CHARD Town were brought down with a bump after a fine win at Cheddar when they lost 2-1 at home to Corsham Town in the first division of the Toolstation Western league. It was a game, however, that could have easily have gone the other way.

The first half, with Chard attacking up the slope, was a tentative and cagey affair for the first 20 minutes or so before it sparked into life.

Corsham looked quick and impressive in attack with a number of threatening moves involving Kieron Gleed and Levi Cox. A few speculative shots were dealt with adequately by Jason Hutchings. His brother, Darren, managed to get forward for Chard and whip in some dangerous crosses. Then a goalmouth melee almost led to an opening goal from Jamie Underwood. Chard were now beginning to pull their game together and a great strike from Andy Martin, which was tipped onto the bar by the Corsham keeper, was a direct prelude to the opening goal. The resulting corner on 42 minutes found Sam Clark beyond the far post. His fearsome shot cannoned of the bar into the path of the alert Leigh Bailey who forced the ball home to give the Robins the advantage.

At the very beginning of the second period Chard could so easily have been two goals up. The lively Ed Butcher swung a ball in from the left but the unmarked Clark was unable to steer the ball into the net from close range. However, these two forwards worked hard and Chard were beginning to look the better of the two sides. Sadly the momentum was halted on 64 minutes when excellent passing between Gleed and Cox exposed the Robins’ defence and the latter struck a fine shot past the advancing Hutchings.

Chard came back though and Nathan Warren shot over the bar after neat work by Clark and Haines in the box. George Chlopecki got in on the act too when his attempt was cleared off the line.

It was entertaing stuff and although the home side were possibly making the better chances the Robins’ defence had to be on high alert dealing with the pace and trickery of the Corsham front-runners.

And so it was that the three points were plundered by the visitors.

Gleed, with support from others, drew the Chard defence and lofted a wonderful strike four minutes from the end over Hutchings and into the top corner of the net.

Chard: Jason Hutchings, Leigh Bailey, Darren Hutchings, Nathan Warren, Ben Haines, Jamie Underwood, George Chlopecki, Louis Gillman (Craig Mawford 49 mins), Sam Clark, Ed Butcher, Andy Martin (Max Westlake 80m). Subs not used: Shaun Wells-Burr, Jamie Barfoot, Braeden Symes.