Lye Town 3 Westfields 1

WESTFIELDS are down to ninth in the Midland Football League Premier Division table after two late Lye goals consigned them to a pre-Christmas defeat.

The game was played between 10 men on each side for more than an hour after Lye's Scott Gennard was sent off for a foul on Matt Reeve, quickly followed by Nathaniel Lewars who was dismissed for pushing a Lye defender to the ground.

The city side might, however, have suffered a more emphatic defeat, had it not been for another excellent display from keeper Matt Gwynne.

In a goalless first period when the biggest excitement came from the double dismissal, it was Westfields who had the better chances to take the lead with Jamie Cuss, Zac Sirrell and Joel Edwards missing great opportunities.

Fields were quickly made to pay when, in the first minute of the second period, Kevin Nickle raced through the Westfields defence and put Lye ahead with a neat finish.

Fine saves by Gwynne from Chris Russell and Damien Whitcombe kept Fields in the game and the visitors drew level when Jamie Cuss was brought down in the area for Craig Jones to score from the spot.

With a draw now looking likely, the introduction of Lye substitute Nicky Anslow changed the game.

Ten minutes from the end, the replacement eased through to beat Gwynne with a low drive.

Craig Jones was denied a second equaliser by a fine save before Anslow again cut through to shoot past Gwynne to make the points safe and move Lye up to third place in the table.