Westbury United 2009-2010

[Andy]

Westbury United Early Season Information

Westbury United's pre-season gets into full swing in the next few weeks with friendlies away to Calne Town and Shafesbury Town, home to Warminster Town and home to Yeovil Town (see fixture list for full details).

On Saturday 25 July there will be two matches at Meadow Lane as the Veterans team takes on their Warminster counterparts, followed by a First Team friendly between the same two sides.

Then on Friday 31 July Westbury play host to Yeovil Town in a match arranged in conjunction with the kit sponsor Westbury Packaging.

The league season gets under way on Saturday 8 August with a home local derby against relegated Devizes Town which will be followed by a trip to Wootton Basset Town in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.

Pre-Season/Early Season fixtures
Sat 18 July, Calne Town, Away, 3pm
Tues 21 July, Shaftesbury Town, Away, Friendly, 7.30pm
Sat 25 July, Veterans v Warminster Veterans, HOME, Friendly, 2pm
Sat 25 July, First Team v Warminster Town, HOME, Friendly, 4.30pm
Fri 31 July, Yeovil Town, HOME, Friendly, 7.45pm
Tues 4 Aug, TBA (maybe HOME v Trowbridge Town)
Sat 8 Aug, Devizes Town, HOME, League, 3pm
Sat 15 Aug, Wootton Basset Town, Away, FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, 3pm
Tues 18 Aug, Keynsham Town, Away, League, 7.30pm
Sat 22 Aug, Bridport, HOME, League, 3pm
Sat 29 Aug, Portishead, HOME, League, 3pm (or FA Cup HOME v Petersfield or Brockenhurst)

[Andy]

The first friendly was a 0-2 defeat at Premier Division Calne Town.

[Andy]

      Westbury United their form going in resounding style when they ran out 10-1 winners away to Shafesbury Town on Tuesday 21 July!
      Westbury were 3-0 ahead after an hour but, once Shaftesbury began to make substitutions, they ran away with it! Teenage striker Matt Mead scored five goals, Dan Kovacs got two while the others were shared by Matty Smith, Nick Ridout and new signing Reece Schell.

[Andy]

Saturday 25 August

Mike Taylor Trophy, Westbury Utd Veterans v Warminster Town Veterans, 2pm
Bert Back Shield, Westbury United 1st Team v Warminster Town 1st team, 4.30pm

There will be a barbecue during the afternoon/evening.

[Andy]

Apologies for the delay, I have been away & without the internet.

BERT BACK & MIKE TAYLOR MEMORIAL MATCHES REPORTS
Saturday 25 July 2009

Westbury United 2-4 Warminster Town

      Warminster cruised to victory in the Bert Back Memorial Trophy with Westbury's two goals only coming after they had been four goals behind!
      A poor throw by keeper Nick Evans gifted the ball to Shaun Sheppard on 20 minutes and he responded by rifling an unstoppable strike into the top corner from 30 yards!
      New signing Reece Schell threatened an equaliser but his side went 0-2 down on 25 : Louis Sparey's pace and low ball into the box found Tom Welch who made no mistake from close range. Sparey got on the scoresheet ten minutes later when he latched onto the ball and lobbed Evans to increase Town's lead.
      It became 0-4 on 55 when Tom Clifford outpaced Mark Pearce before finishing with ease. Westbury's somewhat under strength team were being torn apart and Manager Paul Brickley will look forward to having the eight unavailable players to choose from soon!
      However they showed some fight to pull two goals back : Aaron Billett arrived in the box to score on 65 and on 78 Dan Kovacs hit a lovely 25 yarder into the corner of the net.

Westbury United Veterans 0-2 Warminster Town Veterans

      Warminster's veterans retained the Mike Taylor Trophy as this match was again played in hot sunshine.
      The first half was even with chances at both ends, the best falling to Warminster's Geoff Back who somehow put the ball wide when one on one with Chris Andrews, while Westbury's Matty Bown set up Andy Goodenough but his effort was held by Paul Colborne.
      And error by Andrews allowed Kevin Sparey the time to set up Brett Ball and he opened the scoring on 46 minutes. The second goal came ten minutes from the end when Back played the ball into the box to Paul Vowles who side-fotted it in.

