CHIPPENHAM TOWN: 'I didn't care how we got there', says Rudge (From This Is Wiltshire)

Chippenham Town chief Nathan Rudge was happy to see his side book their place in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup after they got their name in the hat for Monday’s draw with victory over Bishop’s Cleeve yesterday.

The Bluebirds were made to work hard at lower league opposition but Rudge revealed that progressing through to the next round was his only concern this weekend.

“I said to the boys before the game that I didn’t care about how we play or who scores the goals – all I wanted was for us to be in the hat on Monday and I wasn’t bothered about how we got there,” said Rudge.

“The great thing about the FA Cup is that it could throw up anything and as a player, you “look on the internet at 12 o’clock on Monday to see who you’ve got and it’s great.

“The draw could chuck up anything - you want a big Conference club like Luton but there are a few teams at our level who are still around too.

“It’s big money now too and we’ll just see who we get.

“When we had the reports back, we knew that it was going to be a hard game and in the FA Cup, you have to deal with whatever’s chucked at you.

“I thought the lads acquitted themselves well. I knew we had goals in us but sometimes it takes a while and once we got one, I knew the second wouldn’t be far away.”

Ashley Williams wasn’t involved yesterday through suspension while Tyrone Mings was cup-tied.

Next weekend, the Bluebirds turn their attention to the FA Trophy and the visit of local rivals Swindon Supermarine.

MORE CHIPPENHAM TOWN NEWS IN NEXT THURSDAY’S GAZETTE AND HERALD