Shortwood 1 Alcester 1 – UHL Hellenic League Division 1
Shortwood rounded off their season by sharing the spoils with Alcester, writes Harry Ash.
The busiest period of the entire game came straight from the off; a matter of seconds in Alfie Bradshaw’s flicked header from Benji Cronin’s floated cross bounced wide, with Alcester keeper Logan Ellis stranded.
Aaron Richmond then struck the post for the visitors before the ten minute mark, having met George Davis’ free kick with his head. On several occasions Joe Wright’s decisiveness when advancing off his line snuffed out promising Alcester chances.
Wood failed to create anything meaningful between the first and last moments of the half. In stoppage time, though, Elliot King was brought down as Harley Mulraney’s corner curled into the box, and the referee showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Bradshaw stepped up and scored his 24th of the season.
The second half was comfortable enough for Wood, who throughout looked more likely to add to their lead than be pegged back. Ten minutes after the restart Bradshaw and Adi Adichareh combined, the latter testing Ellis with a high shot to the near post which was well tipped over.
Wood’s second half substitutes made a difference when introduced too. Jack Gardner was alert to intercept Cameron Cook’s header back towards Ellis, hitting the bouncing ball across goal and forcing another good save.
But with their only real attempt of the half, Alcester found an equaliser with only a few minutes to play. Davis cut inside from the left and whipped a shot perfectly into the top right-hand corner, with Wright only able to watch it sail over his head. It has to be said it was a remarkable piece of quality in a game almost completely bereft of it up until that point.
A typically determined run from Gardner, travelling all the way from left to right across the pitch, set up a late chance for fellow substitute Zac Peters, but his left-footed shot from twenty yards whistled just wide.
The point at least took Wood above Chipping Sodbury into 12th position, which, paired with the cup win, can be seen as a very successful end result in a season, as always, of ups and downs.
Shortwood: Wright, Cronin (Price 27),White, Mulraney (Martin 70), Tryner, Keating (Peters 70), Underwood Kent, Bradshaw, King E, Adichareh (Gardner 70)