[Andy]

Westbury Utd will play host to a Yeovil Town team on Friday evening (31 July) with the kick off being 7.45pm. Admission will be £3.00 for adults with accompanying children free. The match has been arranged in conjunction with the kit sponsor Westbury Packaging who also sponsor Yeovil Town.

[Andy]

PRE SEASON FRIENDLY
Friday 31 July 2009

WESTBURY SHOCK YOUNG YEOVIL TEAM
Westbury United 3-0 Yeovil Town

      An almost full strength Westbury United turned over their young Yeovil opponents with an excellent performance full of strong defending and pacy attacking. Such was their dominance that the closest Yeovil came was a late set piece which hit the crossbar!
      Wayne Wheeler and Matty Smith set the tone with several early attacks while Neil Grant forced Steve Boore into a fine diving save.
      The visitors had a few half chances but saw shots blocked before Matty Smith & Wheeler counter attacked only to see Grant head weakly past the post.
      Lee Morgan received the ball from Ashley Groves and sent a 25 yarder over the bar while at the other end Tyler Sheppard nodded it just wide.
      Wheeler paved the way for the opening goal on 54 and it was Matty Smith who got on the end of his low cross with a tap in from inside the six yard box.
      Yeovil mounted some quick breaks of their own but could only create half chances with Mark Pearce and Sayeed Ibrahim defending well.
      The second goal came on 76 : substitute Mark Young beat Boore to the ball and rolled it in from an acute angle.
      Ciaran Levet tried his luck with a set piece from wide on the left wing but saw the ball beat Stuart Powell before hitting the bar and bouncing to safety.
      The goal of the game came with three minutes remaining when, with the Yeovil keeper off his line, Dan Kovacs struck the ball perfectly from 30 yards into the bottom corner.

[Andy]

Pre Season Friendly
Tuesday 4 August 2009

Westbury United 2-1 Trowbridge Town

Two early Wayne Wheeler goals set Westbury on their way to an unconvincing win against Trowbridge on a very wet evening at Meadow Lane. Credit must go to the visitors for a better second half performance where they almost snatched a draw by player much better than in the opening half.

Wheeler scored his goals with the first chances of the match : on 7 minutes he latched onto Lee Morgan's direct pass before turning and firing past Tom Berryman into the top corner. Then on 11 a great burst of pace by Tarick Yachou allowed Wheeler the time and space to get on the end of Yachou's low cross and finish from ten yards.

Further chances followed for Rhys Schell and Luke Smith but both found Berryman in good form. The keeper then saved again as Wheeler went in search of a hattrick.

Town were the better side after half time and, after missing chances that fell to Sam Meredith, Dean Hutchinson and Steve Hubbart, finally took advantage of Westbury's defensive sloppiness on 84 when Meredith volleyed past Nick Evans to make it 2-1.

[Andy]

Just a brief update...

The first league match saw a 2-0 win v Devizes Town last Saturday (8 Aug) with the goals scored by Wayne Wheeler and Reece Shell.

Fixtures
Sat 15 Aug, Wootton Basset, Away, FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, 3pm
Tues 18 Aug, Keynsham Town, Away, League, 7.45pm
Sat 22 Aug, Bridport, HOME, League, 3pm

[Andy]

FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND
Saturday 18 August 2009

WHEELER’S LATE HEADER EARNS UNITED REPLAY
Wootton Bassett Town 2-2 Westbury United

In a match of fluctuating fortunes, Westbury striker Wayne Wheeler netted a late header to take the tie to a replay. United had actually taken an early lead before their hosts dominated much of the second half, including scoring twice to give them a chance of progressing in the competition.

New signing Rhys Schell opened the scoring on 18 minutes after a long period of pressure when he took advantage of an error by home keeper Stewart Thompson to prod the ball into the net.

Schell went close again soon after when his smart turn and strike was turned over the cross bar by Thompson, while an excellent tackle by Luke Sharps denied Wheeler an opening.

