As the season draws to a close, it was an important game for Westfields Reserves last night who would’ve been hoping to end the night top of the County League Premier table, but a 1-1 draw with Kington Town Reserves means their title hopes are now out of their hands.

‘Fields need a win in their last game of the saat Ewyas Harold on Thursday and then have to rely on Wellington dropping points in their last game as they entertain Hinton on Saturday due to their superior goal difference.

Westfields got the game underway and had the better of the chances in the opening exchanges.

Julio Mata’s cross from the right was forcefully put behind by Sam Goodman, with Ieuan Woodcock’s chance from the corner out of reach of the keeper, but Ricky Dyer was on hand to clear off the line.

Another corner followed in the ninth minute as the energetic Mata broke away down the flank, but saw his cross-come-shot put behind by the last defender. From the flag kick, home keeper Henry Davis rose above the rest to punch the ball away to safety.

The first chance for the home side came from a free kick, but Lucas Gwillim’s delivery from 25-yards was immediately headed clear by Westfields. Another free kick moments later saw Gwillim once again deliver the ball into the box, this time from the left, but it sailed straight into the arms of the well-positioned keeper at the far-post.

Kington’s half-chances gave them a lift as they seemed to get a foothold in the game, but a scuffed back-pass from left-back Matthew Price gifted ‘Fields a corner on the half hour mark. Zac Sirrell’s corner kick was met by Ben Thomas, but the his header smashed against the crossbar with the keeper pouncing on the rebound.

With Gwillim back on free kick duty for Kington, he played the ball short to Price, up from his right-back position, but his attempted cross took a deflection to go behind for a fruitless corner.

Kington took the lead with three minutes to until the interval thanks to some good play between Ryan Newton and Lucas Gwillim. Newton was unmarked at the back stick to tap Gwillim's cross into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Westfields immediately went in search of the equaliser, but Sirrell’s free kick from a central position was tipped over the bar Henry Davis at full-stretch.

But Sirrell didn’t have long to wait to get his name on the score sheet as Westfields were awarded a penalty in first half stoppage time. With Julio Mata being brought down as he cut into the box, Sirrell stepped up and duly dispatched the spot kick low past Davis for his 22nd goal in 25 games this season.

HT: Kington Town Reserves 1 - Westfields Reserves 1

Kington came back out after the break looking bright, as Gwillim’s free kick from the left was headed towards goal by Ryan Newton, but he was denied his second goal of the game as the keeper firmly held onto his headed effort from close range.

For Westfields, Zac Sirrell came close to putting his side in front for the first time in the game, but after working his way to the centre, his right-footed shot was claimed by the keeper.

The visitors felt they should’ve been awarded another penalty seven minutes after the restart as they felt Mata had once again been impeded, but the referee disagreed and Town wasted no time in clearing the danger.

As the rain started on the Welsh border, Westfields were reduced to ten men as Shane Moon shown a second yellow after scything down Ryan Newton in the middle of the park.

Kieran Morgan in the heart of defence kept Kington well-organised at the back as they efficiently dealt with a number of corners throughout the second half, but Westfields continued to dominate midfield.

In the last five minutes of the game the visitors upped the tempo in a last-ditch attempt to go top of the table, with the best chance seeing Zac Sirrell’s free kick ricochet off the crossbar.

Kington lost their one man advantage with the dismissal of Matthew Price, but it didn’t stop them earning a share of the spoils against a spirited Westfields side.

FT: Kington Town Reserves 1 - Westfields Reserves 1

Kington Town Reserves: H. Davis, M. Price, M. Parry, K. Morgan, R. Dyer, S. Goodman, E. Davies, S. Hoyle,  R. Newton, L. Gwillim, J. Price.

Subs: S. Davies, C. Evans, P. Reason, L. Griffiths.

Westfields Reserves: R. Wargent, L. Patterson, E. Davey, J. Williamson, T. Barnfield, S. Moon, A. Nelder, J. Mata, B. Thomas, Z. Sirrell, I. Woodcock.

Subs: O. Smith, J. Cassidy, L. Quinsey.

Westfields Reserves manager felt it was a case of two points points dropped tonight and they are now reliant on other results going their way if they are to lift the title.

Paul Boulton said: “We knew what we had to do with seven games to go and realistically we thought we needed to win all seven if we wanted to lift the title this year. We’ve had a good run the last five games and we’ve just come a little bit short tonight.

“The sending off hasn’t helped us obviously, but we have dominated at times and we were unlucky at the end even with ten men. We’re not out of it by no means, we know if we win on Thursday at [Ewyas] Harold that will put us three clear, but if we’re honest with the goal difference of Wellignton, if they get the win against Hinton then the title will be theirs.

“We’ll say congratulations to them if that’s the case, but we’re certainly fight for it on Thursday, we’re not going to give up."