Beechfield United Football Club

POSTED: January 18 2017 22:58:32 By Keith Long - United Not At Their Best Against West.

Due to various reasons Beechfield United's First Team had just eleven players available for their home game with Westbury Sports. In a makeshift line-up several players started the match in unfamiliar positions and though United produced a decent performance they suffered a 4-2 defeat. Beechy's stand-in keeper Carl Ravenscroft was soon in action as the visitors attacked with confidence on the artificial surface at Salford Sports Village. Involved in United's first real attacking move was Rob Lockley who created a mazy run down the left flank and he carved out a scoring opportunity but his effort was well saved by the Westbury keeper.

United's Man of the Match Alfie Belcher was inches away from giving Beechy the lead when his thunderous swerving shot from twenty five yards rattled the crossbar. On eighteen minutes Westbury were awarded a debatable penalty but the visitors number seven wasted the spot-kick when he hammered the ball over the crossbar. Beechy enjoyed a fair share of the ball without really creating enough clear-cut chances while Westbury continued to administer heavy pressure onto United's back four of Mike Rogerson, Patrick Beckett, Kurtis Lee and Craig Massey who had a rare role at left back.

A superb defence splitting pass by Rob Lockley in the 27th minute set-up Jamie Sinnott who easily slotted the ball past the keeper but the referee deemed the United man was in and offside position when he received the ball and disallowed the goal. Several times during the half Westbury adopted the long ball tactic using the pace of their number nine who on one occasion broke the offside trap but was robbed of a goal following a brilliant save by Carl Ravenscroft. Westbury took the lead after thirty five minutes though United had a couple of chances to clear the ball out of the danger zone before it rebounded to the visitors number 14 who curled it into the net from outside the area.

Beechy worked hard to find an equaliser but Westbury were solid in defence and remained 1-0 up at the break. Early in the second half United were at times guilty of wasting possession but one brilliant move almost got them back level. Mike Rogerson, Louis Duff and Jamie Sinnott linked-up superbly and the latter saw his effort on target deflected for a corner. Minutes later a free kick taken by Jamie Sinnott was met by Kurtis Lee in the area and his powerful header forced a fingertip save. United then experienced a bad few minutes when they failed to defend against Westbury's continued and effective use of the long ball tactic and their number nine took full advantage putting the visitors 2-0 ahead.

Beechy conceded a third goal in the fifty second minute but reduced the arrears two minutes later when the Westbury keeper made a fine reaction save to deny Alfie Belcher a goal but when the ball rolled across the area Jamie Sinnott reacted the quickest and fired it into the net from close range. Westbury always played with real intensity while Beechy needed to put more pressure on the ball in all areas of the pitch. Following another piece of slack defending United found themselves trailing 4-1 though Beechy's hopes of a possible comeback were given a boost four minutes later thanks to a spectacular goal scored by Louis Duff from close to the touchline.