Football
Battling Bees edged out at Westfields

STUDLEY'S search for their first Midland Alliance away win of the season continues after they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Westfields on Saturday.

However, there were plenty of positives for boss Lee Knight and his Bees players to take from the encounter in Herefordshire against a side who are notoriously difficult to beat on their own patch.

Indeed, it took a superb 80th minute winner from Aidan Thomas to ensure Studley went home empty-handed.

The hosts took a second minute lead when Carl Morgan and Sam Gwynne overlapped down the right flank and Gwynne fired in a cross-shot which the keeper missed when challenged by Richard Kear and the ball flew into the far corner for Gwynne's first goal of the season.

Westfields began to open up the Studley defence and Jamie Cuss should have made it 2-0 but his curling shot hit the post and rebounded to safety.

Studley rallied though and levelled in the 23rd minute when Scott Jackson conceded a free kick on the edge of the Westfields penalty area and when the ball was floated in Michael Batchelor headed home from six yards.

Play swung from end to end and just before the break Jamie Moore in the Westfields goal dived full length to cut out a cross from the lively Batchelor.

After the break, Westfields had an early chance to regain the lead when a fine cross by Joel Edwards found Cuss but his header went wide of the post.

It was impossible to call a winner at this stage but sadly for the Bees it was Westfields who bagged the decisive third goal ten minutes from time when Craig Jones raced forward and played a superb pass into the path of Thomas who fired a low, hard shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Studley sit 18th in the table with six points from eight games and host Boldmere St Michaels at the Beehive tomorrow.

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