Bath City (0) 0 Chippenham Town (0) 1 – Monday 21 April 2025 – Vanarama National League South – Twerton Park
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Harry Parsons’ second half finish was enough for Chippenham Town to gain bragging rights in the A4 Derby.
The forward, who netted in the Bluebirds’ previous win at Twerton in December 2022, converted from close range to decide the latest encounter.
It denied Supporters’ and Players’ Player of the Year Harvey Wiles-Richards a 20th clean sheet of the season.
The defeat was City’s first at home for six games as they ended their 2024/25 Twerton Park campaign on a low note.
A cagey start saw both teams cancel each other out before Chippenham were dealt a blow in losing Alex Bray to what looked like a serious knee injury.
The Bath-born full-back lost out to former teammate Kieran Parselle on the byline and landed awkwardly which resulted in a long stoppage before he was replaced by Caine Bradbury.
Dan Greenslade drove a free-kick against the wall and Parselle headed Mitch Beardmore’s corner over in rare highlights of a forgettable half, with both defences near faultless.
City altered their backline at the break, replacing Jack Batten with Elliott Frear as Luke Russe shifting to full-back.
Bluebirds’ captain Luke Haines tried to inject some excitement with an audacious effort from the halfway line which sailed over.
City were then gifted their first main opportunity when Luke Spokes’ calamitous ball across goal fell to Frear, whose drilled effort was finger-tipped onto the outside of the post by Will Henry and behind for a corner.
Wiles-Richards was forced into his first save on the hour when Tom Mehew slipped the ball through to Bradbury, who tried to sidefoot past the onrushing keeper.
Wiles-Richards came out on top with a fine parry to his left.
A double substitution for Chippenham almost had an instant impact. Matt McClure and Leone Gravata were introduced just before a Haines long throw, which bounced kindly to Gravata who headed back across goal only to see Alex Fisher prop up on the goalline to clear.
The deadlock was broken on 73 minutes. Bradbury kept the ball in from the byline, held off Jordan Alves and played it back to Parsons who found room to stab home from six yards across Wiles-Richards.
Brad Ash tried to make an instant impact with a driving run to create space in the box, but his drive was batted away by Henry with Freddie Grant on hand to clear.
It was City’s last real chance at Town threatened to add another with Spokes’ long ranger taken by Wiles-Richards and Harlee Vozza placing inches wide after weaving into the box.
Despite throwing the likes of Ollie Tomlinson forward into attack, Chippenham’s resolute rearguard stood firm to gain revenge for the Boxing Day loss in Wiltshire.
It moves Gary Horgan’s side three points ahead of the 16th placed Romans ahead of Saturday’s final matches of the season.
Att: 2154
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Greenslade, Batten (Frear HT), Parselle (c), Wilson (Fisher 61), Clark (Alves 65), Tillson, Russe, Tomlinson, Beardmore, Ash. Subs not used: Nwabueze, Horsell.
Scorers: City – none; Chippenham – Parsons (73)
City Bookings: Parselle (50), Alves (90+2)
Officials: K Morgan, A Dunn, S Hamilton, A McAnoy(4th)
