MARK Collier believes the significance of Chippenham Town’s 2-1 National League South win over Whitehawk should not be underestimated despite the Brighton side’s status at the bottom of the table.

Goals from Matt Smith and Dave Pratt ensured that the Bluebirds started December in decent fashion, having gone the month of November without a league win to their names, despite Whitehawk goalkeeper Seny Dieng going up into the area and pulling a late goal back for the visitors.

The result was a welcome shot in the arm for Collier’s men, who had been dumped out of the FA Trophy by the same opponents seven days earlier, as they continued their stellar home form which has seen them beaten just once in 10 games.

“I was very pleased,’’ admitted Collier. “I know they (Whitehawk) are bottom of the league but they are a growing team.

“They’ve got five or six players on loan from pro clubs and their manager thinks that they will stay up and I think they will beat a lot more teams between now and the end of the season.

“Also, we were playing them not in great form, but we were dominant throughout the game. They scored a very late goal but we were more than good value for the three points.’’

The match kicked off 15 minutes late after the Whitehawk coach broke down en route, but Chippenham had the upper hand in the first half without registering on the scoreboard.

After the break, Smith fired the home side in front and Pratt doubled the lead to secure the points despite Dieng’s late reply.

Collier, who had former Cardiff City U23 player Abdi Noor on the bench after completing his signing late last week, added: “Their coach had broken down and they got here at 2.20pm.

“The ref gave them an extra 15 minutes and it does ruin things as your warm-up is set at a certain time. But we managed to get the game on and we started the game well and created some good chances but their keeper made some good saves.

“I thought we were very dominant throughout and deserved the three points.’’

He added: “We played well in the first half. Their keeper made some decent saves and there had been some blocks and some corners but we just needed to make sure that we were calm, relaxed and patient at half-time because we always thought that we would get that first goal.

“They got a goal in the last minute from a set-piece so we’re disappointed that we conceded late on but it was all about the three points and we would have settled for a 2-1 win.

“It’s all about the result. There are no easy games in this league. It was a potential banana skin and one you don’t really want to be playing when you’re not in great form.

“But the lads have shown some good character and our home form stacks up there with the best. The way we’re playing away from home we need to keep banging in those points at home.’’

Collier is also awaiting international clearance on moves to bring in left-back Curtis McDonald and midfielder Robbie Patten, who were previously at Southern League Premier Division Merthyr Town.