Sat 4th Mar. Southern League Div. One South. Westbury United 1 Exmouth Town 1
JUST when it seemed Westbury would hold out for a win in the face of immense pressure from Exmouth, the visitors snatched an equaliser despite a superb initial save by United ‘keeper Jonny Hill.
After a tepid opening 15 minutes, United created the first opportunity when Dan Price’s direct ball led to Town keeper Andrew Sowden just beating Harvey Flippance to the ball.
The hosts then took the lead a minute later as Jake Hutchings played a great ball to Gary Higdon who worked space for a cross which found Joe Stradling and he directed a fine header into the net.
Aarron Denny curled a shot that was deflected wide but it was Westbury who could have added a second around the half hour when several crosses were cut out as Higdon played in Flippance who was denied by Sowden.
There was a fascinating period of play with Exmouth’s left winger Benjamin Steer taking on Steve Hulbert a number of times. Hulbert seemed to be winning the encounter with several well-timed challenges, however he then brought Steer down in the box and a penalty was given. Denny took the spot kick and Hill got down low to his right to tip the ball away.
Toby Dolton-Cole played in Higdon but just as the striker was about to shoot, he was outdone by an awkward bounce.
The second half got off to quite a scrappy start with both teams giving the ball away in midfield. At one stage Hutchings did well to usher away the ball under pressure from an opponent. When United got forward, crosses from both sides weren’t quite accurate enough with Higdon finding the side netting and Ryan Bole picking out Sowden.
The fabulously named Ace High set up Steer whose effort was well saved by Hill who was probably unsighted by another Exmouth player. Cockerill latched onto a pass from Stradling and fired a left footer narrowly wide then, at the other end, High brought the ball down on the edge of the box and rifled it off target.
Town piled the pressure on in the final minutes and a number of crosses and long balls were well dealt with by United, especially by Hill and Cockerill, until Denny hit a shot from outside the box in the 91st minute which Hill tipped onto the post only for it to rebound to Dean Billingsley who equalised.
Star men: Ashton Shanley and Jonny Hill.
Team: Jonny Hill, Steve Hulbert, Ryan Bole, Aaron Cockerill, Dan Price, Jake Hutchings, Ashton Shanley, Joe Stradling, Harvey Flippance, Toby Dolton-Cole, Gary Higdon. Subs: Sam Jordan, Ricky Hulbert, Emmanuel Adepitan (used) Charlie Walton, Will Thomson (unused).
Report by Andy Bown
