Midhurst keep on climbing

Midhurst delivered another important victory as they beat Westfield 3-2 to move above them in Sussex League division two.
Midhurst celebrate a goal against Westfield    Picture by Darren ChivertonMidhurst celebrate a goal against Westfield    Picture by Darren Chiverton
Midhurst celebrate a goal against Westfield Picture by Darren Chiverton

With veteran manager Gary Norgate missing through family commitments, Andy Newton and Richie Towers led the team.

There were decisions to be made following the previous week’s dreadful performance at Worthing but they opted to give the majority a players a second chance, bringing in only Broughton and Flux.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Stags were keen to make amends and started at a frenetic pace. Westfield were firmly on the back foot with chances coming and going for Liam Dreckman and Luke Sheldrick up top.

Eventually Sheldrick opened the scoring. A whipped-in ball from the right by Matty Mason’s left foot found Sheldrick, whose flicked header from 12 yards skipped into the bottom corner.

It could have been two, but Sean Dummer blazed over from four yards.

The Stags fans didn’t have to wait long for a second. A through-ball from Dreckman sliced the Westfield defence apart. Mason ran through and calmly lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The second half should have been comfortable. However, the Stags don’t like to make things easy for themselves.

As a Westfield player ran into the box, Flux dived in and gave away a penalty. It was converted by Dave Pugh to make it 2-1.

With Westfield pushing forward, the Stags needed to re-establish their two-goal cushion. This they did when a corner from Dreckman found Sheldrick’s head and he nodded home his second of the match.

A curling effort from Dreckman went just wide and a mazy run from Mason should have produced a better finish.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Following the sending-off of Dummer, a Curtis Coombes header made it 3-2 which led to a few minutes of backs-to-the-wall defending but the Stags saw out the game and deserved their victory.

Newton said: “The lads played really well and gave 110 per cent. We created plenty of chances and played good football at times.”

MIDHURST: Roberts, Dummer. White, Flux (Sheehan), Broughton, Newton, Stevens (Crabb), Mason, Sheldrick (Vine), Hyde, Dreckman. Unused sub: Casselton.