United look to claim their place as best team in Westbury’s history

Westbury United is currently on course for their best ever finish in the  Western Premier Division and look to claim their place as the best Westbury team in history.

2018 saw them win the league, progress to the Wiltshire Senior Cup final and boast an unbeaten league run stretching from November 2017 to Boxing Day 2018. Now, as we move into mid-February, they are hoping to build on that success and push for promotion to the Southern League for the first time in their history.

The club reports, “Storm Eleanor in early January and the winter weather conditions ruined the fixture schedule, resulting in Westbury only playing two league matches in the month, both away from home. They produced a strong start to the calendar year, registering two wins against a strong Welton Rovers and a tricky trip to Almondsbury.

“From January to May, Westbury played 18 league matches, drawing five and winning 13, no losses. This fantastic run saw us lift the Toolstation Western League Division 1 title on 2nd May, against Wiltshire rivals Devizes. 

“That run involved a 9- day spell that saw them host games against title rivals Roman Glass St George and Keynsham Town, followed by a Good Friday local derby against Warminster. Westbury scored 8 goals and conceded none in these three games  (3-0 against Roman Glass, 2-0 against Keynsham and 3-0 against Warminster). We moved clear at the top of the table, meaning that the title was now in our hands if they matched the results of the teams below them. 

“We drew our next game and then went on a five-game winning streak concluding with that 1-0 win against Devizes. It was a nervy night, with Roman Glass having already finished their season and Keynsham having one game left. Westbury knew that they needed 3 points from their last two games to be crowned champions. The game was a tight affair, it took until the 89th minute for Westbury’s top scorer Dan Kovacs to pop up and score the match and title-winning goal.

“This was Westbury’s first league title win since the 1991-92 season. Our record of 28 wins, 11 draws and 3 losses, scoring 97 and only conceding 29 which resulted in a total of 95 points, beat all previous records from past Westbury teams who had played in the Toolstation Western League first division. Previous records were, most goals scored 2005/16-95 goals, least goals conceded 1991/92 32 goals conceded goals, most wins 1991/12 27 wins, least losses 1991/92 5 losses and most points was also 1991/92 91 points.

“Westbury had a tough pre-season; they lost several key players to new league rivals Bradford Town and spent most of the preseason trying to convince the remaining players to stay. Reinforcements were brought in in the shape of Ed Baldy in goal from Premier Division team Odd Down (Bath), Ian Jeffery and Will Stead from Radstock and Callum Demkiv from Melksham Town.

“We started life in the Toolstation Western Premier Division with a target to consolidate and avoid relegation. After 9 games Westbury had a 100% record of 9 wins, scoring 24 goals and conceding only 7.

“This fantastic form continued all the way up until Christmas Day, 17 league games unbeaten (14 wins and 3 draws) including wins against pre-season title favourites Willand Rovers, Bitton and Plymouth Parkway. In the meantime, we had also qualified for the Semi-Finals of the Wiltshire Senior Cup. 

“Boxing Day finally saw Westbury taste defeat, against Bradford Town, after 40 league games unbeaten stretching back to November 2017. We finished off the calendar year with a 1-0 win away to Bridport.

“2018 must go down as one of the best in Westbury’s history, we played 37 league games, winning 28, drawing 8 and only losing 1. We have now put the foundations in place for a successful 2019 and on into the future. 

“We are currently on course to become the highest point-scoring Westbury team ever in the Premier Division and look to claim our place as the best Westbury team in history.”