Westbury United 2009-2010

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Tuesday 15 September 2009

FOUR UNBEATEN NOW FOR UNITED
Keynsham Town 1-2 Westbury United

      Westbury are now unbeaten in their first four league matches and have ten points on the board after this fine victory away to one of the early season pace-setters.
      All the goals came in the first half with Nathan Hallett and Dan Kovacs on target for Westbury. Hallett's goal continued his fine recent form as he went on a pacy left wing run before slotting the ball under Keynsham 'keeper Chris Astley. The second goal came after a fumble by Astley and Kovacs was on hand to tap the ball into the net.
      Hallett blotted his performance by receiving a straight red card in the second half.

TEAM - Nick Evans, Mark Young, Luke Smith, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout, Tom Robinson,
         Bobby Mitchell, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs, Wayne Wheeler, Nathan Hallett
SUBS - Sayeed Ibrahim, Aaron Billett, Mark Pearce

First Team Fixtures
Sat 19 Sept, Devizes Town, HOME, FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round, 3pm
Tues 22 Sept, Shepton Mallet, HOME, League, 7.45pm
Sat 26 Sept, Almondsbury UWE, Away, League, 3pm

[Andy]

FA VASE SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND
Saturday 19 September 2009

ANOTHER HIGH SCORING VASE MATCH AT MEADOW LANE
Westbury United 3-2 Devizes Town

      Westbury won through to the first round proper, where they will play home to Carterton on Saturday 3 October, after what turned out to be another high scoring encounter in this competition!
      United raced into an early two goal lead : after chances went begging for Nathan Hallett and Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs scored first on 12 minutes when he showed composure to round keeper Martin Mitchell before rolling the ball into the net. The second goal came soon after when an excellent move down the left by Luke Smith and Hallett led to the latter crossing into the box to Aaron Billett who struck an excellent finish into the top of the goal.
      It seemed that struggling Devizes were going to roll over and maybe Westbury’s players thought the same as they took their foot off the pedal. They were made to pay on the half hour when a needless free kick was given away 40 yards from goal and Dan Sloane stepped up to thrash an unstoppable strike past Nick Evans to make it 2-1.
      Westbury were poor for much of the second half, however good defending by Mark Young in particular prevented their visitors any clear cut chances. The nearest they came was an acute angled effort by Sloane which Evans blocked.
      Wayne Wheeler came on as a substitute and almost scored straight away when he turned and hit a great shot that Mitchell tipped onto the crossbar.  Matty Smith seemingly made the game safe three minutes into added time when he latched onto Sayeed Ibrahim’s long throw before driving the ball low into the net.
      However Devizes weren’t finished as they took advantage of more sloppy United defending to pull another goal back when Dave Rendle outpaced Dan Dominy and shot past Evans.

*STAR Man – Mark Young (Westbury United)
TEAM – Nick Evans, Mark Young, Luke Smith, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout, Tom Robinson
        Bobby Mitchell, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs, Aaron Billett, Nathan Hallett
SUBS – Wayne Wheeler, Rhys Schell, Sayeed Ibrahim (all used)

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Tuesday 22 September 2009

FIVE STAR WESTBURY STUN SHEPTON
Westbury United 5-0 Shepton Mallet

      Westbury extended their unbeaten league run to five matches with a five goal thrashing of Shepton Mallet on what was a perfect evening for football. The goals were shared by strike duo Dan Kovacs (2) and Wayne Wheeler as well as defenders Nick Ridout and Dan Dominy.
      There was little sign of the goal rush to come as in a largely forgettable first half, littered with strong tackling, poor passing and wasted set pieces by both teams, the only moment of note was the opening goal on 32 minutes : Mark Young's long ball forward was touched to Nick Ridout by Nathan Hallett and Ridout finished with ease.
      After the break it was a completely different story as United tore their visitors apart with some incisive, fast, attacking play.
      Matty Smith's excellent cross was narrowly missed by Ridout on 51, but the second goal came just a minute later : Ridout sent a long ball forward which the Shepton defence allowed to bounce and Kovacs ran into the box to challenge keeper Liam MacFarlane for the ball. As both jumped it was Kovacs who got a vital touch with his head to send the ball looping up before it dropped down over the goal line.
      A flowing move by Matty Smith and Wheeler set up Kovacs on 66 and his shot was cleared off the line by Robert Banfield. The resulting corner was taken short by Luke Smith with Hallett returning the ball to United's left back who sent in a deep cross which was met by Dan Dominy's back post header to make it 3-0.
      Shepton were all over the place by now and further goals arrived in the 75th and 78th minutes : Wheeler ran from halfway and saw his fierce shot spilt by MacFarlane but Kovacs was on hand to tap in his 7th goal of the season. Wheeler capped an improved performance by himself with the final goal as he went on another run before curling a low 25 yarder into MacFarlane's bottom left hand corner.
      As Shepton waited for their agony to end, Wheeler sent in a corner kick which clipped the bar and Dominy almost scored again when his header from another Luke Smith corner rebounded off the bar!

