CHIPPENHAM TOWN: Rich makes a case for the defence (From This Is Wiltshire)

CHIPPENHAM Town assistant boss Richard Fey paid tribute to his team's watertight defence after they shut up shop on the south coast to earn a point at in-form Weymouth yesterday.

The Bluebirds saw off the spirited attack of the Terras to notch up their fourth straight draw in the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division.

But whilst conceding a late equaliser to local rivals Frome Town on New Year's Day was considered two points dropped, Fey reckons that a share of the spoils at Weymouth was a point gained, particularly after only nine players could make training last Thursday.

“We knew that Weymouth were a massive club and in my opinion, they're a team that have underachieved a bit and should be a lot higher than they are,” said Fey.

“We set our stall out to try and keep a clean sheet for the 90 minutes and we did that - there aren't many teams that go down there and get three points.

“The work rate and the enthusiasm in the squad is superb and like Rudgey always says in training, we've got a way that we like to play and we showed that we're a match for any side.

“Jim Rollo's come in and I thought he was outstanding.

“It's a privilege to stand on the sidelines and watch Rudgey and I wish I could have done it when he was younger – it's the same with Steve Casey, he gives you eight out of ten every week.

“Then you've got Ashley Williams and Alex Kite, who've been outstanding too. Since we've settled things down, we've been a hard team to beat.

“Now we go in to a run of games coming up where we want to try and pick up maximum points.

“We've got teams like Gosport, Bideford and Bedford – they're the teams who are around us in the middle of the table and we need to try and have a late push in to the play-offs.”

The only real clear-cut chance for the Bluebirds to snatch a winner fell to Tom Knighton midway through the second half but Fey was full of sympathy for his striker after he got his finish all wrong after being put in on goal.

“As soon as Ash dummied it and he broke through, you'd put your mortgage on him scoring but I will stick up for him because it was right in front of us,” he said.

“The ball did bobble and it's come up and hit his knee – to go down there and create these kinds of chances is great.”

A point saw Chippenham move up to 12th in the table and Gosport Borough, who currently sit eighth, are the visitors to Hardenhuish Park next weekend.

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