CHIPPENHAM Town boss Mark Collier hailed the impact of those coming off the bench as they helped snatch a win over Biggleswade Town.

The Bluebirds kept their faint play-off hopes alive, something that looked to have been extinguished two minutes after the break when Gavin Hoyte gave the visitors a two-goal lead.

Craig Daniel had already opened the scoring for Biggleswade in the ninth minute at Hardenhuish Park when he was able to meet a low cross and drill a shot past Kent Kauppinen.

Centre-back Hoyte doubled the advantage when he headed home from a left-wing corner to leave Chippenham staring down the barrel of a fourth defeat in five.

The Bluebirds then made a triple substitution on 57 minutes that changed the game.

Ten minutes later, Ian Brown could not hold Matt Jones’ shot and Alec Fiddes followed in to cut the deficit.

A minute later Chippenham broke and Matt Smith fired a 25-yard shot across Brown for the equaliser.

The winning goal came on 76 minutes as a third substitute, Oli Taylor, knocked the ball to Jones, who made no mistake from close range.

“We started off the first 10 minutes nice and bright and then conceded a sloppy goal,” said Collier.

“We weren’t great the rest of the first half and were a bit too long in our passing.

“We spoke to players at half-time and looked for a response and shortly after the break, we conceded from a set-piece and were 2-0 down.

“We opted to gamble and go with three subs on with more than half an hour to go, and changed the system.

“Credit to the three subs; they have had an effect on the game and two of them have scored, and we looked a completely different team.

“They have sat in the dugout and it is pouring with rain and it is cold and they have gone on and done something about it, and all three of them have put themselves in the frame for a start on Thursday against Cambridge.

“It shows the spirit we have got. We kept on playing and we stuck together.

“We have had a difficult time of it and when you go 2-0 down, it is easy to look around and feel sorry for yourselves and think 'we haven’t got much to play for'.

“It is nice to see our hard work and application has been rewarded.”

The win leaves Chippenham three points adrift of Kettering Town in the final play-off spot, albeit having played two more games.

With just three matches remaining, Collier’s side still face a big ask to creep back into the promotion picture.

“We know we have good players and they’ve been reminded of that,” he said.

“We haven’t been in the top six all season because we’re a poor side – it is a poor run that’s cost us.”