WESTBURY came out with the three points as the top two teams from the Toolstation Western League Division One competed at Meadow Lane in front of a good crowd of 93.
It was Bristol Telephones’ first ever visit to Meadow Lane in the league; they won the Gloucestershire County Football League last season, having scored 105 goals and had accrued 9 points more than the second-placed team over 32 games.
It did not take long for Telephones to show what they were about, and from the kick off they piled forward and their danger men strikers showed that they were dangerous. A long shot was rifled towards goal, the shot was blocked by a Telephones attacker, with his block he managed to control the ball, he turned and fired the ball low into the corner of the net to take the lead.
Westbury recovered from the early setback and started to get a foot into the game. Ricky Hulbert felt that he could have had a penalty, a ball into the box came his direction, it appeared that Kovacs was dragged down and then straight after, Hulbert felt that he was pulled down too. He protested to the referee and his assistant, but they insisted that there was no foul.
Just after the 20-minute mark Josh Ferguson beat the Telephones left back to the ball, the left back clipped his heels but he managed to keep his balance and drive forward down the right wing. But it took until the 34th minute for Westbury to carve out their first real opportunity. Jake Hiscocks picked the ball up in centre midfield and drove at the heart of the Telephones defence, and as he reached the edge of the area, he unleashed his shot which the keeper saved well but he only managed to push the ball out to Dan Kovacs. Kovacs controlled the ball and managed to get off a shot on the turn, but once again the keeper was there to save, this time he managed to hold on.
As the half time drew near the two Hulbert brothers exchanged passes near the right corner flag but they did not manage to create anything. A minute later Ricky Hulbert was on the ball again in the right-hand channel, he passed the ball to Kovacs whose shot was saved, the rebound fell to Jamie Jordan whose shot was also saved. Ricky Hulbert was not ready for half time though, he got on the ball again, this time on the left-hand side after a pass from Leon Greenland, he passed to Kovacs again, Kovacs was brought down in the area and the referee awarded a penalty. Kovacs stepped up to take it and coolly slotted it to the goalkeeper’s left to make it 1-1.
There were some ugly scenes as the teams went for half-time, resulting in Telephones’ goalkeeper receiving a straight red card.
Westbury came out for the second half and straight away tried to take advantage of their extra man. Ferguson was determined to get on the ball and make something happen. Early on the Telephones’ number 3 upended him but this did not put him off. On 65 minutes, Kovacs received the ball, Ferguson made an overlapping run, received the ball and squared the ball, but the Telephones’ defender managed to block the shot out for a corner. Matt Jones won the corner with a downward header on target, and Ricky Hulbert applied the finish, a powerful volley into the roof of the net from less than two yards to give Westbury the lead.
Westbury continued to press and probably could have scored one or two more, but they could not find a way past the Telephones’ keeper.
Team: Lewis Porter, Dan Jordan, Leon Greenland, Steve Hulbert, Dan Price©, Matt Jones, Jamie Jordan, Jake Hiscocks, Ricky Hulbert, Dan Kovacs, Josh Ferguson. Subs: Liam Milburn, Mark Robinson, Joe Kirkpatrick (used) George Bendle (unused). Star Man-Josh Ferguson
