BOSS Shaun Gardiner thinks that things are slowly but surely coming together for his Westbury United side, despite them suffering a third straight defeat at Almondsbury UWE.

Lady luck wasn’t shining on the Meadow Lane outfit last weekend, with Matt Mead pulling out with a neck injury in the warm-up, Dan Hurkett being forced off with seven minutes gone and Callum Cooper withdrawing at half-time.

Brett Partner found the net for Westbury in the second period but a first half brace from Simon McElory, his second coming from the penalty spot after Grant Gunning brought down Toby Waterman in the area, and a Ricky Chandler strike saw seventh-placed Almondsbury take all three points.

“Having to make so many changes didn’t help and the luck never seems to go your way when you’re down at the bottom,” said Gardiner.

“But we won the second half 1-0 and I was pleased with the performance after half-time.

“Since I’ve come in, I’ve got to know the players that were already here and brought in my own players. I think we’re starting to get there.

“We seem to have played all the top sides recently but we’ve just got to get through it.”

United face another difficult assignment this weekend as they travel to fourth-placed Welton Rovers, who have won seven of their last eight in the Toolstation League First Division.

Westbury’s Mead could return but Hurkett is ruled out and Cooper remains a doubt.

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