Toolstation Western League
First Division
Chard Town 3, Warminster Town 2

HAVING not been able to win in the league since early March, the Robins signed off their First Division campaign with a well-deserved victory on Saturday thanks to a fine late goal from captain Taoufik Ben Salem, writes Rod Harrington.

The hosts made a somewhat nervous start, with the visitors making the early running and causing problems in the Chard defence.

Warminster were duly rewarded after 14 minutes when striker Tom Golledge manoeuvred himself into a good position to fire into the corner of the net.

But around the half hour the home side began to play with more confidence.

Skipper Ben Salem started the revival with a ball to Brad Miles who lofted his effort just over the bar, then a Jake Wolfe header from a Scott Jakeman corner was tipped over.

Kieran Bailey also went close with a header, which was followed by an almighty scramble in the Warminster defence.

Then, just before the break, some good work by James Boyland found Jakeman in space with just the keeper to beat, but Nathan Farquharson came out well to foil the Chard man, and so it remained 1-0 to the visitors at half time.

Playing down the slope after the break, the Robins took charge and the equaliser came just four minutes into the second half.

Ben Salem was found lurking in the box, and he thumped home Jakeman’s corner from close range.

Chard were now dominant, and an immaculate Boyland strike from a Jakeman cross found the net on 57 minutes to give the home side the advantage.

However, against the run of play, on 76 minutes the Warminster substitute Mark Robinson was allowed to run through and fire home, although there was a strong suspicion he might have controlled the ball with his hand.

It set up a nailbiting finish but the Robins were duly rewarded for their efforts 10 minutes later, when a tenacious run by Ben Salem saw the skipper shrug off a couple of challenges, and he neatly slipped the ball past the advancing Farquharson to secure the win.

Chard Town: Stuart Parris, Pat Golden, Ryan Mason, Shaun Wells-Burr, Kieran Bailey, Matt Howell, Scott Jakeman (Dave Duarte), Jake Wolfe (Luke Jackson), Taoufik Ben Salem, Brad Miles, James Boyland. Subs not used: Max Westlake and Andrew Holmes.

The three points mean that Chard finish 10th out of 22 sides in the First Division with 59 points.

It marks a success for manager Paul Down, who replaced Adam Fricker in July and has succeeded in stabilising the team after Fricker departed for Bridport with several of the Robins’ first team players.

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LAST week Chard Town picked up the Western League’s Most Sporting Team Award for March.

Club chairman Lyndsey Gage and player Steve Friend received the award from league director Sue Merrill.