Following the completion of the Gooding Accounts sponsored Trowbridge League Division One league fixtures last Saturday, all the attention will turn to what should be a heavyweight battle between Division One champions Heytesbury and Westbury United Reserves as they battle to lift this seasons’ PAH Accounting sponsored A&B Cup.
For Heytesbury they will be looking to win their fourth trophy of the season when they face Westbury United Reserves in what should be a thrilling final between two evenly matched sides if the league meetings between the teams are anything to go by.
Westbury who have suffered a 2-1 and 1-0 loss to Heytesbury already this season, will be going all out to avoid a hat trick of defeats and become the first team this campaign to beat Tom Willoughby’s treble winning side.
Westbury began their cup run with a 2-1 victory away at FC Devizes United. In what was a very tight game Tyler Gane lashed home from 30 yards to give Westbury the lead, Devizes restored parity on for Liam Milburn to hit a late winner for Westbury.
Westbury then travelled to first division stable mates Melksham Town Development where 120 minutes were unable to produce a winner, with Westbury finally going though after edging a penalty shootout 4-3. After Cameron Pearce opened the score for Melksham, Jack Booth equalised for Westbury from a free kick to take the tie into the deciding shootout.
Westbury who held their nerve and composed penalties from Toby Murden, Jack Booth, Finn Young and Jake Samuel proved enough to take them into the last four of the competition.
Bradley King-Taylor’s Westbury side against needed extra time in their semi-final showdown away at second division leaders Park United who lost out 2-1 in another thrilling contest that could have gone either way.
Westbury took the lead when Luke Murden gave them a first half advantage. Park fashioned a second half equaliser that saw Jamie Norman restore parity to take the game to extra-time. With both sides having chances to take the lead it was Westbury who scored the all-important second goal on 113 minutes via Otis Young to book their place at Meadow Lane.
WESTBURY UNITED RESERVES FC
Back row right to left: Bradley King-Taylor, Alfie Francis, Kierran Ramsey, Kyle Matthews, Jack Sterling, Kurt James, Luke Murden, Ryan Underwood, Finn Young, Dan Austin.
Front row right to left: Dan Blackwell, Jake Samuel, Matt Little, Joel Hillier, Dan Plank, Rhys Fricker, Liam Milburn, Adam Mercer
Heytesbury who lifted the Division One title earlier this year have since added both the Wiltshire Junior Cup and Chantry Digital sponsored Knockout Cup to their trophy cabinet and should they beat Westbury to lift the A&B Cup they will write their name into the league record books as the first team to complete the quadruple of Junior, Knockout and A&B Cup and Division One winners in the same season.
Heytesbury who lost in the final to Seend United a year ago, started their cup escapade with a 4-2 triumph over near neighbours Warminster Town Reserves.
The first half hour of this tie was a tight encounter but 3 quick Heytesbury goals before the break put the game beyond Warminster’s reach. Warren Moreland, Sam Wright and Liam Gibbens scored the third to take the teams into the interval with Heytesbury comfortably ahead. Sam Roberts added the fourth after Max Ball had threatened a Warminster revival.
Heytesbury continued their seemingly unstoppable season with a 6-0 win over Hilperton Greyhound to ease into the last four. Kieron Edwards headed home a Reece Collyer free kick. Sam Wright doubled the lead and made it 3-0. A Jake Wright treble made up Heytesbury’s half dozen.
Heytesbury had a semi-final showdown away at Second division The Stiffs FC who had upset Trowbridge Town Reserves in the previous round. Despite taking a 5th minute Stiffs were beaten 4-1. Reece Collyer (penalty), Myles Woodward, Sam McEntee and Harry Hamlin shared the others to the villagers into a third final of the season.
HEYTESBURY FC
Back Row L-R: Liam Gibbens, Adam Welsh, Callum Hotine, Ben Howlett, Harry Hamlin, Kieran Green, Sam Spratt, Warren Moreland, Sam McEntee, Kieron Edwards, Sam Roberts, Adam Fearon (Assistant Manager).
Front Row L-R; Tom O’Brien (Chairman), Reece Collyer, Jake Wright, Tom Willoighby (Manager), Dan Dicks, Rodney Mullens (President), Sam Wringt, Myles Woodward, Martyn Spratt (Secretary).
Heytesbury will be firm favourites to lift the Knockout Cup, however they should face a tough challenge from a Westbury United Reserves side who will be missing a few key players, but will be looking to salvage something from a season that promised so much, but delivered very little.
Should both teams bring their A game then the final could be a thriller, but going by the previous league meetings it will probably be a low scoring affair rather than the hoped for goal fest.
Admission to the Final that Kicks-Off at 7.30pm is £3.00
