CHIPPENHAM Town chief Mark Collier was pleased to see Oli Taylor open his account for the Bluebirds with the match-winner against Merthyr Town.

The former Wycombe Wanderers striker, who moved to Hardenhuish Park from local rivals Frome Town earlier this month, came off the bench and struck in the second period to keep Chippenham at the top of the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division with a 1-0 victory.

Manager Collier isn’t expecting the world of Taylor straight away but is hoping that the 21-year-old can prove an effective member of his frontline armoury.

“It will give him a lot of confidence. People forget that he’s only 21 – he looks older than that but he is only 21, so he’s a young one,” said the Bluebirds boss.

“He still needs to work on his fitness but once we get (Andy) Sandell back, we can have partnerships with Sandell, (Ashan) Holgate, Taylor and Ferguson.

“To score in front of the home fans down that end it great and when they’re signing his name, that makes him feel good as well, so credit to him.

“Hopefully he can go on from there.

“We thought we were a little bit ponderous and slow with the ball in the first half.

“In the second half, we had a few chances. Alex Ferguson should score but he’s scooped it over the bar and at that point, you think that maybe it’s not going to happen.

“Teams are going to come to us, get people behind the ball and it make themselves difficult to beat – teams aren’t just going to roll over.

“Merthyr, I expect to be in the top eight or nine come the end of the season so it’s a hard-earned three points and a welcome three points as well.”

Taylor has effectively replaced former Swindon Town youngster Mark Francis, who departed for Didcot Town earlier this month.

Collier said: “I would have kept Mark Francis but as soon as he saw that Oli Taylor had come, I think he thought his chances would have been limited.

“At that moment in time, that was right. I wanted him to get a bit fitter and he understood that, realised he was behind a few, so Franno’s gone on to Didcot and Oli Taylor’s replaced him in the squad.”

Chippenham make the trip to Weymouth on Tuesday evening.