Chippenham Town (1) 3 Bath City (1) 2 – Friday 26 December 2025 – Enterprise National League South – The Thornbury Surfacing Stadium
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Anointed Chukwu’s 94th minute winner saw Chippenham overcome Bath City at home for the first time in 20 years.
It was a painful confusion for the Romans, who appeared to have earned a point through Jordan Alves, just after the 90-minute mark.
But a sixth goal conceded in added time this season, all away from home, saw them defeated by the league’s bottom markers.
Harry Pell was also forced off in the first half on just his second appearance in a tough afternoon for Darren Way’s side.
After a promising start, City took a 14th minute lead thanks to combination play between two ex-Chippenham men.
Matt Bowman initially dispossessed Reece Fleet in his own half, allowing Brad Ash and Owen Windsor to combine down the left on the counter.
Windsor bore down on goal and had options in the middle, but wisely shot across Will Henry at his near post and through the goalkeeper for his third goal in two games.
Ash was proving a menace again soon after. Having out-paced makeshift left-back Sol Wanjau-Smith, his low centre was spilled by Henry but Bowman’s attempt was touched behind for a corner.
Billy Phillips, briefly on loan at Twerton last season, danced into space on the edge of the area before his rising shot needed Harvey Wiles-Richards’ fingertips to prevent a leveller.
An innocuous collision just past the half hour proved crucial in the context of the game as City were forced to replace their most recent arrival.
Having jumped for a header with Wanjau-Smith, Pell landed heavily in a tangle with the former Roman and hobbled down the tunnel with Alves replacing him.
The substitute was unwittingly involved in Chippenham’s equaliser on 40 minutes.
His needless push on Canice Carroll resulting in a free-kick 35 yards out.
Wanjau-Smith went low to Jake Evans, whose flicked delivery fell to Harry Parsons just inside the box.
Parsons’ mishit shot cannoned off the face of Carroll to wrong-foot Wiles-Richards, leaving the defender dazed while he celebrated his first goal for the Bluebirds.
Luke Haines’ thunderous free-kick was batted away by Wiles-Richards in the last action of the half which had swung in Town’s favour after Pell’s departure.
The momentum carried on after the break as the hosts were awarded a penalty inside two minutes of the restart.
Wanjau-Smith played a one-two with Phillips, continued into the box and went to ground from Jack Batten’s challenge.
Referee Brandon Scaife pointed to the spot, awarding Chippenham their first penalty at home to City since 27 December 2005, the previous time they’d beaten them at the Thornbury Surfacing Stadium.
On that occasion Iain Herring sent Paul Evans the wrong way. Twenty years on, Parsons did the same to Wiles-Richards, confidently firing into the bottom left corner to send the home fans wild.
Kieran Parselle, one of six ex-Chippenham men in the City starting XI, lashed over from a tight angle, and Jake Evans did enough to put off Windsor as Ash’s jinking run to the byline helped tee up his strike partner.
Joe Raynes and Ash failed to test Henry from promising positions before Chippenham missed a golden opportunity to seal the game.
Substitute Caine Bradbury capitalised on a slip from Parselle and rolled the ball past Wiles-Richards, who was grateful to see Batten alert behind him to scramble clear.
It looked like it proved crucial as City appeared to have rescued a point.
Ethan Vaughan was penalised on the edge of the box and Alves dusted himself down to wallop the resulting free-kick into the right corner, giving Henry no chance for his second away goal in as many games.
But yet another failure to see out a game cost City dearly as they shot themselves in the foot three minutes later.
After Wanjau-Smith went down cheaply following a tussle with Raynes, Bradbury whipped in a teasing free-kick which was flicked onto the crossbar by Tom Owen-Evans.
The reprieve was brief as Chukwu slashed home the rebound to snatch a memorable success for the home side, leaving the City players and supporters stunned.
Att: 1731
City’s Line-Up: Wiles-Richards, Raynes, Greenslade, Batten, Parselle (c), Ash, Tillson, Russe (Putman 72), Bowman (Beardmore 72), Windsor, Pell (Alves 34). Subs not used: Sweeten, Pritchard, Binns, Yeboah.
Scorers: City – Windsor (14), Alves (90); Chippenham – Carroll (39), Parsons (pen 47), Chukwu (90+5)
City Bookings: Bowman (67), Alves (76)
Officials: B Scaife, B Williamson, M Gupta, M Bloor (4th)