TEAM - Nick Evans, Mark Young, Luke Smith, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout, Tom Robinson,
         Bobby Mitchell, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs, Wayne Wheeler, Nathan Hallett
SUBS - Aaron Billett, Rhys Schell, Sayeed Ibrahim (all used)

[Andy]

Sat 26 Sept, Almondsbury UWE, Away, League, 3pm
Sat 3 Oct, Carterton, HOME FA Vase 1st Round Proper, 3pm
Tues 6 Oct, Hengrove Athletic, HOME, League, 7.45pm
Sat 10 Oct, Marlborough Town, Away, Wilts Senior Cup, 3pm
Tues 13 Oct, Shepton Mallet, Away, League, 7.30pm
Sat 17 Oct, Gillingham Town, HOME, League, 3pm
Tues 20 Oct, Almondsbury UWE, HOME, League, 7.45pm
Tues 27 Oct, Wells City, HOME, League, 7.45pm
Sat 31 Oct, Portishead, Away, League, 3pm

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Saturday 26 September 2009

NINE GOALS IN TWO GAMES FOR WESTBURY
Almondsbury UWE 1-4 Westbury United

      Westbury’s superb form continued with a dominant victory at their hosts’ renovated ground. They have now scored nine goals in two matches and are playing some excellent, confident football.
      On a very warm afternoon it was quite a surprise that United took 28 minutes to open the scoring. Chances had gone begging for Nathan Hallett, Nick Ridout and Dan Kovacs, with Stuart Wood in the Almonds’ goal making several excellent saves. The first goal was at the end of a lovely move as Hallett and Luke Smith combined to set up Kovacs who side footed the ball past Wood.
      Another fast break led to the score being doubled on 48 when Hallett and Wayne Wheeler played a one-two with Hallett racing onto the ball to finish coolly.
      Westbury had a number of opportunities to settle the match but Wheeler (three times) and Ridout were denied by Wood. Wheeler missed a sitter on 73 and, just when the points should have been safe, Almondsbury snatched a lifeline : their clearest chance of the afternoon saw Matt Brown force Nick Evans into a save and the ball rebounded to James Fitzgerald who tapped it into the net.
      United scored again immediately when, from their kick off, the ball was played to Matty Smith on the right wing and he crossed it to Hallett who scored his second when racing in at the back post.
      The final goal came on 79 : Wood made a great save to tip away a Kovacs half volley, from Matty Smith’s resulting corner Dan Dominy ran in and sent a bullet header into the net.

STAR MEN – Stuart Wood (Almondsbury) & Matty Smith (Westbury United)

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

[Andy]

FA VASE FIRST ROUND
Saturday 3 October 2009

UNITED BOW OUT IN TIGHT ENCOUNTER
Westbury United 0-1 Carterton FC

      Westbury United went out of the FA Vase after a tight match at a windy Meadow Lane. Carterton overcame a determined effort by Westbury with some strong defending, led by captain Jamie Butt, denying their hosts a second half equaliser.
      After Westbury keeper Nick Evans had made a fine save from Daniel Dixon in the opening minutes, his side mounted a series of attacks with Nathan Hallett and Matty Smith creating openings for Dan Kovacs and Wayne Wheeler.
      Carterton keeper James Domm  saved from Wheeler and, after fine play by Kovacs and Wheeler, Hallett skewed an effort wide.
      The only goal came against the run of play on 27 minutes : Dixon played the ball to Michael Duerden who outpaced Mark Young before hitting a great, low 20 yarder past Evans.
       Westbury stepped up their pressure before the break and Domm excelled to tip away a fierce Nick Ridout strike after he’d stayed forward. Then, with the half time whistle looming, Matty Smith’s pace set up Kovacs but both he and Hallett were denied by a double save by Domm.
      The second half was much tighter with Butt in particular shutting Kovacs out of the game. Westbury’s best chances fell to hard working midfielderTom Robinson who hit two shots from outside the box which were narrowly off target.
      Evans made a fine double save from Duerden and Jed Riddy, but it was United who needed to chase the game and they seemed to run out of ideas as full time loomed, with an overhead effort by Young, which went well wide of the goal, the closest they came to forcing extra time.

