Town fightback falls just short

Not for the first time this season Warminster manager Rob Nash was forced into making changes to his starting lineup.

Four of the starting 11 from the midweek draw at Welton Rovers were missing. Ryan Benson and Reece Collyer were both unavailable for selection. Jake Wright injured his knee in the first half of the midweek game and Seb Hounsell picked up an injury in the warmups. Into the team came Max Walker-Wiltshire at right back, Henry McFerran at centre back, Tyler Gane in midfield and Corey Gardner on the wing.

Early exchanges were encouraging with an excellent cross from the right finding Corey Garner at the far side of the penalty area. The winger’s first-time shot was well saved by Shirehampton’s keeper Kieran Webster.

With the wind at their backs the visitors started to take control, and they took the lead on 14 minutes. Will Baldwin’s in-swinging corner beat everyone including Warminster’s keeper Jack Amor, 0-1.

On 32 minutes Charlie Walton went close when his back post header was saved by Webster. Then just two minutes later Shirehampton doubled their lead. Referee Kulwant Mann awarded them a penalty and Ryan Radford beat Jack Amor from the spot, 0-2.

On 39 minutes Shirehampton were reduced to ten men after centre forward Scott Bamford received a red card for a bad challenge on Henry McFerran in the Warminster penalty area. On the stroke of half-time, the visitors scored again. A free kick from the right was headed in by Ryan Radford. At the break Warminster trailed by three goals to nil.

After the first half the Warminster faithful could have been excused for thinking that the second half would be a damage limitation exercise. How wrong they would have been!

Two minutes after the restart Jack Newman received the ball in the area. The centre forward laid the ball back to Charlie Walton on the edge of the box but his powerful shot struck the crossbar and rebounded to safety.

On 51 minutes a cross from the left was headed just over the bar by Corey Gardner. The pressure was building. Two minutes later the ball broke to Jack Newman in the centre of the penalty area and he fired into the top corner, 1-3. Game on!

In the 61st minute Charlie Walton curled a shot just wide of the upright from outside the box. Rob Nash brought on fresh legs with new signing, George Bendle replacing Jack Duck up front and Brad Bush replaced Max Walker-Wiltshire at full-back.

On 72 minutes Shirehampton’s Oscar Collins went close with a shot in the box that deflected wide of Jack Amor’s right-hand post for a corner. Five minutes later Warminster were awarded a spot kick when Charlie Walton was wrestled down in the box. Up stepped Warminster’s spot kick king, Jordan Pinder who scored his and Warminster’s sixth penalty of the month, 2-3.

With time running out, in the 86th minute, a cross from the left was met by debutant George Bendle at the back post. His powerful header was heading for the goal but struck the back of a defender, who knew nothing about it, and deflected wide for a corner. That was to be the nearest the hosts got to levelling. Shirehampton had a stoppage time breakaway but their substitute, one on one with Jack Amor mishit his shot.

In the end Warminster’s under par first-half performance left them with too big a mountain to climb. It is to their credit, that they showed great character to get so close to achieving a great comeback.

Report: Geoff Jackson