Sat. 27th April. Toolstation League Premier Hengrove Athletic 0 Westbury United 1
Westbury travelled to Hengrove for the final game of their fantastic 2018/2019 season, with 5th place already secured and the title of the highest placed Wiltshire team in the Toolstation Western League, so the pressure was off.
It was a sunny day with the odd April shower but there was a ferocious wind blowing around, meaning that the conditions were difficult. Westbury looked strong from the start, passing the ball around and every time Hengrove threatened to attack, Westbury Captain Steve Hulbert was there shielding his defence and breaking up any potential attacks.
Joe Stradling was lively on the right wing and early on he’d skipped past a couple of defenders, but his cross to the far post evaded everyone. With Stradling’s pace down one flank, Jamie Jordan’s trickery on the other, Ricky Hulbert and Dan Kovacs with their experience up front, Westbury looked to dominate and fancied a few goals.
Josh Ferguson picked up the ball inside his own half and set off on one of his trademark runs, bursting through the tackles and into the box, but couldn’t get his shot on target. This was closely followed by a remarkable act of sportsmanship; Kovacs went down in the area and the referee pointed to the spot, Kovacs picked himself up and admitted to the referee that he’d dived, he somehow avoided getting booked and Hengrove received a freekick.
It wasn’t long though before Kovacs was tormenting the Hengrove defence again and was brought down, this time he took the penalty decision. He placed the ball on the spot and timidly struck the ball goalwards and it was saved by the keeper. This wasn’t the end of the penalties though and on the half-hour Westbury were awarded another, after a little discussion with Jeffery. Stradling placed the ball and fired it home to make it 1-0.
Just five minutes into the second half Hengrove played the ball forward. Dan Price jumped with their No.9 and their heads clashed, both players hit the deck. Price was up shortly after, but the Hengrove player was in a bad way. The referee sent the players to the changing rooms and both clubs and the referees worked together to keep the player safe until the ambulance arrived. A real shocking event to end our season, the game was declared as a 1-0 win.
The latest news about the injured player was that he had recovered and was fully responding but being kept in the hospital overnight for observation.
Team: Ed Baldy, Jordan Pinder, Ian Jeffery, Steve Hulbert(C), Dan Price, Dan Jordan, Jamie Jordan, Josh Ferguson, Ricky Hulbert, Dan Kovacs, Joe Stradling. Subs: Jason Henley (used) Adam Kenich, Edward Leeson, Lewis Porter, Luke Smith (unused). Star Man: Steve Hulbert.
