WESTFIELD’S record-breaking run in the Isuzu FA Trophy is over – but manager Ian Selley says they will use the experience as a springboard into the league play-offs.

The Yellows made their maiden appearance in the first round proper last Saturday (October 28), losing 3-1 at home to higher-grade Hungerford Town.

Quincy Rowe gave Selley’s men the lead – but the match was turned on its head when Jacob Breckon was sent off for alleged elbowing in the 35th minute.

And Hungerford – mid-table in Pitching In Southern League Premier South – took advantage to score three times in the second half.

However, Selley is expecting his team to push on and mount a challenge for promotion from the Pitching In Isthmian League South Central Division.

He said: “The players have been excellent in the last seven or eight games. We’ve got a proper changing room now. There’s only two half games where we’ve not been at it.

“They were very, very good against Hungerford. On a different day we could’ve scored three or four.

“The fact we had a lad sent off early in the game affects it a little bit but they worked hard, stuck with it and still created the chances.

“I’m really, really proud of them but there’s that frustration of ‘Was it a red card?’. 

“We’ve just got to keep focusing on what we’re doing and the good thing is the lads are starting to believe now that we’re a good side, we’re a contender. 

“We’ve just got to move onto the next one and do the same again, and if we continue to play like we are we’ll be bouncing up the league.

“The pleasing thing was we didn’t sit in, we pushed on and created chances – some days they go in, some days they don’t. And against Hungerford, unfortunately it didn’t go our way.

“We’ve had conversations with the group and they’re hungry to get into those play-offs. They know in their own performances that we’re definitely good enough. 

“We’ve got a decent run of fixtures that are definitely winnable and we’ll set up and go to win the games.

“We’ll pick up a lot of points in the next couple of months and we’ll be, hopefully, in and around there, where we should be.

“The players we’ve brought in have settled in really well and the lads retained from last season have been excellent, so it’s a good combination of senior lads and young boys who are learning the game. 

“I believe we’ll be up there but it’s up to them to keep performing and doing what we want to do. If they do that, we’ll be OK.”