Weds. 30th Oct. Les Phillips Cup Westbury United 0 Longwell Green 1
A somewhat low key cup tie at damp and chilly Meadow Lane where visitors Longwell Green, currently 5th in Division One, caused an upset.
They thoroughly deserved their win courtesy of excellent defending and a very well taken goal midway through the second half.
Longwell keeper Jamie Powell had more work to do in the opening 4 minutes than the rest of the match! He did well to deny Ricky Hulbert twice and Callum Demkiv, as the hosts made a quick start.
At the other end, Ed Baldy turned Luke Bryan’s shot wide before Powell excelled again when Sam Jordan got into the box.
There were long periods of play with the respective defences dominating, Matt Jones and Steve Hulbert for United and Aiden Sanfelice and Eugene Keary for Green. Kyle Box created several opportunities towards the break; firing wide and forcing Baldy to save then setting up Sam Crumb whose poor header was easy for Baldy.
The second half was even quieter with no attempts until the 65th minute when Longwell’s Danny Carter missed the target.
United simply couldn’t break down the Green back line and the only goal came on 72. Bryan received the ball near the halfway line and drove forward before scoring with a fine finish past Baldy.
Westbury had no choice but to go for broke, they had already made a triple substitution before the goal and pushed men forward.
Demkiv shot wide after a clever ball by Jones and saw an excellent cross go to waste when nobody attacked the box. Joe Stradling played in Jason Henley whose fine cross was also wasted.
Stradling thought he had equalised on 87 but after meeting Joe Kirkpatrick’s ball with a fine header, it was disallowed for offside.
Baldy went forward at a corner kick but that and a fine Ryan Bole cross were dealt with by the strong Longwell defence.
Team ; Ed Baldy, Jason Henley, Ryan Bole, Will Thomson, Matt Jones, Steve Hulbert, Joe Stradling, Jamie Jordan, Ricky Hulbert, Sam Jordan, Callum Demkiv. Subs; Joe Kirkpatrick, Dan Kovacs, Mark Robinson (used) Dan Jordan (unused).