STAR MEN – Tom Robinson (Westbury United)
                       Jamie Butt (Carterton)

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

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Tuesday 6 October 2009

STRIKE DUO BLAST UNITED TO VICTORY
Westbury United 3-1 Hengrove Athletic

      Rhys Schell and Dan Kovacs shared all three goals as Westbury powered their way to a sixth win in seven league matches to continue their unbeaten run in Division One. Kovacs opened the scoring after a terrible error by the visitors and Schell produced two excellent finishes eiter side of half time.
      With Luke Smith unavailable and Nathan Hallett suspended a double change was needed on United's left side : Mark Young switched to left back, Sayeed Ibrahim replaced him at right back and Wayne Wheeler moved to the left wing - this change allowing Schell to regain his starting place which he duly accepted.
      On a windy evening it was Hengrove who threatened first in the second minute, Westbury's defence allowed Tom Kington a free header at a Ricky Charlton corner and Nick Evans made a good save.
      The opening goal came on ten when visiting keeper Richard Jenkins was unable to deal with Sam Williams' weak back pass and Kovacs nipped in, took the ball from Jenkins and showed composure to find the net.
      After a scrappy period of play Matty Smith went on a pacy run from his own half and unleashed a 25 yarder that was deflected over the bar. Soon after Tom Robinson burst forward and struck a fine 20 yarder wide of the post.
      Athletic levelled the score on 29 when some typically sloppy Westbury defending let Shane Cummings run onto a loose ball and he sent a cracking strike past Evans and into the roof of the net.
      More chances followed at both ends : Young defended well to prevent Ben Crewe a header, Matty Smith played in Kovacs who shot straight at Jenkins and Charlton somehow rolled the ball wide when one on one with Evans after Dan Dominy's error had let him in.
      Schell came to the fore in the closing stages of the half : after having an effort blocked by Kington he got on the end of a great move by Dominy and Matty Smith on 45 to send a clever lob over Jenkins and put Westbury 2-1 ahead.
      There was less action after half time with United flying out of the blocks and then defending well to maintain their lead. Sayeed Ibrahim's long throw set up Kovacs who span and shot only to see Jenkins parry the ball wide, but the score became 3-1 on 52 : a great run by Matty Smith saw him beat three tackles and play the ball to Schell who took a touch and rifled a fizzing finish past Jenkins!
      Schell wasted a hattrick chance when he mistimed a header and substitute Mark Pearce was also off target with his head. Hengrove had an opening to get back in the game on 72 but Kington's header from Mark Fear's direct ball was off target. A few minutes later Fear played in James Dunn and, with just Evans to beat, he blasted the ball and was denied by a flying fingertip save by Westbury's keeper.

STAR MEN - Matty Smith & Rhys Schell (Westbury United)

TEAM - Nick Evans, Mark Young, Sayeed Ibrahim, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout,
         Tom Robinson, Bobby Mitchell, Dan Kovacs, Wayne Wheeler, Rhys Schell
SUBS - Mark Pearce (used) Lee Morgan, Paul Beavers (unused)

[Andy]

