By Jim Cunneen
Clanfield 2 Shortwood 2 – UHL Hellenic League
Injuries to Jake Rhodes and Lewis Tosdevine saw Shortwood United huff and puff their way to a point thanks to a last-gasp goal from substitute Joe Wilton.
The first half opened brightly enough with Clanfield’s man-of-the-match Jamie Wyatt firing over and Shortwood’s Chris Earle being denied by an excellent piece of defending by Elkins.
Joe Tryner seemed to be at the heart of Wood’s defence and made a superb clearance off his own line to deny Clanfield.
Shortwood took the lead when Swindon Town loanee Alex Bell’s low cross allowed Rhodes to open the scoring.
Wilton replaced the injured Rhodes before Clanfield scored twice. After 63 minutes there was a bit of pinball in the Wood box and Searle poked the ball home and seven minutes later Wood were caught from a throw-in and Kimber raced through and drove the ball across Muir into the far corner. Tosdevine then limped from the fray.
All seemed to be up for Shortwood and they struggled to find a way through despite working their socks off until they were handed a lifeline in the 90th minute. A Clanfield defender shanked a clearance under his own bar and although the keeper clawed it out it went straight to Wilton who headed home to give Wood a 2-2 draw.
The games come thick-and-fast with Wood at home on Tuesday to Calne and then Cirencester Academy on Friday evening – both games kick off at 7.45pm.
Shortwood: Muir, Kieran Marks, Barrett, Eakers, Tryner, Tunnicliff, Earle (Bowes 83), Tosdevine (Peyton 74), Rhodes (Wilton 62), Pepa (Odia Coly 78), Bell
Star man: Joe Tryner
