Westfields 1 Hereford United 1 aet, Westfields win 3-2 on pens.

GOALKEEPER Jon Pugh was the Westfields hero as the Aspire Midlands Alliance club picked up their biggest ever scalp.

The England Blind Football team keeper saved three penalties in the shoot-out to dump the Bulls out of the HFA Senior Invitation Floodlit Cup at the semi-final stage.

It was Hereford’s first ever defeat in the competition and made up for the night a couple of years back when Hereford scored five times in added time after the 90 minutes had finished with the sides locked at 1-1.

The match brought the two managers who preceded and succeeded Graham Turner into opposition with John Layton taking charge of Westfields and John Trewick overseeing the Bulls.

Trewick used the match to take a look at a selection of triallists mixed in with some of the Edgar Street fringe-players.

Team Bath duo Gary Warren and Sam El-Abd – brother of the Brighton player – formed the central defensive duo while Alex Melbourne (Wolves) played on the right of midfield and James McPike (Birmingham City) led the attack.

There was little to choose between the sides in the early stages and Westfields almost took the lead when former Bull Gareth Thomas headed over.

Long-range efforts from Terry Green and Danny Hill failed to trouble Jose Veiga in the Hereford goal.

As the first-half progressed, Hereford gradually began to settle but shots from McPike and Stephen O’Leary caused little anxiety to Fields keeper Pugh.

The England Blind Football international keeper had to pick the ball out of his net, however, on 35 minutes.

A powerful run by Andy Williams from the half-way line opened up the Fields defence.

Williams slipped the ball to Done who, in turn, found McPike who drilled the ball into the net.

Four minutes into the second period, McPike almost added a second with a neat turn and shot which drew a diving stop from Pugh.

It was Hereford who continued to have the better of possession as the half developed but their finishing was poor.

Williams dragged a shot across goal from a good position and then Done was similarly wide of the target from 20 yards.

When Done got free on the left and delivered a teasing cross, Williams nipped in to head over with McPike in a much better position for an attack on goal.

Hereford would have been expected to pull away once more in extra-time, but the sides were evenly matched.

Clear chances on goal were rare although McPike might have done better when he shot high over from a good position.

In the shoot-out, Pugh showed inspired form to save United’s first two penalties from McPike and Craig Jones.

But Jose Veiga responded in kind for the Bulls by saving Paul Jones and Terry Green’s efforts.

Pugh saved again from Melbourne but Sam Harrison hit the post when he could have won the tie with Fields’ fifth kick.

As the competition moved into sudden-death, however, El-Abd fired Hereford’s sixth penalty over the top and Paul Allam calmly shot home to seal a memorable victory for the allpay.park club.

Hereford: Veiga; MacLeod, Warren, El-Abd, Edwards; Melbourne, Jones, O’Leary (Weir), Done; McPike, Williams (Thomas).

Westfields: Pugh, Harrison, Green, Thomas, Sparey, Cuss, Allam, Hibbard, Hill, Upcott, Edwards. Subs: Mussell, Morris, Rivett, Hunt, Jones.

Referee: Steve Moggs.

Goals: McPike, 35 min, 0-1; Upcott, 71 min, 1-1.

Penalties: McPike, saved, 0-0; Hibbard, scored, 1-0; Jones, saved, 1-0; Jones, saved, 1-0; MacLeod, scored, 1-1; Green, saved, 1-1; Done, scored, 2-1; Upcott, scored, 2-2; Melbourne, saved, 2-2; Harrison, missed, 2-2; El-Abd, missed, 2-2; Allam, scored, 3-2.