Westfields make progress with FA Cup victory against Romulus (From Hereford Times)

Westfields make progress with FA Cup victory against Romulus

4:20pm Wednesday 29th August 2012 in Football

Westfields 2 Romulus 1.

WESTFIELDS are through to the FA Cup’s first qualifying round after an excellent win over higher- graded opponents.

The city side took the lead in fortuitous fashion inside the first 90 seconds when striker Richard Kear blocked an attempted clearance from the Romulus keeper and the ball rebounded into the net.

Shortly afterwards, a handling offence brought Westfields a penalty but Anthony Robbins blasted the spot-kick against the crossbar.

The home side continued to carve out chances and should really have been three goals clear when the Northern Premier League Division One South side got back into the game.

Sam Gwynne’s challenge on Dexter Ravenhill brought a penalty and the Romulus player beat Jamie Moore from the spot.

Westfields, who were without several key players, did well to repel a post-interval onslaught from the visitors.

And their tenacity was rewarded in the 67th minute when Dene Whittal-Williams out-jumped the Romulus defence to head in a Joel Edwards free-kick.

A fine tackle by Gwynne on former Scotland international Paul Devlin helped to preserve the lead as Westfields held on for a famous victory.

Sutton Coldfield Town 2 Pegasus Juniors 1.

TWO goals from former Hereford United striker Danny Carey-Bertram handed Pegasus a undeserved FA Cup preliminary round defeat.

The ex-Bulls forward scored twice in the last 21 minutes as the Northern Premier League Division One South club, who play two leagues above their visitors, gained a fortunate win.

Both sides had chances during the first period which saw the two goalkeepers, Paul Hathaway for Town and man-of-the-match Mikel Corbisier for Juniors, pull off some fine saves.

Sutton Coldfield made a more positive start to the second-half but rarely threatened the Pegasus defence until the first goal arrived on 69 minutes.

Jamie Sheldon’s cross was blocked by Mark Smith on to a post and fell to Carey-Bertram who mishit his shot but still saw the ball go into the net.

Fifteen minutes later, Kristian Ramsey-Dickson headed a Scott Rickards cross to Carey-Bertram who scrambled the ball home off an upright.

Even then, Pegasus would not give up and Mark Davies headed in a free-kick from Adam Bendall to give the city side some consolation.

Wellington 3 Bewdley Town 5.

WITH 20 minutes remaining, Wellington led 3-1 and had one foot in the FA Cup first qualifying round.

But the villagers imploded as their fellow West Midlands League Premier Division opponents came through strongly to win the preliminary-round tie.

Wellington went in front with a header from Will Burley and Pete Wood restored the advantage before the interval after Bewdley had equalised.

Another goal from Wood in the 70th minute seemed sure to see Wellington through only for disaster to follow.

“We just collapsed defensively and the boys are devastated,”

said Wellington chairman Phil Smith.

“But good luck to Bewdley - they were the better team on the day.”

Bartestree 4 Malvern Rangers 3.

BARTESTREE staged a strong second-half fightback to go second in Division Two of the West Midlands League.

Although Mark Cooper equalised an early Rangers goal with a fine lob, the visitors had the better of the first period to lead 3-1 at the interval.

The villagers showed plenty of character after the break, however, and after goals from Dean Drew Dreweski and man-of-thematch Mark Langford had levelled the scores, a Jake Atkinson strike handed the win to the home side.