Oakwood 2 - 1 Westfield

Oakwood recorded a hard-fought three points at home to Westfield on Saturday, winning a largely scrappy encounter 2-1.
The result proves the great character but inconsistency of a side who were humiliated last weekend by Lancing.
Chris Williams and Kieron Purkis got the goals for Oaks, who now move up to sixth in Sussex County Division 2.
Oakwood were without the injured Scott Mean and Scott Bidwell, but welcomed back Andre Elkana and the experienced Scott Langridge.
Both sides started cautiously, with few openings at either end. The hosts defence of Dan Attwater, Charlie Adsett and Langridge kept Westfield at bay easily, and gradually Oakwood built the pressure.
And it was Langridge who contributed to the break in the deadlock, after he was pushed to the ground whilst attacking a Tom Tolfrey corner, giving the referee no option but to point to the spot.
Chris Williams stepped up and although his initial effort was well saved, he slotted the rebound home for his fourth league goal of the season.
But Oakwood’s achilles heel of defending set pieces was to blame for Westfield’s equaliser, when a free-kick was delivered into the home side’s penalty area and the knock down was tapped home to level the scores.
Disappointed with their first half performance, Oakwood yet again came out with more purpose in the second half.
The introduction of Mike Gardner for the recovering Andre Elkana after an hour proved key, as the sub tirelessly worked the right wing and strengthened the supply the line to Williams and Gerald Manville.
And it was Manville’s long throw into the box that led to Oakwood’s winner.
Ben Arthur flicked on, and Kieron Purkis, making the most of his starting role this week, pounced on a slight hesitancy in the Westfield defence to poke the home side in front.
Westfield inevitably went looking for an equaliser, but ‘keeper James Shaw was only forced into one good save in the remaining 35 minutes. The visitors were well dealt with by a firm backline and a disciplined midfield, strengthened by the introduction of the hard-working Hills brothers from the bench.
Oakwood manager John Mist was “delighted” with the three points and praised his side after the previous week’s defeat.
“After the performance at Rye, and then the result against Lancing, it was important that we won today. Now we need to find a bit of consistency. We’ve got players like Andre [Elkana] coming back from injury and Scott Mean back in a week or so, so we can really push up the league.”
“The squad is pretty much the same every week now, and I think that showed today. Westfield were a big, organised side, and I was pleased with the way we rolled up our sleeves, dug in, and I think we deserved the points.”
Oakwood are away at Pagham next week in the second round of the John O’Hara League Cup, and return to league action at Tinsley Lane on Tuesday 10th November in an eagerly awaited clash with Little Common.

Squad: Shaw, Attwater (C), Adsett, Langridge, Purkis, Clark, Arthur, Tolfrey, Elkana, Manville, Williams. Subs: Gardner (Elkana), D. Hills (Clark), M. Hills (Williams)