14/02/15: Mendip have certainly won games the hard way over recent weeks but on Saturday they gave themselves a task of Herculean magnitude as they gifted Westbury a 3 goal lead with barely 20 minutes of the match gone.
Things started well enough with Mendip taking the game to the visitors and forcing some great saves from the keeper in the opening minutes but when Westbury went on the attack the Mendip back-line were just too sloppy and allowed the forwards too much space to run freely into the D and inevitably errors occurred resulting in a number of short corners.
Perhaps Mendip were suffering from a hangover from last weekend’s monumental efforts but the runners were slow off the line and the striker of the ball was afforded far too much time to get the shot away and pick his spot, converting 2 of the set pieces all too easily. The 3rd goal was a result of loose marking and lackadaisical defending that granted a forward the opportunity to ghost in and meet a measured cross to score from close range.
Now Mendip have become a very close knit unit as the season has progressed and they did not implode but simply shrugged off the set back and went about making amends. The midfield quartet and front 2 had done little wrong up to that point so once the back 4 had tightened up their act, further breach was prevented and Mendip were able to compete on a more level playing field. For the remainder of the half the hosts imposed their determined play upon Westbury and Steve Smith went close to scoring on a number of occasions but the keeper was equal to the challenge and refused to be beaten. However, right on the stoke of half-time, Josh Sutton popped up in the D to sweep home on the reverse stick to throw Mendip a lifeline, going into the break 3 – 1 down.
Despite being 2 goals to the good, Westbury had not done anything too remarkable in the 1st half so there was every reason for Mendip to be confident that they could peg back the lead coming out at the start of the 2nd. The midfield were more than a match for their Westbury counterparts and once they got the ball moving around Steve and John Lippiatt up front were soon bearing down on the visitor’s defence. Mendip always believed that an early goal might give them the upper hand and when Rich Penn put a through ball down the middle, a fortuitous deflection diverted the ball into the path of Steve who tucked it away with equanimity.
With still plenty of time left in the match Mendip did not need to force the play but all the same Westbury were not going to relinquish their lead easily and with their keeper in such fine form every chance that went begging increased the urgency with which Mendip went about their business. As they pushed forward for the equaliser, Westbury used the counter attack and the game flowed from end to end as the tempo gradually built to its crescendo.
Mendip relied on the devastating pace of Liam Young to get in behind the defence and when he won a short corner they finally took the opportunity to level the scores as Steve received the ball at the top of the D, evading the 1st runner, dribbling around the 2nd he then drove the shot into the backboard with raw power.
To their credit the visitors did not wilt but Mendip were now in the ascendency and looked the more likely to score. However, they were not able to find the end product in open play and when Steve found himself one-on-one with the keeper following an excellent advantage played by the umpire, he dragged his shot wide and it looked like Mendip would have to settle for a draw. Not so; for they were awarded a short corner in the final minute and Steve produced a carbon copy of his previous goal to not only claim his hat trick but complete an extraordinary comeback and steal all three points.
The Team was: Leigh Taylor, Andy Flint, Giles Denning, Rich Penn, James Lovell, Josh Sutton, Andy Wood, Joe Thacker, Will Lawton, Liam Young, John Lippiatt and Steve Smith.
Thanks to Vicky Parfitt and Alan Hall for umpiring.
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