Westies win opening game of 2015

Two second half goals from David Pugh and one from Steve Ringwood secured a 3-1 victory away to second-bottom Storrington on Saturday.

Westfield manager Jethro Warren said: “I was made up with it. I was surprised it was on, but the pitch was alright and just from the off it seemed to click.

“When you haven’t played for a while there’s always the nagging thought ‘is there going to be a bit of lethargy in people’s legs?’ and ‘are people’s heads going to be right?’ First half it took us a little while to get into our stride, but generally all-round it was really good.”

With none of their five registered goalkeepers available, Westfield fielded Jacob Archer between the posts. The visitors also gave a debut to Ashley Darby in midfield and the new signing performed well in the day’s only Macron Store Sussex County Football League Division Two fixture to beat the weather.

Westfield forced the Storrington goalkeeper into three or four saves without creating anything clearcut during a goalless first half.

The visitors started the second period well and drew first blood when Sam Henham took a free kick quickly and Pugh beat the offside trap before scoring with a nice finish into the corner.

Pugh doubled his and Westfield’s tally with another good goal just five minutes later. The striker picked up the ball in the left-hand corner of the box and cut inside before burying a fine finish into the far corner for his 17th goal of the season.

Westfield, for whom Curtis Coombes had another decent game, made absolutely sure of the points through Ringwood’s first senior goal of the campaign. After a patient build-up, Ringwood got to the byeline on the left and cut back onto his right foot before producing a lovely finish into the top corner.

Storrington hadn’t really troubled Westfield at all, yet managed to nab a consolation which denied the Westies a first clean sheet of the season. Westfield were caught flat-footed by a long ball over the top and Kelvin Lucas toed it past Archer as he came out.

Westfield: J. Archer; Paine (Burt), T. Archer, Henham, Bell; Cuddington, Dadswell, Ringwood, Darby (Willett); Pugh (Seymour), Coombes.