In their previous encounter back in August, Lebeq Utd won 3 – 1 with the home advantage and 3G pitch. The reverse fixture proved very different, with Warminster winning 2 -1. However, it could have been a much larger margin. The home side was awarded three penalties, the last two saved by Ahmed Quammi in goal for Lebeq.
This was a match in which Warminster created many chances. Some of those opportunities were hard to miss and yet somehow were. Against the run of play, Warminster failed to deal with a run and low cross from the right, and Jack Young wearing number 9 by the near post, directed the ball past Thomson on the half-hour mark.
Warminster levelled up the score in the 40th. A long ball from deep within Warminster’s territory was picked up by Jack Miluk on the edge of the ‘D’ and chipped over the onrushing keeper at his 18-yard line.
The second half kicked off, and in under a minute, Miluk broke down the right, crossed to Gardner, who fired over the bar from close range, though it most likely would have been ruled offside. It didn’t take long for Warminster to create a great chance when Graham crossed low from the left edge of the box to Miluk. Miluk, about to shoot, was brought down by Knapman (52nd) and awarded the first penalty. The referee consulted with the linesman, and the defender received a red card. Ian Jeffery took the penalty driving the ball to the left. The keep dived the correct way but to no avail.
Gardner went close (56′) with a shot with the outside of his foot that curled just past the right post. Minutes later, Gardner cut across to the right side of the pitch to pick up a ball from Miluk, ran into the 18-yard box and forced a good save. Miluk almost scored in the 65th with a superb effort that just hit the crossbar, possibly off the keeper’s fingers, but deemed a goal-kick and not a save when the ball went out of play.
It was on 78 minutes when Gardner was blocked off inside the penalty area. The keeper saved Jeffrey’s penalty effort, who shot this time to the right. The keeper side-stepped in that direction before the ball was struck and made a good save.
Right on 90 minutes, Warminster were awarded their third penalty! Lewis Graham being brought down in the box, having beaten a defender. Once again, Jeffrey took the penalty, this time going more down the middle, but Quammi waited and got it right again, getting down to save the low shot.
Cockerill had an excellent chance on +2 minutes but seeing his shot go wide of the post. Ten-man Lebeq did put up a good fight and threatened to score just before the final whistle were it not for some good defending by the home side.
It was a good performance from Warminster Town and a match to look back on and wonder why there were not 5 or 6 goals scored. The win moves them into third place in the league table.
Team: Thomson, Pollock, Cockerill, Jeffrey, Lisowski, Bartley, Miluk, Mortimer-Taylor, Graham, Seviour, Gardner,
Subs: (all used) Humphreys, Johnson L, De Silva