Tuesday 20th October 2020, NWCFL First Division South

Wythenshawe Town 5 (Timmons 29, Bryan 62, 66, 69, Palma 90)
West 1 (Gabidon 31)
Att: 300

A second-half Wythenshawe Town blitz saw West crash to a heavy defeat at Ericstan Park.

Few would have forecast the storm on the horizon after West went in level at the break, Dontai Gabidon cancelling out Jack Timmons’ opener, but Matty Bryan plundred a seven-minute hat-trick to take the game away from the visitors before Darius Palma applied salt to the wound late on.

Containing Town’s forward line will be an ardous task for most teams this season, but the manner of the defeat will concern Chris Rowley as his side have now added nine goals to their “against” column in just two games.

In keeping with the pattern set by the sides’ meetings last term, this encounter started at a rapid pace though it took until the quarter-hour mark for either team to fashion a geniune chance. Gabidon’s cross from the left was knocked down by Billy Matthews into the path of Sam Heathcote, whose shot was instinctively kicked away by Town keeper Callum Jakovlevs.

The home side hit back quickly, Brad Byrne striking a free-kick into the West wall, and it wasn’t long before the opening goal arrived. Andrew Jones punched a Town cross as far as Timmons, who was able to take a touch before returning the ball with interest as it whistled into the top corner.

West had conceded soon after scoring on two occasions against Sandbach United, but it was their turn to do the pegging-back as Matthews’ wicked ball from the right found Gabidon, who buried the ball past Jakovlevs to immediately level the scores.

The visiting contingent inside Ericstan Park would have been content with what they had seen in the first half, but although Gabidon forced a smart save from Jakovlevs soon after the restart, it would soon all start to unravel.

The omens of doom were gathering when Matthews, impressive again after his match-saving cameo at the weekend, pulled up during a West attack and was unable to continue. Matthews is hardly known for his defensive contribution but his withdrawal coincided with West distintegrating at the back, as moments later Bryan latched onto a ball down the left wing and motored into the box before beating Jones.

The Town striker repeated the trick from the opposite flank four minutes later before gobbling up a chance from close range to secure his hat-trick and his seventh goal in three games.

A completely dazed West laboured for any sort of way back into the match, Heathcote firing into Jakovlev’s arms from the edge of the box, but any further goals were only likely to come at one end and so it proved in the final minute as Palma hammered the ball high past Jones and into the roof of the net.

The travelling support appreciated West’s efforts enough to applaud them from the pitch at full time, but the upcoming Brookburn Road double-header against Alsager Town and Abbey Hulton United now takes on increased significance with Chris Rowley’s side without a win in three games.

West: A. Jones, Sheridan, Hancock, Taylor (Ryan), Dibble, Clarke (Westall), Matthews (Elliott), Gavin, Heathcote, Davis, Gabidon. Not used: Swift, Grewal.