WILTSHIRE SENIOR CUP
Saturday 10 October 2009

EMBARRASSMENT FOR WESTBIURY
Marlborough Town 2-1 Westbury United

      Westbury slipped to an embarrassing defeat away to their Wiltshire League hosts as, after they’d wasted a host of first half chances, they went two goals behind before mounting a late and ultimately fruitless fightback.
      Home goalkeeper Andy Neale made first half saves from Dan Kovacs (twice), Wayne Wheeler and Bobby Mitchell, while other openings saw Kovacs, Wheeler, Rhys Schell and Matty Smith all off target.
      Marlborough’s main danger men were Tatenoa Majoni and Robin Simpson and it was they who combined twice, with Nick Evans making fine saves from both attackers.
      The matches’ main talking points came in the second half. Westbury failed to break down their opponents in the early stages and became increasingly desperate and frustrated as all their efforts went unrewarded. The closest they came was when Neale saved a Wheeler free kick and Kovacs was off target from 30 yards.
      It was the impressive Majoni who opened the scoring on 63 : latching onto Neale’s long kick, Majoni ran onto the ball and lobbed the advancing Evans.
      United almost drew level when a fast move between Kovacs, Schell and Wheeler led to the latter hitting Neale’s right hand post from an acute angle, but Majoni made it 2-0 on 70 : again Westbury were caught by a direct ball and Majoni made no mistake with another accurate strike.
      Westbury were shocked and burst into attacking action in an attempt to save their blushes. Neale saved a Schell header and a Matty Smith shot : the resulting corner, taken by Smith, was pounced on by Schell to make it 2-2 and set up a tense last ten minutes.
      Neale saved twice more from Kovacs, but somehow a blatant foul on Mark Young wasn’t given as a penalty, with Westbury’s disbelieving defender given a yellow card instead! Then, with time running out and Marlborough defending stoutly, a pacy Tom Robinson cross was turned onto his own post by Steve Wyatt with the ball bouncing to safety!

STAR MAN – Tatenoa Majoni (Marlborough Town)

TEAM – Nick Evans, Mark Young, Sayeed Ibrahim, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout,
          Tom Robinson, Bobby Mitchell, Dan Kovacs, Wayne Wheeler
           Rhys Schell
SUBS – Mark Pearce, Lee Morgan (used) Ashley Groves (unused)

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Tuesday 13 October 2009

RAMPANT WESTBURY REGAIN BEST FORM
Shepton Mallet 0-4 Westbury United

      After their shock Wiltshire Senior Cup exit at the weekend, Westbury United flew back into form with another crushing victory over Shepton Mallet. Just three weeks after a 5-0 home win, they scored four second half goals to make it seven wins from eight league matches played.
      Manager Paul Brickley made a few defensive changes, with Mark Pearce and Lee Morgan replacing Mark Young and Sayeed Ibrahim to give the back line a very experienced, solid look - captain Dan Dominy excelled. This ultimately paid off as Shepton, also due to a few fine Nick Evans saves, were kept at bay before the goals were shared by four attacking players.
      Under the home side's impressive new floodlights the first half was a largely scrappy affair, although Evans somehow managed to punch an attempted clearance into the air with the ball then dropping onto his crossbar! Evans also saved well from good efforts by Lucas Ward and Lee Oakley. Westbury went close through a Dominy header from a Matty Smith corner, while after another flag kick led to a Pearce header being cleared off the line by Rob Banfield.
      As in the previous meeting, United flew out of the blocks after half time and were rewarded with two goals in a minute : on 52 Smith cut into the penalty area from the right wing and let fly with a left footed strike that flew past Liam MacFarlane. Shepton then gave the ball away from their kick off and a further defensive error allowed Rhys Schell to lob his 6th goal of the season.
      Shepton were restricted to long range efforts with both Dean Loxton and Ward off target, before Westbury attacked and Banfield blocked another Pearce header from a Smith corner.
      With time running out Westbury scored two more goals : Kovacs diverted Smith's 20 yarder past MacFarlane on 88 to notch his 9th of the season and Wayne Wheeler capped the victory with a stunning 30 yard screamer that found the roof of the net!

STAR MAN - Dan Dominy (Westbury United)

TEAM - Nick Evans, Mark Pearce, Lee Morgan, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout, Tom Robinson,
         Bobby Mitchell, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs, Wayne Wheeler, Rhys Schell
SUBS - Mark Young, Ashley Groves (used) Sayeed Ibrahim (unused)

