Missed chances costly again for United

Sat. 7th December. Toolstation Prem Div. Westbury 0 Cadbury Heath 2

This was a disappointing third consecutive league defeat for Westbury. As with several recent matches, they missed a hatful of chances.

Man of the match was undoubtedly Ryan Bole who hit the post twice as well as creating several other opportunities, with fine runs and accurate set piece delivery.

Heath started quickly and the impressive Enis Akgun headed over after fine play by Matt Huxley and George Boon.

Bole’s first involvement was to play in a fine free kick which led to Matt Jones having an effort blocked. Soon after, Jamie Jordan set up Sam Jordan, but his lobbed effort drifted wide.

Callum Demkiv broke through, only to be fouled just outside the box. Bole smashed the resulting free kick so hard against the post that it rebounded so quickly that Dan Kovacs was unable to react in time.

United were guilty of giving the ball away and Akgun took advantage to create two attempts for himself, the first was off target and the second blocked.

Joe Stradling went on the first of a few fine runs, but his effort was blocked and having defended well at one end, Heath opened the scoring at the other on 28. Boon played the ball into the box where Akgun arrived to put it in.

Westbury had a dominant spell leading up to half time but simply couldn’t equalise. Sam Jordan had a low shot saved, and Will Thomson’s corner was flicked goalwards by Kovacs but was cleared off the line. A superb cross by Bole found Stradling unmarked but he headed wide. Then Stradling went on a skilful run into the box where his low drive was cleared. Bole’s resulting corner fell to Sam Jordan but he was unable to finish.

As with the first half, Cadbury started quickly after the break and Ed Baldy denied Ethan Tucker in a one-on-one situation.

There was action in both penalty areas on 55; Heath nearly went further ahead but Tucker wasn’t able to reach Boon’s fine ball, then Westbury countered through Bole, but Sam Jordan was off target after receiving a fine pass.

Bole came agonisingly close to making it 1-1 on the hour but his strike hit the post.

Chippenham Town loanee, Louis Wilkins, almost made a dream debut for Westbury when narrowly firing wide less than a minute after being introduced into the action. He then showed good awareness by playing the ball into Stradling who was denied again.

With an equaliser looking likely, Heath provided a sucker punch on 81 when a pacy counter attack led to Tucker making it 0-2.

It was all United after that as they somehow didn’t get even one goal. Bole shot wide, then forced a good save out of Jones. Bole then swung in a fine flag kick which fell to Ricky Hulbert, but his effort was disallowed for offside.

Even deep into injury time there were chances, but one dropped onto the roof of the net and Demkiv was wayward.

*STAR MAN ; Ryan Bole (Westbury United)

TEAM ; Ed Baldy, Jamie Jordan, Ryan Bole, Will Thomson, Matt Jones, Dan Jordan, Joe Stradling, Jordan Pinder, Dan Kovacs, Sam Jordan, Callum Demkiv 

SUBS ; Louis Wilkins, Will Stead, Ricky Hulbert (used) Luke Smith (unused).