Tuesday 13th August, Toolstation Western League Division One Westbury United 2 Calne 0
A disciplined Westbury United eventually wore down a well-organised Calne Town side in an even contest at Meadow Lane, securing their second consecutive win of the season on 13th August.
Early pressure from Calne’s Brett Partner, Neurin Jones and Aaron Hopkins was met by firm resistance from Westbury’s Mark Young, Lee Salter, and Matt Cooper, with Simon Millard forcing a corner in the 15th minute. Young’s corner was headed wide by the towering Cooper. However, it was the impressive Calne who produced the best chance of the first half capitalising on Westbury’s inability to clear.
In the 35th minute, a foul deep within the home side’s half resulted in a free kick on the edge of the box. Danny Baker’s ball was headed down firmly by James Lye, and Lewis Porter dived low to his right to push it round the post. Porter punched the corner away, and made a crucial impact minutes later, collecting crosses from Lye and then Hopkins on the left.
Calne finished the first half on top with a promising move. Partner, Hopkins and Lye combined well, but finally strayed offside on the edge of Westbury’s penalty area.
The second half started with Calne continuing to ask questions of Westbury’s defence, and Neurin Jones and Lee Salter cancelling each other out in midfield. Millard was booked for a foul on Keiron Gleed in a dangerous position. Matt Cooper headed Mark Dolman’s free kick clear, and Dolman then fouled Young, stopping a Westbury breakaway. Dolman was booked. The free kick led to a corner which was headed over the cross bar by Cooper on 50 minutes.
On 60 minutes, James Sharrat’s turn and run tested Westbury’s grip on defence, but Westbury’s forwards were growing in confidence. Millard’s speculative shot from the left landed on the roof of the net on 65 minutes. Millard then broke through one-on-one with Calne’s keeper Jamie Bartlett who came out best.
On the 68th minute, Calne’s Alex Lewis was booked for a foul on Millard deep on the right. Young’s free kick beat the two man wall and was headed low to the keeper’s right by the agile Joe Murray who had just come on for the hardworking Phil Hampson. Bartlett guessed right but helped the ball into his own net for an own goal.
One-nil up, Westbury took control. Murray’s speed and anticipation caused Calne to constantly drop back. Space opened up for Salter and Young to exploit with Jake Cooper sending in accurate crosses from midfield, Young and Hallet now enjoying greater freedom.
Charlie Walton came on for the impressive Jake Cooper on 75 minutes, and immediately moved into a forward position causing Calne to backpedal further. Millard’s shot was blocked for a corner, and headed out by Baker. Calne’s last move between Hopkins and Partner was ruled offside, and with great defending by the impressive Matt Jones, and a solid team performance all round, Westbury secured the points.
Saturday 17th August, Toolstation Western League Division One Westbury United 4 Chard 2
Westbury United fought back in the second half against a determined Chard Town who refused to give up on Saturday 17th August.
The home team had the better of the first half with David Whyte defending well and pressing high up the pitch. Chard’s James Boyland made promising runs on the left and Mark Armstrong put the ball over Westbury’s bar on eight minutes.
On 15 minutes, Simon Millard’s controlled pass from the edge of the box reached Nathan Hallet, and his first time shot fizzed past Chard’s left hand post.
But Chard defended well with captain Mark Scott in control, and they won more of the midfield exchanges between Lee Salter and Armstrong. Rich Hebditch threatened Westbury on the right with a run that won a corner on 20 minutes, but the ball landed on the roof of the net.
With Chard giving long clearances away, Westbury started to dominate, and the outstanding Dan Dominy met everything in the centre on his return.
On 35 minutes, Westbury were on target. Nathan Hallet connected with Wayne Wheeler’s cross, and his shot was saved by Chard keeper Jason Hutchings.
On 44 minutes, Matt Cooper sent Millard free on the left, and the ball was pushed out for a corner which was over-hit. Chard broke away. With Matt Cooper injured winning the corner, Salter made a crucial interception at the back to deny Chard, and the first half ended 0-0.
Matt Cooper was replaced by Dan Letchford at the start of the second half. Letchford went on the left to fill in for David Whyte who moved right. The lively Boyland immediately ran at Whyte, cut in and unleashed a shot that Lewis Porter couldn’t stop. One-nil Chard. Mark Young forced a corner at the other end, but even that led to another unwanted test of the rearranged Westbury defence, Hebditch hitting the side netting.
Jake Cooper was switched for Charlie Walton who took up a more advanced position, and Westbury immediately won a free kick deep in Chard’s half after Scott fouled Millard. Three Westbury corners in succession followed, as they put pressure on for an equaliser.
A penalty appeal for handball was turned down, and Chard came back strongly with Sam King, Hebditch and Boyland combining well to cause Westbury problems.
Jamie Underwood’s volley missed the Westbury post on 65 minutes, but Westbury levelled the score on 67 minutes when Wayne Wheeler’s fizzing shot was headed over the keeper and into the net by Nathan Hallet.
With everything to play for, the game opened up and both sets of strikers found more space. But it was Westbury who took maximum advantage, with Mark Young cutting in and sending a ball across Chard’s goalmouth for Wheeler to slot in Westbury’s second.
Dan Letchford’s accurate long balls from the left for Hallet and Wheeler kept Chard pressed back, and when sub Ritchie Powell and Underwood were finally able to break away on 75 minutes, Dominy made an important stop on the edge of the box. Mark Young, with his last contribution on 80 minutes, set up a slick move between Millard and Wheeler which was saved by Hutchings.
With Joe Murray replacing Young who had given everything, Wheeler picked up the ball deep and found acres of space ahead of him. He ran at Chard and scored his second and Westbury’s third on 83 minutes.
But Chard were still in it. Hutching’s free kick just inside Westbury’s half was headed out for a corner. Jamie Barfoot found himself unmarked and headed past Porter to make it 3-2.
With seconds remaining, Walton cut through the Chard defence, and had two attempts at scoring Westbury’s fourth to end an entertaining match.
Westbury line-up: Lewis Porter, Matty Jones, David Whyte, Dan Dominy, Matt Cooper, Jake Cooper, Mark Young, Lee Salter, Simon Millard, Wayne Wheeler, Nathan Hallet. Subs used: Dan Letchford, Charlie Walton, Joe Murray. Subs not used: Sam Walker, Gavin Filkins.
