Westfield spring cup surprise

Westfield’s footballers pulled off a notable 2-1 victory away to reigning Macron Store Sussex County Football League champions East Preston last night (Tuesday).
Sam Willett scored Westfield's equaliser in the 2-1 victory away to East Preston last nightSam Willett scored Westfield's equaliser in the 2-1 victory away to East Preston last night
Sam Willett scored Westfield's equaliser in the 2-1 victory away to East Preston last night

Second half goals from Sam Willett and David Pugh enabled Westfield to overturn a half time deficit and set up a Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup quarter-final away to Crowborough Athletic.

Division One side EP have lost manager Dom Di Paola and several players to Hastings United in recent weeks, but this was still a fine result for Division Two team Westfield, who hadn’t won any of their previous eight games in all competitions.

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Westfield manager Jethro Warren said: “It was really good from start to finish; everyone was superb and we totally deserved it. It was a massive improvement. We had a decent squad available and if we had this every week we would be far higher up the table.”

Warren felt that Westfield were by far the better team in the opening 20 minutes of a match played on a slick surface. EP kept the ball well for the next 15-20 minutes and drew first blood with a goal from a corner scored by Maxime Agnoly.

Warren felt that Westfield were again on top after half time. Having turned down two or three chances to shoot from 25 yards in the first half, Willett tried his luck at the first opportunity in the second period and buried his shot into the bottom corner for his ninth goal of the season to make it 1-1.

Pugh then continued his red hot goalscoring form by grabbing the winner with a brilliant strike into the top corner from a free kick won by substitute Mike Booth.

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The impressive Curtis Coombes also hit the crossbar and had a header well saved, and although EP exerted a bit of pressure towards the end, Warren never felt like Westfield were going to concede.

Westfield: H. Stapley; Thomson (Booth), Warren, Archer, Williams; Brand, Dadswell; Coombes (Warren), Willett, Hales; Pugh. Sub not used: J. Stapley.

Willett and Pugh were also on target as Westfield twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw away to second-bottom Saltdean United in the league on Saturday.

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