Warminster Town kicked off their 2024 league campaign with a 3-2 victory against AEK Boco. Town started brightly and should have been a goal to the good within a minute, but Reece Collyer’s shot was well saved low down by Nick Croucher. Warminster camped in the Boco half for the first 30 minutes and found themselves 2-0 up with goals from Jack Newman and Jake Wright.
The Boco management team made two changes with 10 minutes remaining in the first half, pushing an extra man up top, and this completely transformed the game. Just before the interval, Luke Bryan issued a warning as his powerful header from a corner rattled the crossbar. Callum Hotine also made a good low save to see Warminster go in at halftime 2-0 up.
Within two minutes of the restart, Mickey Parsons got Boco back in the game with a fine header from Tippins’ corner, giving Hotine no chance. The home side continued to live a charmed life as the half progressed, with Boco camped in Warminster’s half. Boco had two penalty appeals turned down by the referee as they applied more and more pressure, with Town retreating deeper into their own half. As the minutes ticked away, it appeared that Warminster would take all three points, but a poor defensive headed clearance with 2 minutes remaining fell to Joe Carter, who calmly planted the ball in the far corner to send Boco into raptures.
With an additional 7 minutes added on, it appeared there was only one team likely to take all 3 points. Boco turned the screw in search of the win, but the home team’s defence stood firm, seemingly securing a share of the points. However, with a minute remaining, Warminster won a free kick just inside the Boco half. Toby Worts delivered a perfect cross into the box, which came back off the far post and dropped to Jake Wright, who gratefully dispatched the ball into the back of the net to give Warminster all 3 points.
This was a great start to the new season for a young team, but Town will be disappointed that they hadn’t put the game to bed in the first half, as several great chances were spurned despite Warminster dominating possession. Credit must go to the Boco management team for making changes when 2-0 down before half time; they probably feel aggrieved that they didn’t get a point from their afternoon’s work.
Report by Rob Nash, 1st Team Manager