Home comforts Westbury tie for Cleeve after Cup success
BISHOP’S Cleeve will host fellow newly-promoted Southern League Division One South side Westbury United in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup after they overcame Brimscombe & Thrupp 2-0 in the preliminary round at Kayte Lane on Saturday.
The sides cancelled each other out in the opening half-hour, although the visitors were perhaps shading it.
Gavin Jones, in the Brimscombe goal, was cautioned for dissent when he was convinced the referee should have blown for offside before Jack Watts was allowed to shoot over the bar in a one-on-one situation.
Brimscombe then saw Oli Barnes blast a 25-yard shot narrowly over the Cleeve goal before Cleeve’s Jordan Annear saw a double shot saved and Jonty Welch fired a free kick narrowly over for the visitors.
With five minutes of the half remaining, Cleeve started to take control, with George Box shooting wide and Harrison Reeves seeing a shot blocked on the line.
Moments later, Cleeve took the lead as the ball pinged around the box before it ricocheted out towards Watts, who curled it perfectly into the far corner of the goal to send the Mitres into the break with a lead that was harsh on Brimscombe.
Cleeve did start to find some of their swagger in the second half and started to put more pressure on Brimscombe with an Archie Haskayne cross-shot tipped wide before, at the other end, Adam Price saw his shot well saved by Lewis Clayton.
Just before the hour mark Cleeve and Watts doubled their tally as Reeves played a lovely ball through for the striker to slot it into the far corner.
Cirencester Town were last night (Wednesday) hoping to seal a first qualifying round game at Cowes Sports or Larkhall Athletic after they drew 1-1 with Toolstation Western League Premier Division side Clevedon Town.
After going behind in the 54th minute, John Brough’s side managed to secure a late equaliser to stay in the competition.
Cirencester dominated periods of play but found it difficult to convert that into goals and shortly after the interval Clevedon’s Ethan Feltham chased a long ball to the edge of the home box and blocked an attempted clearance for the ball to rebound into the empty net. Despite plenty of pressure it took a late near-post header from Joe Shepherd to keep the Centurions in the draw.