CHIPPENHAM Town continued their unbeaten start to the National League South season following a 1-1 draw at home to Oxford City on Tuesday night.

Mark Collier’s side entered the game with a point to their name courtesy of a 0-0 draw away at St Albans City on the opening weekend and made an excellent start to their second outing.

Rhys Tyler blasted a long-range effort into the net with less than 20 minutes on the clock to give the Bluebirds a lead they held on to until after half-time.

A short stoppage – due to the floodlights going out at Hardenhuish Park – preceded Oxford pulling one back, but after both sides saw their hopes of snatching all three points come up empty, Collier reflected on a positive start to the season for Chippenham.

He said: “The game could have gone either way, really, but the fact is, we had six new signings in that starting XI and it will take us a little time to jell and come together as a group.

“It’s completely different being on the training ground than it is in the hotbed of National League South football.

“We are encouraged by what we’ve seen so far because St Albans and Oxford City are both experienced sides at this level.

“We’ve got six teenagers in our squad, so that’s a big ask for those lads to come in and perform consistently.

“In the two games we’ve had so far, they have managed to do that.

“It’s two games undefeated and we’ll take the positives from that without a doubt.”

Collier heralded the performances of his young guns so far this season and admitted he is excited for when his experienced players come back into the fold, adding valuable know-how into the Bluebirds’ set-up.

He said: “We’re playing experienced sides all the time and that will be a learning curve for our young players.

“We’ve still got some experienced players to come back ourselves.

“George Rigg and Curtis MacDonald haven’t played a game yet, so we’re still a work-in progress, as are most clubs in this division.

“But the positive is we’ve gone unbeaten so far, and we’ll take credit for that.”

Chippenham are at home again on Saturday and welcome Billericay Town to Hardenhuish Park.