SOUTHERN PREMIER

Chippenham Town 0, Merthyr Tydfil 1

DARREN Perrin admitted he felt "under pressure" after Chippenham lost three games in a row for the first time under his leadership.

Saturday's home defeat to Merthyr Tydfil followed a first ever Southern League loss to Gloucester City and an FA Cup exit at the hands of Hellenic League side Slimbridge.

For the second match in succession the Bluebirds failed to break down a team with 10-men after Merthyr's Paul Keddle was dismissed for violent conduct.

Perhaps more alarming for Perrin and the Chippenham supporters is the club's lowly league position, just three points clear of basement side Cheshunt in 13th place.

With hopes of promotion to the Conference South fading fast, Perrin knows he must act quickly to turn things around.

He said: "Yes, I do feel under pressure - but I put myself under pressure because I like winning football matches. We know we are in a rut at the moment but it's important to stick together. We want to be at the other end of the table.

"We're desperate for an ugly 1-0 win just to kick-start our season. Hopefully we can get that this weekend at Tiverton."

Of the 526 supporters who attended Hardenhuish Park on Saturday, it was the small, but noisy, band of Martyrs that went home happy.

On an afternoon of embarrassment for their national side, the Welsh outfit showed exactly why they remain unbeaten in the Southern League this season.

For all their gusto in the first half, Chippenham failed to breach the visitors' defence marshalled by the towering Gareth Wharton. It didn't get much better after the break as the Bluebirds mustered just one strike on goal, a mishit shot from centre-back Adam Garner.

That 21-year-old goalkeeper Chris Snoddy, deputising for the injured Steve Perrin, was named man-of-the-match highlights just how toothless the home side were in attack.

It started positively enough, with strikers Dave Gilroy and Martin Paul showing signs of an understanding which first developed last Tuesday night at Gloucester.

Ian Herring was influential in his favoured central midfield role, and the skipper brought a fine save out of Ashley Morris with a curling free kick after seven minutes.

Snoddy was called into action after 23 minutes when he flung himself to his right to turn Kris Dimond's free kick round the post.

The Biddestone stopper then turned sweeper to clear bravely with Craig Steins bearing down on goal.

Martin Paul should have done better when he raced onto Herring's through-ball after 25 minutes only to shoot straight at Morris.

And Dave Gilroy was equally wasteful when he volleyed over from 10 yards when Merthyr failed to clear their lines.

Snoddy came to the rescue for Chippenham before the break when he blocked from Steins after a lightning quick break from the visitors.

But the big gloveman could do nothing to prevent Merthyr skipper Gary Shephard's diving header from Steve Williams' long throw minutes after the restart.

Even after Keddle was given his marching orders for pushing Herring in the face, Chippenham rarely threatened the Merthyr goal.

Garner's scuffed strike from outside the box barely deserved a mention in a forgettable second half display.