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Saturday 17 October 2009

UNBEATEN UNITED CONTINUE EXCELLENT RUN
Westbury United 2-1 Gillingham Town

      Westbury United’s superb start to their league season continued as they maintained their unbeaten run and in the process ended Gillingham’s 100% record! Mark Pearce had an excellent match for the hosts by defending strongly, leading with his experience and then netting the winning goal!
      The match took 23 minutes to come to life when a battling, tight start was ended by Lee Gale’s clever chip from an acute angle which saw the ball float over Nick Evans and into the net.
      Westbury put together a few good moves without threatening Jamie Beale’s goal although Matty Smith fired over from the edge of the box. However with half time approaching leading scorer Dan Kovacs received the ball 35 yards from goal and struck an unstoppable screamer into Beale’s top right hand corner!
      The second also half got off to a slow start until Nick Ridout surprised Beale with a fierce left footer that the keeper tipped over his crossbar. Then a few minutes later a Smith free kick found Mark Pearce but he headed wide.
      Ridout made a horrendous error on the hour that gifted Matthew Chant a one on one chance and Evans did well to stand up and deflect the goal bound shot for a corner.
      United stepped up the pace in the final fifteen minutes and, after Wayne Wheeler, Kovacs and Nathan Hallett had all gone close, the deciding goal came on 81 : Smith sent in a pacy, low free kick from the right and Pearce nipped in to finish from inside the six yard box.
      Gillingham pushed men forward but were met with strong Westbury defending and it was United who almost scored again when Wheeler crashed a free kick against the post.

*STAR MAN – Mark Pearce (Westbury United)
TEAM – Nick Evans, Mark Pearce, Lee Morgan, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout, Tom Robinson, Bobby Mitchell, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs, Rhys Schell, Wayne Wheeler

SUBS – Mark Young, Nathan Hallett (used) Sayeed Ibrahim (unused)

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Tuesday 20 October 2009

FOUR MORE GOALS AS WESTBURY REMAIN UNBEATEN

Westbury United 4-3 Almondsbury UWE

Westbury United remained unbeaten in the league as their tenth match ended in a very nervy way with Almondsbury fighting back from 4-1 down! Once again the goals were shared with four different players netting, including top scorer Dan Kovacs with his 12th goal in all competitions. The work rate of Bobby Mitchell stood out in midfield.

United raced into a 2-0 lead : on seven minutes a cleverly switched pass by Dan Dominy found Matty Smith, he ran into the box and hit a low shot that Kovacs touched in to beat visiting keeper Stuart Wood. The second goal came three minutes later when Nick Ridout passed to Wayne Wheeler and he saw his fine shot parried by Wood, but Nathan Hallett was on hand to put in the rebound.

From that point until nearly half time Westbury went right off the boil and allowed the Almonds to attack at pace. Dominy and Ridout defended well to prevent any shots at goal, but this led to a series of corners and free kicks which allowed presssure to build. The pressure told on 26 when Robert Lawrence's corner wasn't cleared and, with the ball bobbling around, James Fitzpatrick got the last touch in a goalmouth scramble.

Wood made saves from Kovacs and Smith before Wheeler made it 3-1 on 42 when, after Hallett's ball over the top, Wheeler raced past his marker to retrieve the ball and hit a fine, low, left footed strike into the net.

The second half was an end to end affair : Hallett set up Kovacs whose effort was deflected wide, Lawrence headed a Fiztpatrick cross over the bar, Kovacs lashed a 30 yarder inches wide, substitute Rhys Schell allowed James Marshall to get back and deny him a shot and, as earlier in the match, United's defence had to be strong to prevent any further opportunities for their opponents.

Westbury should have sewn up the points with their fourth goal on 75 : Wood made a great tip over save from Kovacs' goalbound 25 yard strike but the keeper was let down at the corner as his defence allowed Ashley Groves a free header that went in off the post.

Almondsbury mounted a brave fightback in the final ten minutes. It began when Hallett erred in midfield allowing Henry Greenway to slide in Matthew Brown and he beat Nick Evans to make it 4-2 (the first time United have conceded more than one goal in a league game this season). Then on 87 Fitzpatrick got his second of the evening when Evans somehow let a shot from the edge of the box slip out of his grasp.

With just one goal in it and six minutes of play added on, Westbury had to contend with a series of corners but they managed to hold on for their seventh consecutive league win.