Bassett stepped up the pace around the half hour mark and a series of efforts led to last ditch defending by Westbury : Nick Evans saved from Marcus Hall, Alex Green and Sam Collier, the latter save when Collier had already seen a fierce shot cleared off the line by Dan Dominy!

The second half started slowly and only came to life when United defender Lee Morgan was slow to react to clear the ball and allowed Ryan Banks to play it low into the six yard box where Adam Field tapped in the equaliser.
 
Westbury almost regained their lead immediately but Tarick Yachou’s low shot was saved by Thompson and it was Bassett who scored next on 69 : Green’s goal bound blast was parried by Evans but the ball ran to Banks who powered it into the roof of Evans’ goal.

Westbury attacked in the last ten minutes and two long throw ins by Sayeed Ibrahim caused panic in the home defence : from the first Nathan Hallett had a shot saved by Thompson, but the second flicked off a defender’s head to Wheeler and he looped his header over Thompson to earn the replay.

*STAR MEN : Marcus Hall (Wootton Bassett) & Dan Dominy (Westbury United)

TEAM – Nick Evans, Sayeed Ibrahim, Luke Smith, Dan Dominy, Mark Pearce, Lee Morgan, Ashley Groves, Matty Smith, Rhys Schell, Wayne Wheeler, Tarick Yachou
SUBS – Bobby Mitchell, Dan Kovacs, Nathan Hallett (all used)

[Andy]

Fa Cup replay v Wootton Bassett this evening, 7.45pm at Meadow Lane.

[Andy]

FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND REPLAY
Tuesday 18 August 2009

LATE WINNER FOR BASSETT AFTER EPIC SECOND HALF!
Westbury United 2-3 Wootton Bassett Town

      This was definitely a match for the neutral because both sets of supporters were left on the edge of their seats in a nail-biting, epic second half when all five goals were scored!
      Westbury were the better side for most of the first half with Nathan Hallett, who had one of his best matches for United, prominent on the left wing in a high tempo start.
      Hallett had the first chance when he cut inside before shooting wide and he then sent in a fizzing cross which Matty Smith could only divert over the bar.
      Further chances followed : Lee Morgan got on the end of a Matty Smith corner and had a volley cleared off the line by Steve Groom, Dan Kovacs got in behind the defence but was slow to shoot allowing Luke Sharps to clear.
      Wootton Bassett had their best chances of the half around the 30 minute mark : Ryan Banks latched onto Alex Green's cross but shot straight at Nick Evans, Green himself had a header saved by Evans and Westbury's keeper then dived to deny Adam Field.
      There were excellent chances at either end as the half drew to a close : Wayne Wheeler's pace carried him forward and he passed to Hallett who unleashed a fierce 20 yarder that was tipped over by Stewart Thompson. Then as Bassett countered Evans found himself in no-mans-land and Field lobbed the ball wide.
      The epic second half got off to a terrible start for United but a superb one for the visitors! Terry Adams' corner was allowed to bounce and Green passed to Field who netted from close range to make it 0-1. It was almost 0-2 a minute later when Adams ran onto a loose ball and hit a 25 yarder that cannoned down onto the line off the crossbar before being cleared! With Westbury all over the place Marcus Hall threaded the ball to Green but he shot a yard wide.
      Having kept themselves only a goal behind, Westbury began to play better again : Hallett took a touch before shooting wide and a lovely move between Sayeed Ibrahim and Matty Smith saw the latter cross to Kovacs who touched the ball over the bar.
      A sustained period of pressure and possession by Westbury went unrewarded around the hour and they were made to pay when Ibrahim lost the ball to Banks who ran in one on one with Evans. The home keeper made a fine stop but the ball rebounded to Green and he lashed it into the top corner to double his sides' lead.
      Westbury gained a lifeline immediately when their attack from the kick off led to Wheeler being fouled by Adams and a penalty awarded : Matty Smith tucked the spot kick low to Thompson's right hand side to reduce United's arrears on 63.
      However there was a sour moment after the penalty : Ashley Groves was sent off in an incident involving Groom when both players wrestled for the ball.
      Despite being a man down, Westbury took control with Hallett's pace causing all sorts of problems for Bassett's defence. Rhys Schell saw a cross-shot tipped over by Thompson and, from the resulting corner taken by Luke Smith, Dan Dominy had a header cleared off the line by the impressive Groom.
      Hallett made it 2-2 on 75 with the best goal of the evening when he went on another pacy run into the box and struck the ball low to Thompson's left and into the net.
      Both sides went all out for the win in the closing stages : Field headed straight at Evans, Westbury counter attacked with both Schell and Wheeler denied by Thompson and, as Westbury again lost the ball, Wootton Bassett snatched their winner on 86 when Mitch Wyatt claimed the final touch inside the box to make it 2-3.
      Still Westbury weren't finished : Wheeler went on a run and hit a left footer which was held by Thompson and the keeper's team clung on to win a memorable match.

