LIKELY promotion contenders Cadbury Heath completed a league double over Westbury United despite having to play with 10 men for two thirds of the game.

For Westbury, the match was a disappointing return to league action after the morale-boosting Wiltshire Senior Cup win over Amesbury.

They were simply unable to put their hosts under enough pressure even though they had the man advantage.

The match got off to a flying start and the score was 1-1 after just eight minutes.

Luke Cornish and Mark Reynolds combined to set up Sacha Tong whose shot from the edge of the box was saved by Alex Shaftoe in the visiting goal.

However Tong was on hand in the next attack when his team piled men forward and, after Shaftoe had made a save, Tong was on hand to tap in the rebound.

To their credit, United went straight on the attack and, after Paul Beavers had been denied by a combination of keeper Simon Crawford and his crossbar, Mark Young’s resulting corner found Simon Millard unmarked and he headed in to equalise.

That was as close as Westbury got to parity all evening as they were torn apart by Cadbury’s pacy attacking play.

A quick free kick on 18 minutes was played by Jason Thatcher to Reynolds and back to Thatcher again and he finished with ease to restore the home side’s lead.

Nick Dyer fired a 20 yarder just wide and Joe Chandler headed a George Boon corner over before their team had Cornish red-carded for a flying challenge on David Whyte after half an hour of play.

The turning point of the game came with Whyte off the pitch receiving treatment after Cornish’s challenge and, with the teams briefly playing 10 versus 10, Thatcher rifled in an unstoppable 30 yarder into the top corner to make it 3-1.

Heath continued to attack with pace, dropping the impressive Tong back into midfield where he was arguably more dangerous than up front.

They could have scored again before half time as Danny Hallett shot over the bar, while after another Boon corner kick Gary Tugwell did well to block efforts by Reynolds and Dwain James.

Westbury did have a spell of pressure with the break approaching, but were unable to make any clear-cut chances out of several corner kicks and crosses which were well defended.

Any hope United had of making a comeback was ended by Tong on 51 minutes when his pace allowed him to cut inside from the left wing and fire in a fine strike that wrong-footed Shaftoe.

There were a few openings which gave the chance to reduce their arrears - Luke Stanley had a cross deflected towards the goal which Crawford did well to parry and Young headed over from Tugwell’s resulting corner.

Crawford’s best piece of work of the night came when Young set up Stephen Fox who saw an excellent shot tipped over the bar.

Reynolds and substitute Jason Base had opportunities to score a 5th for the home team. but Reynolds skewed an effort wide after Tong had set him up, while Shaftoe saved Base’s header from another Boon corner.

The last chance fell to Tugwell with a 20-yard free kick but his low shot went narrowly wide.

Westbury United: Alex Shaftoe, Luke Stanley, Tom Whyte, David Whyte, Mark Gerrish, Gary Tugwell, Beau Blakeman, Paul Beavers, Paul Gittins, Simon Millard, Mark Young.

Subs: Stephen Fox, Matt Friendship, Jason Collier (used) Nick Mead, Carl Crabtree (unused)

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