Westies stun higher grade rivals

The Westies came from behind to win 2-1 away to Eastbourne United AFC in a Sussex RUR Charity Cup second round tie despite travelling with only 11 fit players on Saturday.

“I couldn’t believe it really,” admitted Westfield manager Jethro Warren, who came out of retirement to play. “I was made up with everything.

“Over Thursday and Friday we had five or six drop out, and I just said to them (the players) ‘we’ve got nothing to lose’.

“We attacked them from the off and I think we shocked them a bit. I think they took us a little bit for granted and we were by far the better side.”

Eastbourne went into the tie having picked up 13 points from a possible 15 in Macron Store Sussex County Football League Division One and having given Hastings United a real scare in the FA Cup.

The hosts opened the scoring midway through the first half when a corner bounced around in the Westfield box and Mike Gardner’s shot trickled in.

Division Two side Westfield soon levelled. Sam Willett was brought down in the area and David Pugh scored the resulting penalty.

Westfield won it after the break as Willett’s cross towards Pugh was turned into his own net by an Eastbourne defender. Westfield goalkeeper Carl Morris made a key save from a one-on-one situation.

Westfield: Morris, Williams, Thomson, Warren, Bell, Dadswell, Brand, Saunders, Willett, Martellini, Pugh. Subs not used: Payne, Seymour.