Off the mark, Shortwood boss Dan Gillespie felt the point in the 2-2 draw at Newent Town was a point gained despite seeing his side surrender a two-goal half-time cushion.
Wood opened the scoring when Alex Gayner struck from a Finlay Byrnes pass.
The Nailsworth side had a great chance when striker Ryan Dobbins missed from the penalty spot after Gayner was upended. However, Shortwood made it 2-0 when Martin Smith’s header went off a Newent defender.
Dobbins came within inches of adding a third after the break from a Smith cross before Newent pulled a goal back on 63 minutes through Remik Kilicaslan
With their tails up, Newent took up the cause and attacked furiously. After 69 minutes they had a corner and a confrontation broke out and when the dust had settled Newent’s Mateusz Klich and Shortwood’s Ben Sluman were sent off. Newent netted parity when Milo Elmes knocked the ball home.
Newent sensed the win and Kilicasian struck the Wood post.
Wood boss Dan Gillespie said: “Unfortunately it wasn’t our night. It’s always disappointing to surrender a two-goal half-time lead.
“It was a real game of two halves. We weren’t at our best in the first half but could have been out of sight.
“We didn’t get going in the second half, Newent made it very difficult for us, and their intensity grew as the half went on, as did their momentum. In the end it’s a point gained we’re off the mark and we move on to Saturday now against a tough FC Bristol.”
