Westend play well in a friendly match
against higher league team
MIDDLEWICH 3
WESTEND UNITED 3
(Under 12’s friendly 24/4/02)
Middlewich won the toss and changed ends so that Westend were playing with the low sun in their eyes.
Westend started well in attack, with an Alex Mason and Dale Little partnership, and defence with Scott Sapsford, Philip Roney, Jim Cowburn and Dean Morgan. Middlewich were also able to attack and early on they were awarded a free kick from which they scored after the ball came into the box to be helped in past Matthew Blood. Darren Roberts and Kit Ambage came on for Jack Carroll and Nick Tabbinor. Middlewich were having a good spell forcing Blood to tip one effort over the bar and produce another great save moments later. Westend then had a number of good forward moves resulting in a shot from Cowburn that went over the bar. In a lovely move from midfield involving Harry Higate who passed to Cowburn who in turn put an excellent ball through to Sam Marshall for him to equalise in good style. The midfield of Ambage, Higate, Cowburn and Oliver Gifford were all contributing to the good midfield battle that was developing. Westend were having much of the play and efforts on goal came from Higate and Cowburn. At half time the score was 1-1.
Middlewich restarted the game and Westend resumed their battling play in defence and Midfield and this paid off with Ashley Goodwin, who had swapped with Higate, latching on to some great build up play with a fantastic strike for Westend to take the lead. Westend won a free kick that Gifford nearly connected with. Middlewich produced some extensive pressure forcing yet another good save from Blood followed moments later by another equaliser. Westend press forward and Mason tries a speculative shot from outside the box after seeing the keeper off his line but it went just wide. Westend attacked again and were awarded a penalty after Mason was brought down in the box. Marshall struck the ball really well from the spot and gave the keeper no chance to put Westend back in front. The game continued seeing some great tackling from Morgan and saves from Blood followed by a superb half volley from Marshall that just went over the bar. The lead was short lived as Middlewich levelled the scores again. Westend won another penalty after Cowburn took on three defenders only to have two of them bring him down in the box. Marshall again stepped up and hit a fierce shot but the keeper saved it well. Both teams continued to try hard but they had to settle for a draw with the score at the final whistle 3-3.
Team: - Ambage, Blood, Carroll, Cowburn, Gifford, Goodwin, Higate, Little, Marshall, Mason, Morgan, Roberts, Roney, Sapsford and Tabbinor.