Westfield net senior cup glory

Westfield clinched the Hastings & District FA Senior Cup with a 3-0 victory over Bexhill United last night (Wednesday).
Westfield Football Club celebrates winning the Hastings & District FA Senior CupWestfield Football Club celebrates winning the Hastings & District FA Senior Cup
Westfield Football Club celebrates winning the Hastings & District FA Senior Cup

All the goals came during the second half as Westfield triumphed in a keenly contested and entertaining final against fellow mid-table Sussex County Football League Division Two side Bexhill.

On a drizzly evening at Little Common Recreation Ground, Bexhill were left to rue the chances which went begging during an opening quarter in which they were the better side and struck the crossbar three times.

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Peter Cooper hit the frame of Westfield’s goal with a left wing cross in the opening minute and Curtis Coombes saw a shot beaten out by Russell Tanner at the other end moments later.

Jacob Shelton fired against the underside of Westfield’s crossbar with a sweetly struck left-foot drive, Steven Earley’s powerful goalbound header from a Bexhill corner was blocked and Jamie Salvidge then rattled the woodwork with a shot following another flag kick.

A Matt Dadswell header was well saved by Bexhill goalkeeper Tanner low to his right as the incident-packed start continued. A tremendous left-foot volley by Salvidge flashed just over the Westfield goal and he then played in Peter Cooper, who failed to convert a good opportunity when through.

Play became more even during the rest of the first half and Westfield dominated the second period. Westfield opened the scoring in the 55th minute when Mike Booth received a Ross Williams pass and cut in from the left before unleashing a cracking strike into the far corner via the post.

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The impressive Booth forced a good save out of Tanner low to his left a couple of minutes later and Bexhill’s goalkeeper then pulled off an even better stop after Sam Willett’s free kick from the left took a deflection on its way towards goal. Dadswell couldn’t quite force home the rebound.

Westfield, who haven’t conceded a goal in three games against Bexhill this season, doubled their advantage in the 67th minute when a good move ended with Ross Markham’s cross from the right seemingly headed into his own net by Bexhill central defender Earley, although Williams has been credited with the goal.

Markham ran through the Bexhill defence only to be denied by Tanner before the same player rounded-off the scoring with virtually the last kick of the game, a free kick which Tanner got a hand to low to his left but couldn’t prevent from nestling in the bottom corner.

Bexhill: Tanner, Tudor, Ottley (Aston), Earley, Richardson, Catt, Salvidge, D. Stevens, Cooper, Shelton (Macdonald), K. Smith.

Westfield: Morris, Parsons, Durrant (Bell), Thomson, Archer, Willett, Markham, Williams, Dadswell (Allman), Booth, Coombes (Hurley). Subs not used: Miller, Holland.