Recap

Westfields 6 – Griffiths 3, Summers, Stoneman, Iddles

FC Stratford 0

SAM’S THE MAN – YOUNGSTER GRABS HAT-TRICK ON DEBUT

Westfields went through to the second round of the Bluefin Hellenic League Supplementary Cup on Saturday with a resounding 6-0 victory over FC Stratford at allpay.park.

With just 2 league matches left to play, manager Phil Glover gave a senior league debut to 17 year old Sam Griffiths who has been impressing in the Westfields U18 Floodlit Team and along with Scott Winston the youngsters performed well to see Westfields through to the next round when they play league champions Bishops Cleeve on Tuesday night in the next round of the Bluefin Cup.

Griffiths did not look out of place in the First Team and was on hand to grab a tremendous hat-trick in the second half.

The first half was goal-less with neither side able to break the deadlock but in the second half manager Phil Glover replaced Luke Sylvester with Dan Stoneman and within a moment Dan Stoneman laid on a chance when the ball cannoned off the far post and Sam Griffiths was on hand to head home the rebound and put Westfields 1-0 ahead within minutes of Stoneman’s arrival.

Griffiths then side-footed home a gift of an opportunity after Josh Hunt had made an amazing run down the touchline and pulled the ball back for Griffiths to slam home and then Griffiths was on hand again to put Westfields 3-0 ahead with just 70 minutes gone when he seized on an opportunity, which Hunt had laid on, to secure his hat-trick.

Stratford did come back into the game and Matt Apperley in the Westfields goal pulled off a flying save to keep the score sheet blank and then Apperley again produced a stunning save to thwart Tom Smith who was through on goal

However, the last 20 minutes belonged to Westfields who scored a tremendous goal through Harrison Summers who raced round the Stratford defence to fire home, and then Dan Stoneman helped himself to a goal after an impressive stint as substitute before Harrison Iddles also earned himself a goal after a hard-working display.

Westfields’ 6-0 victory over the Hellenic League Division 1 side earns them a trip to Bishops Cleeve on Tuesday night.

Westfields finish their Hellenic League home programme on Good Friday, kick-off 3pm, when the visitors will be Thornbury, and Westfields expect a bumper crowd at allpay.park as it is one of the games that’s been chosen by the National Groundhoppers’ Association to be featured and the groundhoppers will invade allpay.park as one of the games the supporters will be attending this Easter weekend.

It’s the first time that Westfields have been chosen for a groundhoppers’ match and it’s likely that Westfields will attract their highest home gate of the season since their visit of Lads Club over the Christmas holiday period when Westfields attracted a bumper gate.

 

On Easter Monday Westfields finish their Hellenic League programme with an away trip to league runners- up Westbury in Wiltshire, kick-off 3pm.