1st Team news

Walsall Wood 0 - Westfields 2

MATCH REPORT - Saturday, October 03, 2009

Walsall Wood 0
Westfields 2 - Daryl Addis 38, Scott Jackson 72

Attendance 37

WESTFIELDS GO THROUGH IN VASE

Westfields overcame a tricky away tie in the FA Vase 1st Round Proper when they beat Midland Combination team Walsall Wood 2-0 away on Saturday to reach the 2nd Round Proper with an away win over the side who had knocked Pegasus Juniors out of the competition in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Vase.

Westfields kept the same team that knocked Wellington out of the HFA County Challenge Cup in mid-week but were battling against a swirling wind as constructive football was difficult.

Walsall worked hard in the opening stages and Ahmet Bilgimer got free of Terry Green but Jon Pugh raced out of the Westfields’ goal to smother the striker’s shot, then at the other end a Daryl Addis cross was taken by the Walsall keeper, Luke Rollings, as Phil Glover raced in.

Westfields eventually got the vital breakthrough in the 38th minute when Sam Harrison got in a fine cross and Mark Davis saw his powerful header palmed away by the Walsall keeper but Darryl Addis was on hand to take up the chase to stab the ball over the line to put Westfields ahead.

Walsall Wood came back strongly before the break and Paul Casey got in a goal line clearance after a Brett Larkins’ free-kick had caused problems in the Westfields’ defence but Casey cleared well to keep Westfields ahead at the break.

After the interval both teams tried to play constructive soccer in the difficult conditions which then worsened with torrential rain.  Westfields’ manager Sean Edwards then sent on substitutes Paul Allam and Jamie Addis to give more width to the game.

Allam twice got in good crosses before Westfields increased their lead with an incredible goal when Westfields were awarded a free-kick on the half-way line and Scott Jackson launched a tremendous “cross cum” shot which flew into the top corner of the net aided by the swirling wind.

Walsall kept plugging away and twice Ahmet Bilgimer got free but wasted his opportunity, then in a frantic goalmouth scramble Paul Allam cleared after Walsall pushed men forward in an effort to force a goal.

Westfields survived a few anxious moments as Walsall won a series of corners which the Westfields’ defence, in which Tom Sparey was outstanding, dealt with to go through to the next round of the Vase on 14th November.