Shortwood 5 Southam 0 – UHL Hellenic League
By Jim Cunneen
Shortwood carried on where they left off against Newent on Tuesday with another emphatic 5-0 win.
Hot-shot striker Jake Rhodes bagged his second hat-trick in succession and took his goal tally for Shortwood this season to 20 goals. Needless to say this earned the Wood man yet another man of the match award. T
This Wood team play with a style and again on Saturday they were most impressive with four goals in the opening half and although they only scored one more in the second period the football was equally good.
Whether Wood finish in the play-off places remains to be seen as they have some tough challenges ahead but the Wood management have them playing with flair and are a delight to watch at times.
Right from the start Wood attacked and it only took them seven minutes to open the scoring. In a great move, Rhodes put Earle away with a great through ball and Earle crossed low to Odia Coly to turn the ball home.
Rhodes was narrowly wide with a header and Coly had a shot deflected inches over before Wood doubled their score after 15 minutes, Eakers was the supplier and Rhodes made space to turn and fire home from 8 yards.
Chances came and went before Tunnicliff powered an unstoppable header home from an Earle free-kick.
After 35 minutes keeper Hudson made a superb save to deny Coly and then Rhodes smacked the left hand post and Kieran Marks somehow manged to put the rebound wide. Just a minute later Tosdevine fed Rhodes and his 20 yard strike screamed into the net.
With the game already won the Wood management rang the changes but this did not stop the flow. Earle forced Hudson into a scrambling save, Colliver’s cross shot only needed a touch and Hudson saved well at Earle’s feet.
Wood certainly turned on the style and it was no surprise when they scored their fifth and it was no surprise that it was Rhodes who scored as he finished off yet another excellent team move.
In the dying moments, Hudson saved well from Kieran Marks and Tom King was inches wide with a low shot.
Shortwood: Muir, Marks N (Peyton 45), Marks K, Pepa, Tryner, Tunnicliff, Eakers, Tosdevine (Colliver 51), Odia Coly (Wright 75), Rhodes (King 82), Earle (Barrett 67)
Star player: Jake Rhodes
