Downton 2-1 Westbury United – Wiltshire Senior Cup First Round, Sat. 11th Oct.

Downton, inspired by new signings Ross Bentall and Matt Holmes (the latter previously of Salisbury City), came from behind to win for the first time this season in what was a very open cup tie. 

For Westbury this was another chance at a cup run that went to waste, aside from the League they now only have the League Cup to play for.

United actually got off to a great start and took a 2nd minute lead through Grant Gunning who swept in Jon Price’s low cross.

Both sides then traded chances in an end to end first half, Bentall, Ben Rankin and Craig Tyson all going close for the hosts, with visiting keeper Callum Hotine making a few good saves. At the other end Westbury forced corners which were taken by Mark Young, and from two of them Gunning had a header cleared off the line and Marc Scammell headed over.

The hosts drew level from the penalty spot on 38 when Nathan Hallett-Young handballed when under pressure, Rankin stepped up and struck the spot kick confidently.

Play was even more open after the break and Young was denied by Charles Aldridge in a one on one situation before he also did well to deny Simon Millard who had broken through. In between those opportunities Bentall came to the fore to set up Rankin and Tyson who both found Hotine in fine form.

It was Bentall who scored what turned out to be the winning goal on 58 when he ran at the United defence and managed to ghost through and fire powerfully into the net. Hallett-Young was shown a straight red card for an incident involving Bentall 20 minutes from the end and United’s 10 men were unable to create any meaningful chance to try and force extra time. Meanwhile Bentall and Rankin both found the woodwork with attempts that would have settled the encounter earlier than the final whistle.

*STAR MAN – Ross Bentall (Downton FC).