At the 16th attempt Badshot Lea have finally won a game in the Isthmian League South Central Division.

The Baggies had only three draws to their name before last Saturday’s visit of tenth-placed Westfield.

But goals from Finlay Evans in the 26th and 81st minutes gave Badshot Lea a cushion before Westfield pulled one back through Caleb Wright in the 87th minute.

Badshot Lea manager Gavin Smith said: “It’s been a long time coming. We have played way better but the pitch wasn’t great.

“It was a bit of a scrap, but in terms of attacking threat and quality I thought we were ahead of them.

“In the last ten or 15 minutes they pressed us and scored, which gave them a lift. Harry Cawdron made a good save at 2-0 and another at 2-1, and they hit the bar with a long distance shot.

“But in that same period we broke and had two chances to score again. One of them was three on one and we had beaten the keeper, and we still didn’t score.

“Over the 90 minutes I thought we deserved to win the game. The referee also missed a blatant trip on Fin when he was through on goal.

“But the boys did well to dig in, to fight, to do the ugly stuff to win a game of football, so fair play to them.”

Smith felt effort and a willingness to go forward were crucial in securing that first league victory.

He said: “For what we put into it, for our attacking threat, we deserved it.

“I thought Westfield might come across as over-confident because of how we have been doing, but also have some fear because they wouldn’t want to be the first team to lose to us.

“Fin made the difference, he was a nuisance all game. It was a great header to make it 1-0 and a calm finish for 2-0.”

Westfield’s goal came from a short throw-in. They worked their way closer to the Badshot Lea goal and put in a cross which was finished off by the head of Caleb Wright.

Smith said: “It was poor marking but a good header.”

Ultimately Badshot Lea held on for the three points and Smith praised his revamped side.

He said: “There were six new players on Saturday who had each played one game. There’s a little bit more character in the dressing room and that made a difference.

“Maybe Saturday was also the start of our luck evening out and it was so good to get that win.”