THE euphoria at in-form Westfield Football Club has been dampened by a bad injury to James Gatcum.
Combative midfielder Gatcum sustained a broken ankle following a challenge with Nathan Harding in the 1-0 win away to Bexhill United on Tuesday night.
Westfield joint manager Tony Harris said: “It’s a massive blow, Jimmy’s a big, big player for Westfield. He got released (from hospital) on Tuesday night and he’s in plaster. I’m guessing it’s going to be 6-8 weeks.”
Gatcum has endured wretched luck with injuries since the latter part of last season and was making his first team comeback against Bexhill following another ankle problem having played 90 minutes for the reserves on Saturday.
The win over Bexhill certainly came at a cost because, in addition to Gatcum, Mark West came off with a nasty knee injury which could sideline him for a few weeks and Khaya Nyathi left the field having been caught by a flailing arm.
What’s more, Bradley Owens felt himself tighten up during the warm-up and match-winner David Pugh is struggling with a groin injury ahead of the Sussex Senior Cup first round trip to Steyning Town tomorrow (Saturday).
Ashley Paine is also doubtful for the all-Sussex County League Division Two tie through work, but Westfield are hoping that Peter Baker will be fit after missing the Bexhill game due to illness.
Westfield will make the journey west to a club propping up the league table looking to make it three cup wins out of three this season and four successive victories - all away from home - in all competitions.
They’ve also kept back-to-back clean sheets to move up to 10th place, but Westfield are still looking to improve and have issued a seven-day approach for Bexhill midfielder Liam Miles, son of prolific striker Keith.
Given the club’s latest batch of injury problems, they could probably do without the trip to second-placed Hailsham Town in the league on Tuesday night. Steve Ringwood hopes to return in the next week or two.
BEXHILL UNITED 0 - WESTFIELD 1
WESTFIELD claimed local bragging rights with a hard-fought victory away to Bexhill United on Tuesday night.
A second half penalty by David Pugh against his former club decided a feisty Sussex County Football League Division Two derby at The Polegrove.
Bexhill played the majority of the match with 10 men following the first half dismissal of Dan Hill for what referee Steven Baker deemed a two-footed tackle.
Westfield joint manager Tony Harris said: “I’m pleased to get the win and clean sheet. It’s three valuable points so we’re chuffed with that. I was confident we were going to win when it was 11 v 11.”
The visitors were much the better side and played the better football during the first half as Bexhill simply couldn’t cope with the in-form Joe Barham, who Harris described as “unplayable”.
Mark West had a really good chance, Pugh blazed over, Sam Henham went close with a header and several balls flashed across the Bexhill box, while two home players were booked for fouls on Barham.
Hill received Bexhill’s fifth red card of the season and second in successive matches around the 25-minute mark for a tackle which Harris didn’t get a good enough view of to comment on.
You often hear that it isn’t easy to play against 10 men and that seemed to be the case for Westfield as they got drawn into going long and didn’t keep the ball as well as Harris would’ve wanted.
Bexhill shuffled things around at half time and were the better team at the start of the second period, but Harris felt Westfield got back on top after the hour and landed the decisive blow around 15 minutes from time.
A corner was cleared back out to Willett, who dribbled past Andy Garman and was brought down. Bexhill made a substitution before the penalty was taken, but Pugh kept his nerve to cap his best display of the season so far.
Although Bexhill hit the post during the second half and Henham brilliantly headed off the line, Westfield defended very well and held on for victory against a team managed by former Westfield men Darrol Parris and Jamie Podmore.
“We showed some real maturity defensively,” added Harris, who praised youngsters Khaya Nyathi and Ross Williams. “I thought we defended doggedly when we had to and put our bodies on the line when we needed to. The boys were up for it and they did very well.”
Westfield (4-3-3): Cruttwell; Miller, Henham, Stapley, Williams; Gatcum (Nyathi (Paine)), Willett, Cuddington; West (Martelini), Pugh, Barham.
