Bluebirds denied late on after Bunker brace

TEN-MAN Chippenham battled to a point at Eastbourne as two goals from Harvey Bunker earned a 2-2 draw in the National League South.

The on-loan Forest Green Rovers teenager twice converted from the penalty spot to turn a deficit into a lead, but the hosts earned a spotkick of their own late on to ensure the spoils were shared.

Eastbourne took the lead after just six minutes as Charlie Walker headed past Will Henry, and ten minutes later the Bluebirds were down to ten men as Kieran Parselle was dismissed for dragging down Walker from another attack.

Inside 20 minutes, however, Ricky Aquiar was brought down in the Eastbourne box and Bunker slotted in the resultant penalty.

And midway through the second half Bunker repeated the trick with his second spot-kick of the day.

Chippenham were unable to hang on for an impressive victory, however, as Eastbourne earned a penalty of their own in stoppagetime and Joshua Oyinsan held his nerve to equalise.

In the National League North, meanwhile, Gloucester City are back in the relegation zone after their 1-0 defeat at AFC Fylde.

The only goal came via Joe Pigott just before half-time, while Leon Chambers-Parillon missed City’s best opportunity of the afternoon.

■ Salisbury moved into the playoff places in the Premier Division South of the Southern League with a 3-1 win at Weston-super-Mare.

Tom Blair and Sam Ashton, from the penalty spot, netted the key goals after half-time, with Ashton’s early goal having been levelled before the break by Dayle Grubb.

Elsewhere, sixth-placed Taunton thrashed Beaconsfield 7-1.

Toby Holmes led the way with a hat-trick, while Gethyn Hill, Ross Staley and Conor Hartley were also on target and Luke Neville netted an own goal. Nathan Minhas hit the reply for the visitors.

Swindon Supermarine were held to a 1-1 draw at Walton Casuals after a 43rd-minute opener from Ryan Campbell was cancelled out by the hosts’ Rohdell Gordon.

Farnborough moved top of the table with a 4-1 home victory over basement side King’s Langley.

In Division One South, leaders Totton crushed Barnstaple 8-1, but Sholing, lying second, lost 3-2 at fifth-placed Frome, who had Chris Peck, Kane Simpson and Rex Mannings on target.

Bristol Manor Farm, in third, won 3-1 at Paulton, while fourthplaced Cirencester beat Slimbridge 6-0 as Josh Grace-Parsons and Harry Williams both hit hat-tricks.

Highworth, meanwhile, thumped visiting Evesham 5-1.