Manager Rob Nash made four changes to the starting lineup for the FA Vase tie against Wessex League team Hamworthy United. Henry McFerran and Jake Wright were unavailable injured and Owen Bartley and Reece Collyer dropped to the bench.
In came Max Walker-Wiltshire at right back and Seb Hounsell at left back. Toby Worts moved from left back to centre back, replacing McFerran. George Bendle replaced Tyson Pollard at centre forward. Tyson dropped into midfield. Corey Gardner was a straight swap on the wing for Wright.
To say the first half was a disaster for Warminster Town would be an understatement. As early as the 10th minute, United took the lead. Jack Malpas cut inside from the right, beat a Town defender and fired left-footed past keeper Jack Amor, 0-1.
Three minutes later a left side corner broke to Town’s Tyler Gane who got his shot on target but United keeper Luke Beale saved well. Just a minute later the visitors struck again. Bailey Rowe created space for himself in the box and fired in, 0-2.
On 16 minutes Town won a free kick outside the box on the right. Toby Worts fired into the danger area and it was only half cleared to Tyson Pollard. Town’s midfielder struck a half volley but the ball flew just over the bar.
Back came United and on 26 minutes they won a free kick just outside the Town penalty area in a central position. Jack Delves took the free kick and beat the wall and keeper Amor, 0-3.
On 29 minutes Town were given hope. A right-side corner was met by Jordan Pinder who headed firmly past Beale, 1-3. The comeback unfortunately didn’t last long. Just three minutes later Town’s goalkeeper Jack Amor gave the ball away to a United attacker and in trying to prevent another goal brought down the forward. United were awarded a penalty and Jack Amor received a yellow card. George Deem stepped up and scored from the spot, 1-4.
On 39 minutes Jack Amor gave the ball away again and Bailey Rowe made no mistake, 1-5. Just three minutes later the ball was lobbed over the Town defence to Rowe in space on the left of the penalty area and the United forward completed a first half hat trick, 1-6.
If things weren’t bad enough already, a rash challenge in centre field by Tyson Pollard left a United player down and Town’s midfielder didn’t wait to be shown the red card and headed straight for an early shower. At half-time Warminster were down to ten men and trailed 1-6!
At the start of the second-half Owen Bartley replaced Max Walker-Wiltshire and Ryan Benson replaced Seb Hounsell. Ryan went to centre back with Toby Worts moving to left back. Just five minutes after the restart Jack Newman’s back post header beat United’s keeper Beale but the ball was cleared off the goal line. On 52 minutes Town went close again when George Bendle shot goalwards, but from close range Jack Newman could not turn the ball in.
Thereafter the chances were few and far between. United seemed content with six goals and comfortably defended their lead. On 89 minutes they went closest to adding to their tally when a United attacker at the back of six-yard box fired on target. Jack Amor did well to get a hand to the ball and Ryan Benson cleared it to safety.
A minute later Town got a late consolation second goal. Jack Newman got on the end of a long punt downfield, just ahead of the United keeper Beale. He slipped the ball past the keeper and walked it into the empty net, 2-6.
Town still had time to strike a post with a header from a right-side corner but it was all too little, too late. The game was lost in the first half.
Report: Geoff Jackson
