AFC West End 3-0 Queen in the West

West End Win Derby Friendly

After a competitive opening pre-season friendly against Varsity City, AFC West End followed up with a comfortable victory over division six new boys Queen in the West. The game symbolised a local derby of sorts as AFC took on the new team sponsored by their former pub.

Varsity City 0-0 AFC West End

Competitive Debut For New Look West End

AFC began the preparations for their sixth competitive season by taking on division five newcomers Varsity City, in a competitive friendly at Sturton-by-Stow.

Managerial duo Sam McDonnell and Joe Harper implemented a new 4-2-3-1 formation giving West End debuts to three new players during the game.

AFC West End 0-0 Evolution FC

Goals Fail to Evolve

AFC West End were held in their first home friendly of the summer, drawing 0-0 with Evolution FC. After an embarrassment of players at Dunston last week West End were back to the bare bones  for this game including a surprise cameo return from Jamie Lawrence who replaced a hungover/still drunk Dan Hill in the starting line-up. Lawrence though was a shadow of last season’s top scorer missing a couple of good chances to put West End ahead. Thankfully though the Beers were solid at the other end with two good Christian Sales saves helping ensure the match did not end in defeat.

AFC West End 3-0 Woodcocks Athletic

West End Continue Three and Easy

AFC West End kept their promotion hopes alive with a comprehensive victory over Woodcocks Athletic despite injury, family visits and a 10k run robbing them of all four forwards. The Beers took a deserved lead twenty minutes in the Beers took a deserved lead as Bruce Garrod found Glen Wilson in the box and he held the ball up to feed Adrian Gray on the edge of the box and the Gray’s shot crept in at the near post.

Plough Inn Sturton 0-0 AFC West End

No Goals at the Inn for West End

After hitting Woodhall Spa for ten in their last fixture AFC West End registered the other extreme in their return to action, drawing their first blank of the season, although did achieve a second successive clean sheet at Plough Inn Sturton. That they were able to do was largely down to goalkeeper Christian Sales who produced a couple of excellent saves in each half to deny Plough a couple of close range headers; whilst the home side’s towering forward was also denied an by the woodwork and by cannoning a ball into Alf’s hollow ribcage.

Woodhall Spa United 0-10 AFC West End

West End Score Perfect Ten on Spa Trip

When you’re about to face an unbeaten side a no show from your goalkeeper and three of your squad still twenty-five miles away changing a flat tyre forty minutes before kick-off is not ideal preparation, but it all panned out nicely for the Beers as they kicked off in the snow. With a make-shift line-up the Beers feared the worst, but the excellent Abbey Lane pitch suited West End’s passing game a treat and the visitors soon took the lead; Jack McDonnell’s cross was left by Sam McDonnell and Joe Harper fired home from just inside the area. West End then doubled their lead as Sam McDonnell slotted home from Jamie Lawrence’s cut-back. Buoyed by their great start West End continued to threaten and found a third goal inside the opening twenty minutes; Sam McDonnell and Dave Capps exchanged passes on the edge of the box, but the home keeper saved Capps’ strike only for Lawrence to turn home the rebound.

AFC West End 1-0 Trent Valley

West End Bridge Trent to Continue Winning Run

With a depleted squad owing to the Lloyds element playing in a staff tournament in Leeds it was to a long hard slog of a match for ‘the Beers as they secured a second straight win. Sturdy defence from AFC West End restricted Trent Valley to efforts from distance throughout the match, all of which were dealt with comfortably by ‘keeper Christian Sales. At the other end West End were looking strong on the break; Sam McDonnell testing the Trent keeper in the opening fifteen minutes and Glen Wilson striking the bar with a curling effort. Moment of the first half arguably belongs to James Dewhurst for a glorious yet unnecessary through ball to Dave Capps played with one foot behind the other.

AFC West End 1-0 Potterhanworth

West End Win At Last

After three successive defeats West End finally recorded their first win of 2008 with a narrow 1-0 home success over Potterhanworth. Aided by a cameo from Richard Ossai in goal West End managed to keep an all too rare clean sheet as well as Dave Capps’ strike sealed the points.

Line-up (4-3-3): Richard Ossai; Jay Dann, Adrian Gray, Glen Wilson (Dale Annous), Stephen Pearce; Sam Boothman (Jonny Dyas), Ritchie Bates, Gav Sumner; Dave Capps, Sam McDonnell, Dan Hill
Man of the match: Dave Capps
Dick of the day: the referee

AFC West End 3-0 Lincolnshire Co-op

West End Hold Up Co-op

After the disappointment of last weekend’s defeat at Harpars, West End returned to winning ways with a convincing home win over Lincolnshire Co-op. Phil Lodge set the ball rolling with a well taken first half goal, before Dave Capps rounded off a great team move with a fine left foot finish into the top corner. Cappsy added a second goal before the end to wrap up a convincing 3-0 win for West End.

Starting Line-up (4-4-2): Alec Waby; Stephen Pearce, Shaun Hepple, Glen Wilson, Jez Ashberry; Dave Capps, Dan Hill, Joe Harper, Phil Lodge; Sam McDonnell, Rich Dungworth
Substitute: Harry Grimshaw

AFC Harpars Res. 0-6 AFC West End

A midweek road trip saw West End take on Division Six side AFC Harpars at Horncastle. In control from the start West End ran in six goals, two for Rich Dungworth and one each for Sam McDonnell, Andy Kirk, Glen Wilson and trialist Phil completing the rout. A comprehensive victory was aided by Alec Waby’s determination to keep a clean sheet.
Starting Line-up (4-4-2): Alec Waby; Stephen Pearce, Aaron Koch, Andy Taylor, Aiden Vaughan; Jonny Dyas, Glen Wilson, Andy Kirk, John Moore; Sam McDonnell, Rich Dungworth
Substitutes: Dan Trialist, Phil Trialist