1st Team news

Westfields 0 - Oadby Town 0

MATCH REPORT - Saturday, September 26, 2009

Westfields 0
Oadby Town 0

Attendance 61

WESTFIELDS EARN ANOTHER POINT

Westfields fought hard to earn another point in their “top ten” battle with high-flying OADBY TOWN at allpay.park on Saturday.

Westfields’ manager, Sean Edwards, was forced to reshuffle the team due to injuries to Mike Evans, Paul Allam, Jamie Addis and Sam Harrison but the team responded well to record a hard-earned point and maintain their early season promise.

Scott Jackson came in for his first game of the season at centre back and Carl Morgan returned after a 3 week HFA ban while Terry Green again kept the right back berth with another sound performance.

Oadby Town, now in the top six and managed by Matt Elliott, the former Leicester City and Scottish international, were a sound, well organised outfit and both sides gave the crowd an entertaining game despite the 0-0 score line.

Westfields opened up well and Danny Moon saw an early effort clip the top of the Oadby Town bar, then a well worked corner between Mark Hibbard and Paul Casey saw the former Forest Green fullback’s cross just elude Phil Glover as the big Westfields’ striker raced into the penalty area.

Oadby then enjoyed a good spell midway through the first half when Jon Pugh needed treatment after pulling off a full-length save at the foot of the post to keep out a goal-bound 20 yard drive from Nick Pollard.

Oadby were then denied an opening goal when Pollard beat Jon Pugh to a through ball but his lob shot was acrobatically kicked off the goal line by Westfields’ defender Terry Green.

In an end-to-end opening first half Westfields had a half chance to take an interval lead but Carl Morgan saw his 20 yard effort clear the Oadby crossbar.

The second half saw defences on top with Tom Sparey in fine form at the heart of the Westfields’ defence, while at the other end Scott Washington produced a flying save in the 70th minute when Westfields’ substitute Sam Hunt linked up well with Darryl Addis and hit a right foot shot which the Oadby keeper did well to push away, then Mark Hibbard followed up with another shot which again the Oadby keeper somehow kept out.

Westfields pushed forward and brought on Tom Harding as a second sub and from his cross Mark Davis headed narrowly wide.

In an end-to-end game Westfields survived an incredible Oadby Town goal mouth scramble when Green cleared the ball up field.

However, the save of the day was in the 83rd minute when Daryl Addis got free of his marker and unleashed a thumping 20 yard drive where Washington in the Oadby goal produced a stunning save to prevent a late Westfields’ winner and both sides settled for a point a piece from a hard-working MFA game.