Saturday 18th Sept. Hellenic League Premier Division Westbury United 5-2 Hereford Lads Club
And suddenly it all just clicked! After so many missed chances and near misses in the previous 3 matches, Westbury scored 4 goals in a mad 6 minutes!
If that sounds plain sailing, then it most certainly wasn’t! Travel problems meant that the visitors didn’t arrive until nearly 16.00, kick off was at the odd time of 16.20 and this all seemed to work in the favour of Hereford!
The Lads Club were by far the better team for the first half an hour and after going close through Adam Newbury and Tom Bendall, they deservedly took the lead when Sam Pearson’s effort bobbled in on the 16th minute.
United had a few opportunities with Ryan Bole heading off target and Jack Biddescombe forcing Steve Bell into a save, however a crazy period of play saw them turn a 0-1 deficit into a 4-1 lead!
In the 31st, Biddescombe outpaced his marker and crossed low into the box where Joe Stradling arrived to apply the finish. A minute later Ashton Shanley’s corner was headed over by Dan Price then from another Shanley flag kick Bole rose highest to head Westbury into the lead.
The home side were now tearing Hereford apart, Demkiv set up Biddescombe whose first shot was blocked however he smashed in on the rebound to make it 3-1.
Bell excelled to turn a Shanley free kick round his left-hand post however he was helpless as Shanley’s corner fell to Demkiv who tapped it in.
Half time probably came as a relief to the Lads Club, they came out refreshed after the break and immediately reduced their deficit to 2-4 courtesy of Jordan Burke.
Demkiv and James Hancocks went close at either end before Westbury put an end to any hopes their opponents had in the 62nd minute when Francois Allen’s cross was bundled in by Steve Hulbert.
Stradling, Demkiv and Ben Griffiths all went close to adding a 6th while Mark Bowden did very well to deny Hancocks and Levi Ellis.
*Star man; Will Thomson. Team; Mark Bowden, Ben Griffiths, Ryan Bole, Jake Hutchings, Dan Price, Will Thomson, Ashton Shanley, Josh Timbrell, Joe Stradling, Callum Demkiv, Jack Biddescombe. Subs; Steve Hulbert, Francois Allen (used)
