CHIPPENHAM Town’s Calor League Southern Premier Division clash at Hungerford Town was abandoned last night after a horror injury sustained by Bluebirds midfielder Rob Dean.

Dean was left nursing a suspected broken leg after a challenge from former Chippenham midfielder Ian Herring which sparked a melee between both sets of players and management in the first half at Bulpit Lane.

Herring was shown a red card but as Dean was attended to and an ambulance called, Chippenham’s players headed back towards the changing room and referee Reuben Simon abandoned the contest.

Elsewhere, Swindon Supermarine kept up their chase for a Division One South & West play-off place with a 1-0 victory at Cirencester Town, with Ash Edenborough scoring the only goal for the visitors who moved up to third in the table.

After the game, Marine boss Dave Webb said: “It’s an absolutely brilliant win. I can’t speak highly enough of the players tonight.

“We’ve come here and knew it was going to be really difficult. We knew how good a side they are and we knew it was going to be a battle but we showed character.

“Dave Bampton wasn’t fit so we played young Curtis Da Costa alongside John Steadman and the whole back four and Sam Warrell in goal stood up to be counted tonight.

“They were all outstanding. They gave us the foundation for the win. Going the other way we scored a great goal through Ash and we probably shaded it.

“It was a typical local derby but we’ve given ourselves a fantastic evening, a great three points and taken ourselves up to third.

“We’ve just got to keep it going now. It’s about trying to keep the players focused and make sure we don’t have any slip-ups on Saturday when we go to Fleet.”

In the Wiltshire Senior Cup, Melksham Town booked their place in the final with a 4-0 victory at Purton, while Highworth Town beat Kidlington 3-2 in the Hellenic Premier.

Tonight, New College Swindon host Clanfield in Hellenic Division One West.