Mon 2nd Jan. Southern League Division One South. Westbury United 1 Melksham Town 1
Bank Holiday Monday, sunshine, a local derby, two excellent free kicks, and a great attendance of 824 at Meadow Lane! Westbury made a really good start and, after an early penalty shout was denied by the referee, the official gave a free kick for a foul on Will Thomson and Ryan Bole drilled the ball into the net in the 12th minute.
A few minutes later Matt Morris advanced into the box and his low delivery was scrambled away by the visitors. Bole came within inches of doubling United’s advantage when he latched onto a loose ball and saw his fierce strike crash off the crossbar. Melksham grew into the encounter around the half hour with Ralph Graham’s 20-yard effort being cleared. In the 35th minute, a handball by a Westbury defender allowed Sam Hendy a free kick from similar distance as Bole and his fine shot went in off Jonny Hill’s left-hand post to equalise.
It seemed the game had changed moments before half time when United’s Charlie Walton was shown a straight red card for a rash challenge. However, the way the second half unfolded that was not the case. For some reason Town completely failed to make their man advantage count, they were ponderous in possession and repeatedly gave the ball away in the face of the well organised home team.
Conversely Westbury looked far more likely to snatch a winner, even being brave to return to a more attacking set up in the closing stages after sitting in for a while. Hill did have to excel with 20 minutes remaining when Ben Brooks found the ball at his feet in the 6-yard box; the home keeper then held a Brooks shot from 20 yards. Bole was time and again the player most likely to create chances and it was he as well as Thomson and Gary Higdon who had attempts that went wide. Brooks tried another shot five minutes from the end which was well blocked by Dan Price who, alongside Jake Hutchings, Steve Hulbert and Aaron Cockerill proved a solid back line all afternoon.
Star man: Ryan Bole.
Team: Jonny Hill, Steve Hulbert, Ryan Bole, Aaron Cockerill, Dan Price, Jake Hutchings, Joe Stradling, Will Thomson, Charlie Walton, Matt Morris, Gary Higdon. Subs: Ashton Shanley, Sam Jordan, Jack Biddiscombe (used) Emmanuel Adepitan, Ricky Hulbert (unused)
