reserve side was the first to go close with an audacious lob from distance that just went wide. Archie Lovegrove went close with a shot over and Dan Paddingtons header was well saved. Alford clipped the bar from close range before Sarum deservedly took the lead. Lovgrove dribbled past a couple of defenders on the edge of the box but lost control of the ball which rolled out to Sam Revel about 25yrd out who smashed a terrific shot right into the bottom corner. Sarum got to half time with a deserved lead as Chippenham struggled to get into the game. Assistant manager Dan Cousins took over in goal from Chris Brown and had not a save to make due to Sarums dominance.
Sarum continued the second half where they left off the first and soon created a couple more half chances. The away side came into the game a little bit more but could not break down a stubborn Sarum defence. Sarum got a second half way thru when Paddington caused trouble in the box which forced a good save but as the ball bounced around Alford stepped up to smash home for his first goal for the senior side. Sarum looked like seeing out the game with ease but a free kick for the away side was fumbled by stand in keeper Cousins which fell at the feet of the striker who tapped in from a yard out. This gave the away side the lift they needed and soon carved out an equaliser with a superb cross and finish. The last ten mins saw the game go from end to end as both sides were now looking for a winner. Alford, Giddings and Paddington all went close and Sarum defender Pete Fletcher made a tremendous block as Cousins also had to make a good save. The last action of the game saw a Lovegrove free kick fly just past the post as both sides took a point in an excellent well fought game.
Rawkins.....” Another very pleasing performance from the boys. We have played the top 2 in the league in these last two games and not been beaten which shows great progress especially as its games we really could have won. We now have a run of games against teams below us so I expect the boys to pick up some wins but they have still got to play with this amount of effort and desire and not just expect it to happen.
