Westbury United 1-2 Chard Town – Toolstation League Division One, Saturday 15th August 2015

Westbury came within a minute of picking up their first point of the season at sun bathed Meadow Lane. They put the awful opening matches behind them and played superbly, with Chard having to dig deep to fight back from going behind.

United dominated the opening play, putting together some lovely moves inspired by Brett Partner, Mark Young, Dan Moore and captain Gary Tugwell. They fully deserved the lead given to them by Tugwell’s excellent finish on 17 minutes after he took advantage of Shaun Wells-Burr’s error.

Town gradually got into their stride with Andy Martin setting up Scott Holland who headed wide, then Ed Butcher forced Callum Hotine into a fine save.

Sam Clift had a glorious chance to double his side’s lead, but his close range header from Partner’s deep cross found the roof of the net!

The visitors equalised straight after the break (Westbury conceding soon after half-time for the third successive game!) when Ed Butcher bundled the ball over the line.

Most of the second half featured impressive end to end play including fine saves by respective keepers Callum Hotine and Jason Hutchings, Hotine denying Andy Westlake and Hutchings doing well to prevent Mark Young restoring the hosts’ lead.

United found themselves down to 10 men in the closing stages due to an injury after all 3 substitutions had been made and they were unable to hold on when Westlake’s volley rebounded off the crossbar to Oscar Latas who pounced to score the winner.

*STAR MAN – Gary Tugwell

TEAM – Callum Hotine, Grant Gunning, Nathan Hallett, Nathan Hallett-Young, Matt Friendship, Dave Macey, Mark Young, Gary Tugwell, Dan Moore, Sam Clift, Brett Partner. SUBS – Dougie Dickson, Ben Macey, Otis Young (used) Tony McElhone, Marc Scammell (unused)