WESTBURY United confirmed their Southern League Division One South status for another year after clinching a 3-0 away win at Malvern Town on Saturday.
“Mission complete!” said the club. “After today’s three points, little old Westbury United Football Club confirmed the Southern Football League status for the 24/25 season. With what’s been a tough season on and off the pitch, we can now start to look forward to next season.”
This was United’s second season in the Southern League Division One South, having been promoted to the league for the first time in the club’s 102-year history in 2022. The club finished 10th in the first season and, at the time of writing, United is in 18th place, with one game left to play.
The club was forced to temporarily ground-share with neighbours Melksham Town at the start of the season as they waited to completed essential work to the changing rooms as part of the league criteria.
Speaking on the club’s journey this season, chairman Phil Hampson commented, “While we would have loved to finish in a similar position as last year, we’re delighted to have punched above our weight and retained our Southern League status coming up against teams with vastly bigger budgets.
“Credit to both managers, Lewis and Ricky, who have really dug deep to get the results we needed at the business end of the season and a massive thank you to our supporters who have stuck with us and shown support when we needed it most.
“The players have shown their quality and now we hope to kick on next season and show the rest of the league what ‘little old Westbury’ is really about.”
Sat 20th Apr. Southern League Division One South.
Malvern Town 0-3 Westbury United
United started the game well, but failed to break the deadlock. By the 30th minute, neither team had really got into the game and both goalkeepers had little to do. The first half ended 0-0.
United came close in the 49th minute after a shot from Bevan Cross flew over the bar. Jonny Hill pulled out all the stops with a great save at point-blank range that kept the game level.
Ben Griffiths scored the first goal of the game in the 68th minute with a long-range effort. United followed this up in the 84th minute following a devastating counter attack as Callum Demkiv fired the ball across the box for Harvey Flippance to lift it home.
Ben Starr launched a brilliant cross in the 91st minute and Aaron Cockerill was on hand to fire it home with his head.
Man of the match: Craig Loxton. The club about his performance, “Rolling back the years with an absolute Rolls Royce performance this afternoon. Been brilliant since coming in, not just on the pitch but also off it. Invaluable experience and someone all the lads respect and look up to!.”
