Recap

Westfields 2 – Rawlings, Muirhead

Mangotsfield United 2 – Jenkins, Crosbie

WESTFIELDS BATTLE BACK FOR A POINT IN SECOND-HALF DISPLAY

Westfields battled back to force a 2-2 draw with visiting Mangotsfield United on Saturday when having trailed 2-0 at the break a second-half goal secured a point and had it not been for a missed penalty Westfields may have taken all 3 points.

Manager Phil Glover surprised everyone by leaving out Dan Stoneman and Adam Newbury from the starting line-up and Westfields found themselves 2-0 down at the break when despite great opportunities to have taken the lead through Josh Hunt and Archie Muirhead, chances went awry and it was the visitors who surprised everyone.

Oli Jenkins headed home a right-wing corner to put the visitors ahead and then Jaydn Crosbie doubled the scoreline for Mangotsfield United with an easy tap-in at the far post following Westfields’ inability to clear another right-wing corner.

Half time came with Westfields 2-0 down and staring at defeat but a second-half revival when manager Phil Glover reintroduced Dan Stoneman and Adam Newbury to the team sparked a total revival when impressive work down the right-hand side saw captain Sam Rawlings fire home from just inside the penalty area to give Westfields fresh hope.

Newbury and Stoneman began to create problems then for the visitors and Stoneman was brought down in the box but Steve Davies missed a great opportunity when he saw his shot saved by Jakob Glover in the visitors’ goal to prevent Westfields from drawing level.

Glover then became the busiest man on the field as he saved brilliantly from Muirhead and then again stopped a piledriver from Harry Pitman when an equaliser looked on the cards.

Westfields kept up the pressure and again Stoneman and Newbury linked up well to force the equaliser when Stoneman’s cross was hammered home by Archie Muirhead at the far post to put Westfields level at 2-2.

Westfields then went flat-out for the winner but it was at the other end where Matt Apperley made a superb full-length save to deny Mangotsfield a winner when he tipped a Crosbie shot round the post and then at the other end his opposite, Jake Glover, produced another full-length save to keep out another Westfields effort.

It was certainly a game of 2 halves but Westfields battled back admirably in the second half to force a point.

This week Westfields face Bromyard Town at home in the HFA County Senior Challenge Cup on Tuesday, kick-off 8pm at allpay.park, and then on Saturday go to promotion-chasing Cribbs at Bristol, kick-off 3pm, in the Hellenic League Premier Division.