Sat. 2nd April. Hellenic Premier Division. Fairford Town 0 Westbury United 1
WESTBURY cemented second place in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier division when they took all three points home from Fairford Town’s Cinder Lane.
The result means United will either be promoted automatically or face a play-off game for a place in the Southern League for the first time in their history – see story on front page.
Westbury only needed one point to achieve second place and the performance reflected that, it was low risk football not committing too many bodies forward in open play.
Westbury’s front three of Jack Biddiscombe, Harvey Flippance and Callum Demkiv didn’t seem to mind and even though they were regularly outnumbered they created a few good chances with the two best falling to Demkiv who tested the Fairford keeper, Sam Ayres, twice in the opening 15 minutes.
Ashton Shanley’s energetic performance and accurate set piece delivery meant Westbury were dangerous from corners and free-kicks around the area. Westbury skipper Dan Price went close from a Shanley corner. They went in at half-time 0-0.
The second half was much of the same, Westbury full-backs Steve Hulbert and Ryan Bole carefully selecting when they advanced. Westbury’s goal has a slice of luck about it, Biddiscombe struck his shot from 30 yards and it deceived Ayres as it bounced in front of him and went through his legs. Ayres recovered well from the misfortune and pulled off a good save from a powerful Joe Stradling shot.
Westbury sat and absorbed pressure from Fairford Town and alongside the aforementioned Shanley, Will Thomson had a fine afternoon – his ability to keep the ball in tight areas is a skill you don’t see very often at this level, and Stradling’s pace was always a threat when Westbury broke out. One of the breakaways saw Stradling carrying the ball into the Fairford half, as he approached 30 yards from goal, he struck a powerful shot that went just over the bar.
It was always going to be a low scoring game and Westbury did all they needed to do to put the final touch to a fantastic season and guarantee at least a play-off against a Step 4 team for a chance to be promoted.
Star Man-Ashton Shanley. Team: Bowden, S.Hulbert, Bole, Hutchings, Price (c), Shanley, Stradling, W.Thomson, Flippance, Demkiv, Biddiscombe. Subs- R.Hulbert, D.Jordan, T.Thomson (used) Baldy, James (unused)
Report by Greg Coulson, Club Chairman.
