WESTLAND SPORTS RES 2 CHICKERELL UNITED 1

THERE was heartbreak for Steve Coward’s Chickerell United squad on Saturday as they fell just a day short of going a calendar year unbeaten in league action.

The Chickens saw their lengthy run without suffering defeat put to an end at Westland Sports Reserves on the weekend, with Steven Ormrod and Matthew Mullings both on target for Westland to deal the hammer blow to the away side’s hopes.

That meant Coward’s troops were finally conquered, 364 days after their last loss in the division.

After the Chickens fell behind on Saturday, they spurned a great chance to level things up from the penalty spot when Nick Etherington’s spot-kick came back off the woodwork.

But the Stalls side then did manage to get themselves level at 1-1 with Dan Welch converting from the spot at the second time of asking for his team.

But, with the record on the line, Westland came out in the second half to net what proved to be the winner early on.

“We should have won the game in the first half,” Coward said.

“We were the better side by far in the first half but we just fell asleep in the second. We just looked as if we didn’t have any energy and we were absolutely knackered.

“We looked unfit, tired and lethargic, whether that was because it was a heavy pitch and we put too much into it in the first half I don’t know.

“They were a fit side with some young lads in there. Whether for us it is lack of games I don’t but in the second half we were a different side.

“Everything we talked about at half-time we did the opposite. I was not best pleased.

“They came out in the second half wanting it more.”

Coward added: “They had one lad from the first-team who was just too good for us. He was too good for the DPL and was one of the best strikers I have seen.

“We know there is room for improvement. It’s not as if we were playing to our best and we still lost the game.

“Our aim is to win the league, we cannot afford to drop points like we have done.”

The reverse sees Chickerell slip to third spot in the league table but they remain just a point behind leaders Witchampton United with a game in hand.

Chickens: Bickerstaff, Miles, Harvey, L Taylor (Ryan), S Welch, D Welch, Jarvis, Etherington, Boatswain (Rawlings), Houghton (Hansford), White