Warminster Town 2(2) Devizes Town 2(1)
Attendance 195
For the second time over the Easter weekend Warminster were up against a team in a playoff position in the Western League Division One table. Today’s opponents Devizes Town beat Warminster 8-0 in the reverse fixture back on Boxing Day.
Today’s game didn’t start well with the visitors taking a tenth minute lead. Jack Baker received the ball in space just outside the right hand side of Warminster’s penalty area. His shot inside the far post beat the despairing dive of Warminster’s keeper Matt Green, 0-1. On fifteen minutes Warminster’s first chance fell to captain Ryan Benson when Jake Wright passed to him on the edge of the Devizes’ box. The Devizes defenders closed him down quickly and his shot was blocked.
On 22 minutes the dangerous Baker found himself in the same spot from where he scored earlier. This time however, Matt Green made a fine diving save. Four minutes later the hosts went close to scoring. A right side corner to the back of the six yard box was headed into the danger area where Jake Wright’s overhead shot was deflected just wide for another corner. On 31 minutes Jack Newman broke clear down the right but his shot was off target. Five minutes later Warminster did equalise. Ryan Benson dispossessed a Devizes defender ran on into the box on and slotted the ball past the Devizes keeper, Dominic Oakes to level the score 1-1. Then a couple of minutes before halftime Warminster took the lead. Jake Wright wide left cut inside and sent a great swerving shot inside the far post, 2–1.
After the break Warminster were not content to sit on their lead. On 55 minutes a fierce Ryan Benson shot from distance drew a fine save from Oakes. From the resulting corner the ball was recycled into box where Jack Newman’s glancing header went close. At this stage the home side looked the team most likely to score next. On the hour Jack Duck was sent clear on the right but the winger was closed down and his shot didn’t trouble Oakes. Just minutes later Jack Duck passed to Ryan Benson but his pull back evaded everyone in the box. Then as the half progressed the visitors started to increase the pressure on the home defence.
On 78 minutes Jacob Reader broke into the box and shot goal wards but Matt Green was equal to it and saved superbly. With time running out Warminster looked like they would hold out and avenge their Boxing Day drubbing but in the fourth minute of stoppage time a hopeful punt into the Warminster penalty area fell to Reader The striker gleefully hooked the ball in through the crowded area, 2-2. It was a cruel end to the game as Warminster had battled hard for the win and had deserved to take all three points.
Report by Geoff Jackson