*STAR MEN : Nathan Hallett (Westbury United) & Steve Groom (Wootton Bassett)

TEAM - Nick Evans, Sayeed Ibrahim, Luke Smith, Dan Dominy, Bobby Mitchell,
         Lee Morgan, Ashley Groves, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs, Wayne Wheeler,
         Nathan Hallett
SUBS - Rhys Schell, Tarick Yachou, Mark Young (used) Nick Mead (unused)

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Saturday 22 August 2009

KOVACS AT THE DOUBLE AS BEES ARE STUNG
Westbury United 2-1 Bridport

      The Bees from Bridport were stung by two excellent Dan Kovacs half volleys as Westbury won their second league match of the season. Bridport can count themselves a little unlucky though because they made Westbury defend strongly to win the three points.
      Home keeper Nick Evans saved a Chris Senior header early on before Kovacs opened the scoring on 15 : Nathan Hallett's deep cross from the left wing was headed back into the danger area by Matty Smith and Kovacs arrived to send a crisp strike into the net.
      Chris Clarke ran down the left for Bridport and after exchanging passes with Matt Moors he lofted the ball over the bar.
      Westbury almost doubled their lead before half time : Matty Smith's ball from the right decieved keeper Lee Cuff and he had to back-track to turn it over the bar. From Luke Smith's resulting corner Cuff did well to save a Kovacs header.
      Rhys Schell and Kovacs combined to great effect straight after the break as Westbury made it 2-0 : Schell ran into the right side of the penalty area and squared the ball to Kovacs who again struck it perfectly past Cuff and into the top corner.
      Schell hit a 20 yarder wide but the visitors pulled a goal back on 51 when a fine move ended with Jamie Symes' pacy cross finding Moors who glanced a header past Evans.
      United's impressive defender Dan Dominy prevented an equaliser on the hour when Moors and Matt Condliffe played a one-two and, as Moors tried to divert the ball goalwards, Dominy got in a vital clearance.
      After a tight period of play Schell really should have made the points safe on 86 : Luke Smith's direct ball sent Schell into a one on one with Cuff and the kepper did very well to make a low save.
      The Bees had the final chance in the last minute when a mazy run and 25 yard strike by Symes saw the ball hit Condliffe and run away from the penalty area.

STAR MEN - Dan Vovacs (Westbury United) & Jamie Symes (Bridport)

TEAM - Nick Evans, Sayeed Ibrahim, Luke Smith, Dan Dominy, Bobby Mitchell
         Lee Morgan, Ashely Groves, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs, Rhys Schell,
         Nathan Hallett
SUBS - Tarick Yachou, Mark Young (used) Tom Robinson (unused)

[Andy]

FA VASE FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
Saturday 5 September 2009

SCHELL'S WINNER DENIES WALLINGFORD'S YOUNG HATTRICK STAR
Westbury United 4-3 AFC Wallingford
(After Extra Time)