*STAR MEN - Bobby Mitchell (Westbury United) & James Fitzpatrick (Almondsbury UWE)

TEAM - Nick Evans, Sayeed Ibrahim, Mark Young, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout,
Tom Robinson, Bobby Mitchell, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs, Wayne Wheeler
Nathan Hallett
SUBS - Ashley Groves, Rhys Schell, Aaron Billett (all used)

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE LES PHILLIPS CUP FIRST ROUND
Saturday 24 October 2009

WESTBURY BOW OUT OF LEAGUE CUP
Radstock Town 3-1 Westbury United

      Westbury United bowed out of the League Cup with this defeat away to Premier League Radstock Town. Having come back from 0-1 down to level at 1-1, Westbury seemed to lose their way during a second half rain and wind storm, whereas the hosts coped far better with the conditions.
      There were a few chances at each end in the opening half hour : United’s Nick Evans saved from Damian Preece while Kirk Latham went close with a cross-shot. At the other end Aaron Billett sent a 20 yarder wide and Dan Kovacs couldn’t quite convert Mark Young’s deep ball.
      Town opened the scoring on 35 when Preece latched onto the ball after a free kick and sent a powerful volley into the top corner from outside the box.
      A few minutes before half time Billett went on a great run into the box from the right wing and, just as he was about to shoot, Joshua Marsh brought him down but no penalty was given.
      Evans saved from Liam Watson early in the second half and, having survived that opportunity, Rhys Schell had a chance to equalise but Jamie Purnell saved well.
      The levelling goal came on 57 : Ashley Groves sent in a pacy free kick and Dan Dominy ran in to send a bullet header into the net.
      Conditions worsened after the hour and Radstock adapted much better to the gale force wind and lashing rain. On 68 Groves slipped over in midfield allowing Billy Robinson to run forward and pass to Jordan Townsley who finished with ease.
      United were further rocked in the closing stages when Dominy suffered a serious leg injury and he had to be stretchered off. With only ten men due to having made all their substitutions, the closest they came was a Kovacs blast which Purnell parried. Radstock sealed their victory deep into injury time when Barry Sandquest nipped in to tap Townsley’s cross into the net.

TEAM – Nick Evans, Sayeed Ibrahim, Mark Young, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout,
        Ashley Groves, Bobby Mitchell, Aaron Billett, Dan Kovacs, Rhys Schell,
        Nathan Hallett
SUBS – Wayne Wheeler, Tom Robinson, Matty Smith (all used)

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Saturday 31 October 2009

KOVACS NETS POINT FOR UNITED
Portishead Town 1-1 Westbury United

      After their first league defeat versus Wells City a few days earlier (0-2 on Tuesday 27 October), Westbury United did well to earn a point in a tough away match at Portishead and will feel they should have won on the day.
      The first half was a very tight, hard fought one with very few chances for either side as defences dominated. Home captain Cleve Holder saw two headers go close, one forcing a fine save from Nick Evans in United’s goal. At the other end Westbury’s good approach play went unrewarded with poor final balls, the closest they came being a weak effort by Rhys Schell after a lovely move between himself and Matty Smith.
      The second half got off to a great start for Westbury when Dan Kovacs extended his fine run of goalscoring by putting his side ahead on 51 : he latched onto a through ball by Matty Smith and fired a shot beyond James Hailwood and into the corner of the net.
      With confidence flowing, United could have doubled their lead with Hallett and Kovacs making Hailwood save efforts at the end of fast breaks.
      Portishead made a few attacking substitutions and one of them scored the equaliser on 66 : Oliver Trevanthen arriving on the end of a Holder cross and getting the final touch with Westbury’s Mark Young unable to clear the danger.
      After Matty Smith had sent a 30 yarder narrowly wide, the returning Luke Smith got in a blocking tackle to deny James Hughes as he threatened to put Town in the lead. Further chances came at both ends with Hailwood saving Kovacs’ powerful header, Lee Brice sending a free kick just wide and Dan Dominy rifling over after a Wayne Wheeler corner.

*STAR MEN – Cleve Holder (Portishead) & Luke Smith (Westbury United)

