THREE trips to the hospital, a wonderful goal and a stupid sending off - it's been an eventful few days for Chippenham Town captain Ian Herring.

The former Swindon Town midfielder was stabbed on the arm last Sunday, just 24 hours after banging his head on the pavement outside a pub in Chippenham.

On both occasions Herring was taken to hospital, to the RUH in Bath on Saturday and to the Great Western in Swindon the following night.

A 16-year-old girl has been arrested in connection with the stabbing and Herring plans to press charges.

He made a return to Swindon on Friday to have the 25 staples in his head removed so he could lead the Bluebirds out against rivals Tiverton Town.

But the action did not end there for Herring as first he scored a brilliant goal before getting himself sent off for two bookable offences.

"It was a pretty strange week all-round," he told the Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News.

"It was bad enough falling over on Saturday night but to get stabbed the following day wasn't much fun either.

"I still don't know what the girl stabbed me with but I was bleeding pretty badly."

Herring revealed he was so desperate to play against Tiverton he had the staples in his head taken out before the doctors recommended.

He said: "I really wanted to play because I've been in good form over the last few weeks.

"To get the winning goal was great. I don't remember how the ball came to me, I just hit it straight in the top corner.

"But then I go and get myself sent off for something petulant like kicking the ball away.

"I felt I let the boys down but luckily they managed to hang on without me for the last few minutes."

Herring has been trying to control his emotions on the pitch this season but says he will never lose the fire that makes him the player he is.

"If I turn up and just keep my mouth shut it would take the edge off my game," he said.

"If you ask my team-mates I don't think they would want me to be quiet either. I just have to learn when to shout and when not to."

Herring hopes the victory at Ladysmead on Saturday will transform Chippenham's fortunes after a torrid few weeks.

After the match he paid tribute to manager Darren Perrin and assistant Adie Mings for the hard work they have put in on the training ground.

He said: "We were much fitter than Tiverton on Saturday, which really helped when we went a man down.

"Darren and Adie deserve great credit for that because they have not let standards slip in practice.

"The lads fought really hard for each other which shows we have a great team spirit."

Herring will be hoping to grab the headlines for all the right reasons tomorrow against Hillingdon Borough.