Match Report: Fleet Town 1 Westfield 4
Westfield took a big step to retaining the Aldershot FA Senior Cup, which they hold, with this Quarter Final victory over Fleet Town on a cold Tuesday night at The Easy As HGV Stadium.
The first quarter of an hour saw Fleet have most of the possession and attack but without being able to create any openings for a shot on goal. Against the run of play Westfield went ahead with their first attack when Gary Abisogun scored after eighteen minutes. From the restart, Fleet attacked and Aaron Petch played the ball into the box to Dean Rule, his shot though got blocked by Dylan Merchant and cleared. Immediately Westfield had the ball at the other end with Gary Abisogun, this time his shot was blocked and ran out for a corner. The corner played towards the far post, won by a Westfield head, the ball landed on the roof of the net. After twenty-seven minutes Westfield had another corner, which found its way to Dylan Merchant, who buried his shot into the net for Westfield’s second goal. Three minutes later Lui Edwards crossed the ball for Caleb Wright to head the ball in to the net for Westfield’s third goal. Fleet attacked and won their first corner of the match, this was played in under the bar and safely caught by Lewis Gallifent, he quickly released the ball and within seconds was with Lui Edwards who fired the ball home from the edge of the box to put Westfield four goals ahead, on thirty-three minutes. Just before half time Westfield could have scored again when Manolis Gogonas ran through, one on one against Finlay Purcell, he hit the ball past the Fleet keeper and past the post, so the score remained at 4-0 to the visitors at the break.
Fleet made four changes for the second half, bringing on Josh Pound, Campbell Scott, Dan Bone and new signing Kwesi Ntim for his debut. It took Westfield a quarter of an hour to create their first good chance of the half, Didi Ndombe shot from the right side of the six yard box, but his effort flew across the face of the goal and past the far post. Soon after Lui Edwards crossed and sub Tom Dryer headed the ball wide, as Westfield wasted another chance. Fleet never stopped trying and after seventy minutes Matt Surmon saw his shot saved by Lewis Gallifent. Ten minutes later Danilo Cadete ball in reached Dan Bone, he headed the ball goalward and it thundered into the crossbar and bounced over. A late chance for Westfield when sub Jack Beadle shot from the right and the ball rose to go over the junction of bar and far post. Into added time, Fleet finally struck when matt Surmon shot from distance and found the net, for what was only a consolation goal on the night.
Fleet Town now plan for the visit of Abbey Rangers for what would be their first league game of the season on Saturday afternoon.
