Hellenic League Division One West
Shortwood 8 Wellington 2
Four goals from Dan Gayner and an Alfie Bradshaw hat-trick helped Marcus Foxwell’s Shortwood United to a scintillating victory at Meadowbank, writes Jim Cunneen.
In some ways this was a strange game. Wood may have been 3-1 up at half- time, but Wellington were in it at that time and could have easily been on equal terms, but fell apart in the second half and the margin of victory could have easily have been more.
Harrison had an early chance for the visitors before Wood took the lead after 13 minutes. Gayner and Bradshaw both had shots blocked but Elliot Martin squeezed the ball home through a ruck of players.
Wellington came back and Wright saved from Aimes and Plane headed a free- kick wide. After 22 minutes Bradshaw charged down an attempted clearance from keeper Oxenham and ran the ball home to double the lead, but still Wellington came back and pulled one back after 27 minutes.
Wood carelessly gave the ball away and Aimes had plenty of time to run through and shoot past Wright.
Bradshaw had a low shot saved before controlling the ball superbly and hitting an unstoppable shot over Oxenham and under the bar.
Within a minute of the restart Bradshaw got away down the flank and Gayner hit a fine volley home from the edge of the box. Keegan Bowes then crossed for Gayner to head home for 5-1 and Oxenham denied Joe Williams with a fine save.
Still Wellington came back and Phillips smashed an unstoppable shot past Wright for 5-2 with half-an-hour to go.
Wright saved from Whitlock and Gayner was inches wide, but Wood made it six after 66 minutes. Fin Byrnes’s free- kick was destined for Olly Whelan, but he was pushed as he jumped and Wood had a penalty. Oxenham saved Gayner’s spot kick but the Wood man was the fastest to react and shoot home the rebound. Two minutes later it was seven. Bradshaw ran through, held off two defenders and fired across Oxenham into the corner.
Things went from bad to worse for Wellington when Phillips was shown a second yellow with 10 to go and it was left to Gayner to headd home Jack Gardner’s cross from close range.
Shortwood: Wright, Williams (Price), King T (Richardson), Byrnes, Tryner, Whelan, Bowes (Gardner), King E, Bradshaw, Martin (Davis), Gayner D
Star Man: Alfie Bradshaw
Shortwood welcome Slimbridge in the GFA Trophy on Tuesday. Marcus Foxwell’s side travel to league leaders Droitwich on Saturday.
