Westbury set out to win three league games in a row for the first time this season and managed to succeed with a three-nil win which looks comfortable on paper but in reality, the game was a lot tougher.
The pitch was very heavy, and Malmesbury Victoria adjusted to the conditions a lot quicker than Westbury and quickly got on the front foot. They won a corner in the 19th minute which was well delivered and met with a good header which was cleared off the Westbury goal line by Leon Greenland. Westbury scored their first on the half hour mark. A teasing ball was delivered into the Malmesbury Victoria penalty area, the keeper came but his shout was too late, and the defender headed it clear but only as far as Jordan Pinder on the Westbury right. Pinder touched the ball out of his feet, looked up and delivered a pin-point pass on to the head of Westbury captain Dan Price, for him to redirect into the net. Ten minutes later Westbury nearly doubled their tally. Price played a long ball forward to Mark Robinson in the inside left position, Robinson’s left-footed shot was well struck, but the keeper managed to make a good save.
Malmesbury came out in the second half and got straight on to the front foot. On 50 minutes another corner was well delivered and this time it was Westbury keeper Lewis Porter’s duty to keep the ball out of his net with a strong punch off the line. Two minutes later a Malmesbury shot from 20 yards called Porter into action again, this time diving low to his right to save. The Westbury second came, probably against the run of play on the hour mark. Grant Gunning passed his clearance forwards for Robinson to chase, Robinson rounded the keeper and finished with his right foot to make it 2-0. The third came just seven minutes later from a nice move that started with Dan Kovacs in the centre circle holding up the ball and then passing to his strike partner Robinson. Robinson moved the ball out to Josh Ferguson on the Westbury right, Ferguson skipped past his marker and delivered a cross for Jamie Jordan to meet with a looping header, which deceived the Malmesbury goalkeeper and ended in the net. Westbury nearly got a fourth when Price cleared the ball high into the air, Jamie Jordan brought it down with some sumptuous control just to the left of the centre circle, he moved the ball out to Ferguson in the wide right position, Ferguson pulled a couple of tricks out to jink past two defenders and deliver, Brereton timed his run well and got a good head to the ball, but the keeper was well positioned to make the save.
A good three points from a tough away journey. Credit to Malmesbury who gave Westbury a tough time. It would’ve been interesting to see how the match panned out if Westbury didn’t manage to sneak their second when Malmesbury were on top.
Team: Lewis Porter, Grant Gunning, Steve Hulbert, Dan Price©, Dan Jordan, Jamie Jordan, Jake Hiscocks, Mark Robinson, Dan Kovacs, Jordan Pinder. Subs: Matt Jones, Josh Ferguson, Sean Brereton (used) Ryan Baggs, Joe Kirkpatrick. Star Man: Dan Price