      Westbury United striker Rhys Schell continued his fine start to the season for his new club with two goals, including an extra time winner, to see his team through to the next round where they will play home to Devizes Town on Saturday 19 September.
      However the star of the day was Wallingford's 16 year old Tom Collins who came on as a half time substitute and scored a four minute hattrick! Collins also created a number of other chances for himself and his team mates!
      Westbury were by far the better team throughout the first half and went into the break with a 2-0 lead. Dan Kovacs scored first on 20 minutes : after a great run by Matty Smith had set him up, Kovacs took a touch and finished cooly. Kovacs set up the second on 32 when his ball from the right found Schell who looped a header over keeper Nick Bovingdon.
      Wallingford's best chances fell to Ross Baker and Craig Duncan with neither making Nick Evans work too hard.
      It was an entirely different story after the break with the introduction of Collins proving vital. The pacy attacker stripped Westbury's defence apart from the moment the half started and it was no surprise when he took advantage of abysmal play by the home team to lob a 25 yarder into the net on 58.
      Worse was to follow for Westbury straight after as they went asleep at a corner and Tristan Lewis' cross found Collins who volleyed the ball in from ten yards.
      Then, almost ridiculously, Wallingford retrieved the ball from United's kick off and Collins struck his hattrick goal from the edge of the box low to Evans' right hand side!
      From 2-0 ahead Westbury were now staring embarrassing defeat in the face and it took  time for them to pull themselves together and create half chances for Kovacs and Schell, both of which Bovingdon dealt with easily.
      Matty Smith found his best form in the last ten minutes and, after he'd gone close with a clever 20 yarder, he made it 3-3 on 86 by outpacing Lewis and driving the ball low into the corner of the net.
      Neither side sat on the draw which would mean extra time : Bovingdon saved excellently from Kovacs, Evans did very well to stop Collins snatching a very late winner when the youngster was through one on one and then, right at the death, Kovacs lashed a 30 yarder a foot wide.
      As extra time began Collins' excellence showed again : he went on a mazy run past three Westbury defenders before shooting off target, found himself unmarked 20 yards from goal and brought a good save out of Evans and then showed super skill before skidding a shot inches wide.
      Having survived with the scoreline still level, United's resolve was rewarded in the 107th miute : Wayne Wheeler struck a 25 yarder that beat Bovingdon and rebounded off the post to Schell who netted comfortably for the winner. Wallingford couldn't pull themselves back this time and Westbury went through with relief!

*STAR MAN - Tom Collins (AFC Wallingford)

TEAM - Nick Evans, Sayeed Ibrahim, Luke Smith, Dan Dominy, Pete Ayton, Bobby Mitchell,
         Ashley Groves, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs, Rhys Schell, Nathan Hallett
Subs - Jay Hookins, Wayne Wheeler, Tom Robinson (used) Mark Pearce (unused)

[Andy]

Toolstation League Division One
Saturday 12 September 2009

HONOURS EVEN AS HOME KEEPER STARS
Cadbury Heath 1-1 Westbury United

Two outstanding saves by Cadbury Heath goalkeeper Shane Mason earned his side a point in a match which saw the hosts create only a few chances, while Westbury rattled the woodwork twice in the second half!

Matty Smith gave Westbury a very early lead from the penalty spot : Rhys Schell was clumsily challenged by Adamo Missiato and a spot kick awarded which United’s right winger scored confidently.

Heath’s only chance of the opening half fell for Missiato on 25 when his bullet header from Fabian McCarthy’s corner hit the crossbar.

Mason’s first top save came just before the break when Dan Kovacs sent in a fierce volley from Matty Smith’s free kick and somehow the keeper parried it wide of his left hand post!

Yet again Westbury conceded a goal early in the second half, something which is becoming an all to regular occurrence : Nick Evans erred and allowed McCarthy to cross the ball back into the box where Dwain James arrived to head the equaliser.

The next chance fell to Wayne Wheeler and it was this which brought an even better save out of Mason : Matty Smith’s great run and ball into the box allowed Wheeler an opening and, with the ball seemingly destined to find the net, Mason amazingly managed to tip it onto the bar…

… From Luke Smith’s resulting corner Nick Ridout powered a header against the post and the ball bounced to safety!

STAR MEN – Shane Mason (Cadbury Heath) & Matty Smith (Westbury United

TEAM – Nick Evans, Mark Young, Luke Smith, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout,
        Bobby Mitchell, Tom Robinson, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs, Rhys Schell,
        Wayne Wheeler
SUBS – Nathan Hallett (used), Sayeed Ibrahim, Jay Hookins (unused)