Chippenham 14, St Ives 22

POOR decision making cost Chippenham victory in a South West One match they should have won.

First team manager Robbie Spiers said: "The coaches asked the boys for determination and effort, which they got, but some poor decision making cost us possession and we were on the back foot.

"This now makes the away game at Bracknell a must win game for us."

Chippenham welcomed back Karl Brant at full-back, centres Gary Champion and James Macrae and winger Adrian Twyning but captain Rupert Crockett remains unavailable through injury and last season's skipper Grant Trewartha took back the captain's armband.

Missing were Nick Doyle and James Gaiger from the back rows and second team captain Stu King took over the number eight shirt.

Chippenham took the lead with a try from prop Karl Parry-Curtis, with Twyning adding the conversion.

But St Ives hit back with a try from winger Luke Trescothick and a penalty from full-back Grant Thirlby to lead at the break.

St Ives number eight Michael Brooke was sent to the sin-bin and Chippenham took advantage to regain the lead with a try from Brant, converted by Twyning.

Chippenham made a couple of changes, with Jon Angell replacing Ben Shuker and Mark Livesey replacing Parry-Curtis, but then made the mistake of thinking that the game was won.

Although the home side created the chances, poor decision-making cost them possession. Replacement Angell was then shown a yellow card for stopping the ball coming out of the scrum and St Ives took full advantage of the extra man, left wing Lee Taylor making his way over the Chippenham line for the try and the conversion was added by Thirlby for a one point lead.

As the clock ticked down, Chippenham again had to defend desperately but the game was put beyond their reach by another try from Sheldon Waetford. Thirlby rounded off an accurate afternoon with the boot with the conversion.

Dings Crusaders 2nds 69, Chippenham 2nds 10 CHIPPENHAM'S second team travelled to Dings Crusader, whose first team play in the National Three League, with a vastly reduced strength team.

Missing were regulars Matt Jenkins,Pete Rigby, Hamish Morton, Graham Treen, Chris Hunt and Rich Taylor, who was away on County duties.

Dings regularly rotate their first and second team squads and Chippenham faced some real, quality opposition.

The visitors started well but Dings were just too good for Chippenham to compete with.

To their credit, Chippenham never gave up the fight and all their points came from fly-half Dan Reynolds, with a penalty in the first five minutes and a converted try in the second half.

Although disappointed with the result, coach Dave Williams was honest in his after match comments. He said: "They were just too good for us. There is nothing else I can say - we were stuffed."