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

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Tuesday 3 November 2009

EXCITING DRAW ON VERY WET EVENING
Odd Down 1-1 Westbury United

      These two high flying sides fought out an exciting, frantic, attacking draw on a very wet evening in Bath. As at Portishead, Westbury scored first before being forced to settle for a hard earned away point.
      Both teams set out to play fast, attacking football and in heavy rain with the pitch slippery it made for an entertaining evening as tackles also flew in with no quarter asked or given!
      Odd Down started brighter and an early free kick was blocked by United's defensive wall, striker Jamie Taylor also went close but was denied a shot at goal by Mark Young's quick thinking in defence. The closest they came in the first half was when Dave Cooper struck a 20 yarder that Nick Evans tipped over the bar.
      Westbury came into the game around the 20 minute mark and Dan Kovacs should have done better with two chances : the first was a weak effort at the end of a flowing move by Wayne Wheeler and Tom Robinson that Andy King saved, the second was a shot from the edge of the box that was deflected over the bar. Matty Smith and Kovacs then combined on the right wing and it took strong work by Down's Lee Burns to deny Kovacs another effort.
      The opening goal came on 34 and was at the end of another fast break : Wheeler burst forward and played a low ball into the box which Nathan Hallett ran onto and powered into the net from six yards. Wheeler himself almost doubled the lead before the break when King let a shot hit his right hand post : the ball rebounded to Matty Smith who tapped it in but he was denied the goal by an offisde flag.
      There was even more action in the second half with play switching rapidly from end to end. King saved a Wheeler shot and United's striker then headed wide from Nick Ridout's accurate ball.
      Having kept their deficit at just one, Odd Down drew level in spectacular style on 57 : Gino Necco received the ball near the centre circle and, spotting Nick Evans off his line, Necco lobbed the ball perfectly over United's keeper and into the net!
      Still the attacks flowed : Ridout and Evans combined to prevent Cooper a shot, then Hallett passed to Robinson who played the ball on to Matty Smith and after a quick burst he hit a cross-shot that King turned away!
      Both sides almost scored on 69 : Wheeler's acute effort was blocked by Brad Newman and then in a counter attack Matt Rawlins cut in from the wing, set up Taylor, but he somehow managed to put the ball wide from close range!
      Ridout turned defence into attack on 71, substitute Rhys Schell wasn't able to score after rounding King while Wheeler's rebound header went wide.
      Conditions worsened considerably in the closing stages. Again chances came at both ends within a minute : Matty Smith's skidding 25 yarder brought a good save out of King then Rawlins set up Cooper but he put the ball wide when well placed. The final chance came late on when Westbury's Luke Smith ran into the box and sent in a low cross that King couldn't grasp and the ball squirmed a few inches wide of the post.

*STAR MEN - Gino Necco (Odd Down) & Wayne Wheeler (Westbury United)

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

[Andy]

TOOLSTATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Saturday 7 November 2009

WESTBURY BACK TO WINNING WAYS
Westbury United 3-0 Elmore

      Westbury United extended their latest unbeaten run to three matches with this comfortable, although not fully convincing, victory against their visitors from Devon. Man of the match was Tom Robinson for an energetic, creative midfield performance.
      United raced into a two goal lead with Dan Kovacs netting a double by finding the net in the 2nd and 6th minutes. Kovacs now has 15 goals in all competitions already this season. His first came when he burst into the penalty area and finished fiercely past Joe Moore at the keeper’s near post. Then Nick Ridout made a fine forward run from defence, passed to Wayne Wheeler who had a shot saved by Moore and Kovacs tapped the ball into the net.
      As against Almondsbury a few weeks earlier, Westbury seemingly stopped playing with an early two goal advantage. This allowed Elmore into the game and, after Nick Evans had saved Brett Worbey’s skilful effort, James Blake headed in Tom Edworthy’s cross from the left wing but the goal was disallowed for offside.
      United went 3-0 up on 39 : again Ridout was involved in the build up as he sent a direct free kick into the box where Nathan Hallett arrived unmarked to volley the ball over Moore and into the roof of the net.
      The second half started much the same as the first, however no further goals were to come as Wheeler wasted two good chances by shooting straight at Moore on both occasions.
      The visitors poured men forward in search of a route back into the game and Westbury had to be on their guard. Blake went close twice while Worbey saw an effort blocked when a corner wasn’t cleared.
      With Elmore still trying their luck in attack, United had chances to increase their lead with Robinson firing wide and Kovacs putting the ball wide with a hattrick there for the taking. New signing Joe Murray made his debut and almost created another goal but his cross from the right wing was put wide of his own goal by Darren Goff.

*STAR MAN – Tom Robinson (Westbury United)

TEAM – Nick Evans, Mark Young, Luke Smith, Dan Dominy, Nick Ridout,
        Tom Robinson, Sayeed Ibrahim, Matty Smith, Dan Kovacs,
        Wayne Wheeler, Nathan Hallett
SUBS – Rhys Schell, Joe Murray, Tarick Yachou (all used)