Shortwood 0
Bourton Rovers 2
UHL Hellenic League
Shortwood manager Ian Soule was left shaking his head after his side had a Friday 13th fright night at home to Bourton Rovers, writes Jim Cunneen.
Bourton started the brighter and had two early chances that they blazed over the bar while Earle had a shot deflected to keeper Flower.
At times Wood’s passing was awful and passes across midfield put themselves under pressure. When Wood did come forward the Rovers defence seemed to block everything and clear cut chances were rare.
Bourton rode their luck in the 24th minute when Barrett found space and his powerful drive cannoned off the inside of the left hand post and rebounded away to safety.
Earle had a cross drop just behind Soule and Wood had an escape on the half hour when Muir somehow managed to turn round a close range effort from Morton round the post.
With Bourton looking dangerous from crosses and the Harrison always carrying a threat the visitors looked the most likely to score although just before the break Rhodes squeezed his way along the bi line but Flower gratefully cut out his low ball before the predatory Soule could finish.
Muir tipped round a curling free kick after 50 minutes and from the resultant corner Bourton took the lead. The corner came in and although Wood cleared the first effort off the line when the ball came back in Mitchell slammed the ball home from 15 yards. Wood pressed back but all too often their crossing was too close to the keeper and similarly with their efforts on target.
Byrnes saw Flower off his line and his long range chip dropped narrowly wide before Bourton scored their second after 70 minutes.
A corner went to the far post where Harrison slammed the ball home from 6 yards. Wood brought on Pepa and Tosdevine and Wood finally started to exert real pressure on Rovers and started to create real pressure Pepa and Tryner both had efforts – again straight at Flower and with 10 minutes to go Soule ran in from behind the defence to convert only to see the flag go up.
Who knows what might have happened but it was that kind of night and as I say ultimately the result was the right one.
Wood are away to Chipping Sodbury on Tuesday in their previously postponed GFA tie before travelling to Abingdon next Saturday, 2pm.
Shortwood: Muir, Peyton L (Marks K 55), Barrett (Pepa 75), Byrnes, Tunnicliff, Tryner, Payne (Tosdevine 75), Rhodes, Soule, Eakers, Earle
