Sat. 8th September. FA Cup 1st Qual Bitton AFC 3 Westbury Utd 0

Westbury tasted defeat for the first time in 9 months against a very strong Bitton side, who will likely go on to greater things.

Both teams came into the match in great form having won all 7 of their fixtures so far this season, however the hosts hadn’t even conceded a goal in those matches!

Evidence of Bitton’s all-round strength was quickly obvious as all of United’s attacks were met by a brick wall, while their pacy forward line looked dangerous. 

The early play was somewhat frenetic and it took a soft free kick decision to settle things down. Josh Egan stepped up and scored with a brilliant strike to make it 1-0 on 12 minutes.

Egan, along with Ben Bament and Mario Mateus, threatened to run riot in the next 10 minutes and it was no surprise when Egan latched onto the ball and thrashed it into the roof of the net to double Bitton’s lead.

Westbury sides of the past would have collapsed in a heap but, excellently led by Steve Hulbert and urged on by Ian Jeffery and Jordan Pinder, this team rolled up their sleeves and gave Bitton a real run for their £6,000 prize money!

Dan Kovacs, Callum Demkiv and Joe Stradling made the home defence work extremely hard for another clean sheet and it took them being denied in an almighty goalmouth scramble, as well as a top drawer save by Sam Burgess, to deny Demkiv to keep the score 2-0 at half time.

Just before the break an incident between Mateus and Will Stead saw the United midfielder red carded.

Fears of Bitton quickly adding a victory-clinching 3rd goal evaporated as Westbury’s 10 men gave as good as they got in the 2nd half. 

They were simply unable to break down the hosts and create enough chances to get back into the game. 

Kovacs found half a yard only once, but he was closed down before being able to get a shot away!

Pinder, Jamie Jordan and Kovacs had efforts blocked then, as United threw caution to the wind, Bitton became a real threat on the counter attack with both Bament and Dean Griffiths missing from close range!

The final goal came from another quick break on 86, this time it was Ben Harris who crossed to the far post where Dan Hynes headed past Ed Baldy.

Still Westbury kept going and they almost got a deserved goal, however Burgess saved from Demkiv, Stradling shot wide and Kovacs saw another effort blocked!

United will resume FA competition duties next weekend with a trip to Wessex League side Petersfield in the Vase.

*Star Man; Steve Hulbert. Team; Ed Baldy, Ben Griffiths, Ian Jeffery, Will Stead, Lee Fielding, Steve Hulbert, Jamie Jordan, Jordan Pinder, Joe Stradling, Dan Kovacs, Callum Demkiv. SUBS; Morgan Skipp, Waleed Bakali (used) Dan Jordan, Ryan Baggs, Lewis Porter (unused).