By Jim Cunneen
Shortwood 1
Cirencester Development 1
Shortwood put out a depleted side due to illness and injury, but managed to register a narrow victory over Cirencester Development.
Manager Ian Soule must be wondering how the club is going to get out a team on Tuesday when the first play New Dales Vale at Meadowbank and the Reserves travel to Newent on the same night. To add to that they have to play high-flying Hartpury on Friday.
The available players have a hard workload and it showed as they put in a disjointed performance against a hard working Ciren side that never gave up. There can be no criticism of the work rate
however and with no exception the players worked their socks off. Lewis Tosdevine scored the only goal of the game inside the opening minute as Bell and Eakers teed him up. It could have been two just a minute later when Bell went on a strong run and forced keeper Sunter to save full-length.
Bell forced Sunter into a fine parry and the ball rebounded to Wilton but he shot over.
The second half was scrappy in the extreme and a gusty wind and driven rain didn’t help. Chances were few and far between and the only chances of note were a shot from Eakers that drifted wide, and a Wilton shot that faded the wrong side of the post.
Right at the death, Dan Wright forced Sunter into a smart save and Wilton hit the rebound wide.
Shortwood: Muir, Marks K, Harper – Emerson, Eakers, Pepa, Tunnicliff (Colliver 48), Bell (Wright 77), Peyton, Wilton (Fogg 88), Tosdevine, Bowes
Star Man: Lewis Tosdevine
