FATHER and son team Neil and Joe Kirkpatrick were delighted to get their first win under their belt after four games in charge of Westbury United.

The duo had experienced narrow home defeats to Bishop Sutton and Portishead Town, sandwiched around a 3-1 defeat away to Radstock Town, in their opening three matches at the helm.

However, after confessing that they had only had one training session since taking over the Toolstation First Division side, Joe Kirkpatrick was pleased to see his side finally turn in a performance akin to his high standards as Westbury saw off Malmesbury Victoria 3-1 away at the Flying Monk Ground.

Having gone behind early on to a Sam Parker goal, a Jordan Pinder penalty restored parity as both sides headed for the changing rooms.

George Bendle gave the visitors the lead 20 minutes after the break, before defender Matt Jones wrapped up the victory, as the hosts finished with 10 men – Ed Wilkins seeing red.

“It was a relief to be honest,” said Joe Kirkpatrick, reflecting on the match.

“(In ) the last couple of games, it’s been a bit unlucky and a few errors have cost us.

“Everything nearly went according to plan on Saturday and it was good to get our first three points.

“We went into the break with one each and we said that we needed to be a bit more energetic around the whole pitch.

“We came out for the second half and stuck it right to them.

“We’ve only had one training session, which was the first week we were there so we’ve not really worked too much on what we want to bring in.

“Game by game it’s been improving and finally we have managed to get the three points.”

Kirkpatrick is now looking to build on their first success when they host Welton Rovers this weekend, who sit four places and seven points behind Westbury in the league standings.

“It will be nice to improve on what we did on Saturday and move forward,” he added.

“There’s always going to be more work, I’m a bit of a perfectionist myself and whoever you are, you need work done all the time.

“I’m happy with what we have seen so far and it has been a case of fine margins.

“It’s just cutting out the little errors, but we are getting there.

“You could tell after the game, the confidence three points can give the team.

“Hopefully we’ll go on a little roll now.”

Elsewhere, Mark Brefitt’s Warminster Town side finished with 10 men, Josh Ferguson receiving his marching orders, as they succumbed to a 5-1 defeat away to Ashton & Backwell United, with Mark Robinson’s strike proving nothing more than a consolation.