Westbury suffered the worst imaginable start to the league season as they wilted in the heat at Hengrove.
They must do much better at Almondsbury in midweek and then in consecutive Saturday home matches versus Chard Town and Devizes Town.
After a tight start where United seemed to have the better of Athletic, the hosts scored their opener on 21 minutes when Ben Crewe cruised past Tony McElhone and set up Mark Fear.
Westbury keeper Tom Drewitt then had something of a nightmare as he allowed James Dunn’s 18 yarder to sneak under him and into the net on 36 before a weak punch allowed Fear to loop a header back into the goal.
Things went from bad to worse straight after half time with Hengrove doubling their lead in a crazy five minutes!
Drewitt made a fine save to deny Fear his hat-trick, but Dunn was allowed a free header at the resulting corner to make it 4-0, and with United in disarray Elliott Saunders tapped in the 5th then comfortably scored from the penalty spot after Dougie Dickson had fouled Jack Fillingham!
Saunders completed the scoring with his hat-trick goal late on when his set piece from wide on the right crept in at the back post.
TEAM – Tom Drewitt, Gary Tugwell, Tony McElhone, Nathan Hallett-Young, Marc Scammell, Dougie Dickson, Dave Macey, Brett Partner, Dan Moore, Sam Clift, Nathan Hallett. SUBS – Mark Young, Otis Young, Grant Gunning (used) Callum Hotine, Matt Friendship (unused).
