Westbury United 2-1 Portishead Town – Toolstation Division One, Sat. 7th Feb.

Westbury rode their luck before Matt Mead netted a 94th minute winner at freezing Meadow Lane.

This was a hard fought battle between two of the league’s struggling sides and it was United who extended their unbeaten run to three matches, in the process picking up seven points for their best form of the season.

After a fast start by the hosts where Grant Gunning and Mark Young had efforts off target, it was Portishead who struck first through Joe Ellis who found the net on six minutes with a good finish after James Clarke’s set piece fell to him inside the box.

Young had an 18 yarder saved by Lee Ballard before the hosts equalised on 19 when Brett Partner’s corner found the unmarked Nathan Hallett-Young who powered a header into the net.

With Sam Clift and Gary Tugwell controlling midfield United looked likely to take the lead, but Ballard did well again to deny Tugwell after good play by Partner and Gunning.

Just before half time Partner and Mark Young went close to putting their side ahead; Partner having a shot excellently blocked and after the ball came back into the box Young blazed over the bar from six yards.

Chances came at both ends early in the 2nd half with Ballard blocking a Young attempt, the ball broke to Clift who put it wide as did Kieran Marsden at the other end after good play by Mark Mapstone and Clarke.

As the visitors got the upper hand Callum Hotine in the Westbury goal made a fine right handed save from Clarke before Marsden had a nightmare by rounding Hotine only to fluff an open goal opportunity by striking against the crossbar.

Having been fortunate to keep the score at 1-1 United went all out for a winner and, after Tugwell had fired a powerful left footer inches over the bar, play became stretched deep into injury time which allowed Mead to latch onto Clift’s through ball and his finish went in off a post.

*STAR MAN – Sam Clift (Westbury United). TEAM – Callum Hotine, Josh Maguire, Grant Gunning, Nathan Hallett-Young, Callum Cooper,            Mark Young, Sam Clift, Gary Tugwell, Jordan Mathews, Mark Young, Brett Partner. SUBS – Tony McElhone, Marc Scammell, George Ingram (all used).