Our last encounter with Westbury was 25th November 2008, away, in the Les Phillips Cup. Where we were victorious 2-0 with goals from Simeon Allison and Sam Duggan. With Matt Smith playing for Westbury and Melksham Manager Richard Fey in the sticks for the Robins.
Here is Colin Carpenter's match report from that day.
Frome progressed to the 2nd round of the Les Phillips Cup with a 2-0 victory
at Westbury, in what turned out to be a hard fought local derby.
With Jamie Cheeseman suspended and Mark Salter injured, Andy Crabtree's starting line up included Steve Hunt partnering Stuart Bryant in the centre of defence, gave a first start to Alex Smith in midfield and moved Dean Caslake to centre forward to partner Mark Rawlins.
Westbury were the first to show with a shot that fizzed past the post in the 1st minute, and Frome replied in the 5th minute as a Duggan shot was palmed away by Evans after good work by Rawlins.
The first five minutes set the tone for the match, with neither side dominating and both prepared to attack, it seemed that the victors would be the side that showed most composure in front of goal, and so it proved.
Duggan went close for Frome in the 18th minute as Westbury keeper Evans slipped while clearing the ball, and Coggin did well to recover from an under hit back pass two minutes later. After Greg Lake had gone close with a header in the 25th minute, Frome took the lead in the 37th minute as a defence splitting ball found Matt Rawlins on the left wing. He cut inside and shot, but the deflection found Sim Allison in space and his first time left foot shot found the corner of the net.
A mazy Duggan run in the 41st minute led to a booking for a Westbury defender and a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Alex Smith stepped up and hit a splendid curving shot that was just saved by Evans at the second attempt.
Half time brought some welcome relief from the freezing conditions, and Westbury warmed things up even more immediately after the break as Richard Fey was called into action twice, and Greg Lake cleared off the line, all in the space of the first 7 minutes.
However, Frome increased their lead in the 55th minute as a right wing cross was headed out by a defender, only for Sam Duggan to hit a low, 20 yard drive into the corner of the net, with the full stretch Evans just getting a despairing hand to the ball.
Westbury came right back, and a well hit shot brought a save from Fey in the 60th minute, and one minute later, Greg Lake again headed off his own line as a header from a Westbury corner caused problems.
Duggan went close in the 62nd minute as a Rawlins dummy let him through, but this time his chipped shot hit the cross bar and rebounded harmlessly into play. He again went close two minutes later with a flicked header, and good interchange play with Rawlins led to another shot in the 80th minute. New signing Tom Pang made his debut in the 75th minute and he almost added to the ;lead in the 91st minute, but the last chance of the night fell to Westbury as an Ayton shot went just past the post, with the referee blowing for time seconds later.
Sam Duggan was chosen as Man of the Match for another inspired performance in midfield
Starting line ups:
Westbury Frome Nick Evans 1. Richard Fey Aadrzej Lesnick 2 Lauris Coggin Luke Smith 3 Greg Lake Steve Seals 4 Steve Hunt Nick Ridout 5 Stuart Bryant Lee Morgan 6 Leigh Burke Robert Mitchel 7 Alex Smith Matt Smith 8 Sam Duggan Tarick Yachov 9 Dean Caslake Wayne Wheeler 10 Matt Rawlins Nathan Hallett 11 Simeon Allison
Att: 148
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