Warminster’s league Campaign started with a trip to Nailsea to take on a Nailsea and Tickenham side who were looking to show the league why they had been promoted last season. This was never going to be an easy game, and so it proved, resulting in a 3-0 opening day defeat.
The visitors arrived at Fryth Way looking to build on last seasons play off final defeat, and with 4 promotion spots available this season, Warminster would be expecting to be challenging for one of those places. Warminster started the brighter and in the 8th minute Owen Bartley won a free kick on the right, which captain Ian Jeffery whipped in and was headed for a corner. The corner was fizzed in but couldn’t find a Warminster head.
The first goal came in the 20th minute, a free kick on the Nailsea right was put into the box, the Town keeper Zak Beard looked to have been bundled over but the referee pointed for a corner. This found its way to the edge of the box, where Callum Dunn shot and it squirmed in at the near post via a couple of deflections en route.
The next chance fell to Spencer Dymond-Hall, a ball from the right found its way to the edge of the box but was sliced wide. Neither side mustered anything else and half time remained 1-0.
The second half started in the worst way possible, Joe Berry made it 2-0 to the hosts, with a shot which took a cruel deflection off of captain Ian Jeffery, and spun into the far corner of the net. A minute later, Jeffery was forced off with a groin injury, and was replaced by youngster Toby Ruck.
Warminster had the next opportunity, a free kick was won by Jack Miluk which was put into the box, narrowly missing several Warminster players before going out for a goal kick.
The third and final nail in the coffin for town was a goal worthy of winning any game. 6 minutes from time, Warminster failed to clear the ball, and Jacob O’Donnell let fly from 25 yards, taking a slight deflection before flying past the helpless Zak Beard into the top corner.
On a positive note however, great to see 4-5 U18’s getting game time for the first team!
A tough start for Town, who face arguably the hardest game of the season on Wednesday night as they host fellow promotion hopefuls Wincanton Town at Weymouth Street.
Warminster team:
1. Zak Beard
2. Lewis Graham
3. Spencer Dymond-Hall
4. Ian Jeffery (captain)
5. Jordan De Silva
6. Nick Chandler
7. Jack Miluk
8. Owen Bartley
9. Dan Kovacs
10. Jakob Seviour
11. Corey Gardner
Subs
Subs used
Toby Ruck
Lennon Burden
Matt Robbins
For
Ian Jeffrey
Nick Chandler
Owen Bartley