Cup exit after luck must change soon

Sat 11th. Sept. FA Vase First Qfg Round Westbury United 1 – Alresford Town 4

WESTBURY unfortunately brought their league form into the cup last weekend, as the club lost 1-4 to Wessex League side Alresford Town. 

However, it’s only a matter of time until Westbury score a hatful of goals, if the chances created last Saturday were anything to go by. 

Events seemed to follow Westbury’s last league game where they had awful luck, hitting the post three times, as they found themselves again hitting the woodwork as well as having a penalty saved by Alresford’s Cal Smart. 

Smart served notice of his quality with a fine save from Ryan Bole’s early free kick. In the next attack Joe Stradling burst into the box only to be tackled as he was about to shoot. 

At the other end, Sutcha Sheppard sent in several dangerous crosses which went close to creating chances. Town then ramped up the pressure with a series of attacks, corners and crosses with a few shots blocked by the home defence. The pressure finally told on 27 minutes, a cross-field ball found Liam Campbell and he took a touch before rifling an unstoppable strike past Westbury’s Mark Bowden.  Alresford doubled their lead just 6 minutes later. Sheppard sent in another cross, Aime Fotso tried an overhead which he failed to connect with, however Andriy Demira was behind Fotso and headed into the net. 

Demkiv got in on the left and had a shot saved by Smart and from the resulting corner, Jake Hutchings headed onto the crossbar. 

The final minute of the half saw action at both ends as Bowden palmed away Fotso’s attempt, then on the counter attack Demkiv set up Sam Jordan whose shot was too comfortable for Smart.

The first chance of the 2nd half fell to Campbell but he couldn’t add to his tally due to finding the crossbar. 

Westbury had a golden opportunity to get a goal back in the 50th minute when Demkiv was fouled and stepped up to take the spot kick, however his powerful kick was superbly saved by Smart. 

Then for a long period it was all Westbury, with wave after wave of attacks. Jack Biddescombe shot wide, Stradling got into the box but fired against the post, Jordan brought another save out of Smart, Bole hit the ball narrowly wide from 20 yards and Demkiv went on a run and narrowly missed. 

Finally United got back in the game with 17 minutes remaining as Ricky Hulbert played the ball to Biddescombe whose cross was bundled in by Demkiv. With their two-goal lead no longer intact, Alresford managed to get forward but Dan Price got in a great block to deny Tom Vincent. The hosts went up the other end and Ricky Hulbert lobbed towards goal but found the side netting. 

Campbell forced Bowden into a good save but from the resulting corner Sam Steel’s header made it 1-3. Westbury managed to get more corners and crosses into the box but the closest they came was when Bole headed wide and a bad day was made worse when Neves Mechalles got his side’s 4th with the last kick of the match. 

Team; Mark Bowden, Jake Hutchings, Ryan Bole, Steve Hulbert, Dan Price, Will Thomson, Ben Griffiths, Ashton Shanley, Sam Jordan, Callum Demkiv, Joe Stradling . Subs; Jack Biddescombe, Ricky Hulbert, Francois Allen (used) Josh Timbrell, Lewis Porter (unused)

Reports by Andy Brown