Combative midfielder Gatcum sustained a broken ankle following a challenge with Nathan Harding in the 1-0 win away to Bexhill United on Tuesday night.
Westfield joint manager Tony Harris said: “It’s a massive blow, Jimmy’s a big, big player for Westfield. He got released (from hospital) on Tuesday night and he’s in plaster. I’m guessing it’s going to be 6-8 weeks.”
Gatcum has endured wretched luck with injuries since the latter part of last season and was making his first team comeback against Bexhill following another ankle problem having played 90 minutes for the reserves on Saturday.
The win over Bexhill certainly came at a cost because, in addition to Gatcum, Mark West came off with a nasty knee injury which could sideline him for a few weeks and Khaya Nyathi left the field having been caught by a flailing arm.
What’s more, Bradley Owens felt himself tighten up during the warm-up and match-winner David Pugh is struggling with a groin injury ahead of the Sussex Senior Cup first round trip to Steyning Town tomorrow (Saturday).
Ashley Paine is also doubtful for the all-Sussex County League Division Two tie through work, but Westfield are hoping that Peter Baker will be fit after missing the Bexhill game due to illness.
Westfield will make the journey west to a club propping up the league table looking to make it three cup wins out of three this season and four successive victories - all away from home - in all competitions.
They’ve also kept back-to-back clean sheets to move up to 10th place, but Westfield are still looking to improve and have issued a seven-day approach for Bexhill midfielder Liam Miles, son of prolific striker Keith.
Given the club’s latest batch of injury problems, they could probably do without the trip to second-placed Hailsham Town in the league on Tuesday night. Steve Ringwood hopes to return in the next week or two.
BEXHILL UNITED 0 - WESTFIELD 1
WESTFIELD claimed local bragging rights with a hard-fought victory away to Bexhill United on Tuesday night.
A second half penalty by David Pugh against his former club decided a feisty Sussex County Football League Division Two derby at The Polegrove.
Bexhill played the majority of the match with 10 men following the first half dismissal of Dan Hill for what referee Steven Baker deemed a two-footed tackle.
Westfield joint manager Tony Harris said: “I’m pleased to get the win and clean sheet. It’s three valuable points so we’re chuffed with that. I was confident we were going to win when it was 11 v 11.”
The visitors were much the better side and played the better football during the first half as Bexhill simply couldn’t cope with the in-form Joe Barham, who Harris described as “unplayable”.
Mark West had a really good chance, Pugh blazed over, Sam Henham went close with a header and several balls flashed across the Bexhill box, while two home players were booked for fouls on Barham.
Hill received Bexhill’s fifth red card of the season and second in successive matches around the 25-minute mark for a tackle which Harris didn’t get a good enough view of to comment on.
You often hear that it isn’t easy to play against 10 men and that seemed to be the case for Westfield as they got drawn into going long and didn’t keep the ball as well as Harris would’ve wanted.
Bexhill shuffled things around at half time and were the better team at the start of the second period, but Harris felt Westfield got back on top after the hour and landed the decisive blow around 15 minutes from time.
A corner was cleared back out to Willett, who dribbled past Andy Garman and was brought down. Bexhill made a substitution before the penalty was taken, but Pugh kept his nerve to cap his best display of the season so far.
Although Bexhill hit the post during the second half and Henham brilliantly headed off the line, Westfield defended very well and held on for victory against a team managed by former Westfield men Darrol Parris and Jamie Podmore.
“We showed some real maturity defensively,” added Harris, who praised youngsters Khaya Nyathi and Ross Williams. “I thought we defended doggedly when we had to and put our bodies on the line when we needed to. The boys were up for it and they did very well.”
Westfield (4-3-3): Cruttwell; Miller, Henham, Stapley, Williams; Gatcum (Nyathi (Paine)), Willett, Cuddington; West (Martelini), Pugh, Barham.
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