Chipping Sodbury 0 Shortwood 3
Unisport Hellenic League Division 1
Shortwood travelled to bottom of the table Chipping Sodbury and came back with a 3-0 win, writes Jim Cunneen.
Sodbury battled hard throughout the game and Wood had to fight hard for the win and fair play to the hosts they never gave up. Such is the attitude of this Wood side they more than matched them for commitment. For large portions of the game Wood were unable to match the free-flowing football from Moreton on the Friday as they were harried and chased for every ball but Wood adapted well on a bumpy pitch and deserved their win.
Gaffer tapes: Dan Gillespie
“We began the game in similar fashion to how we finished at Moreton, really good in possession with plenty of rotations which led to us creating some good chances.
“We scored two goals within the first 25 minutes and really sowed the game up in that period. Saturday we have the league cup, I know a few lads have expressed they’re feeling the effects of 10 games in just over a month, so I’ll be rotating the squad in order to keep us fresh and sharp.”
The early stages saw Wood dominate. Gayner blasted a shot inches over before taking the lead after only 7 minutes. Molyneux supplied a slide rule pass for Dan Gayner to run onto and shoot low inside the post. Molyneux then saw a cross roll along the bar and Smith sent a header inches wide.
After 24 minutes Wood went 2-0 up. Loveridge tied to pass inside but the ball rebounded to him off a defender. Wasting no time Loveridge blasted his first goal for the club from 20 yards.
Home keeper Hale made a fine point save to deny Dobbins and it seemed Wood would run riot but Sodbury, urged on by the impressive Diallo started to respond but Mapstone wasted a chance by firing wide.
Mapstone then appeared to be fouled by Tryner in the area but the referee waved away Sodbury’s appeals for a penalty.
Just before the break Byrnes fired in a low free-kick which Hale did well to hold given that Wood were waiting to pounce on any loose ball.
Thomas was called into action early in the second half saving a low shot from Jamie Smith and as Sodbury battled hard the game became scrappy with little goalmouth action.
Both sides rung the changes and Smith came close with a header before Wood scored their third goal with 10 minutes to go. Byrnes won the ball on the edge of the area and found Smith unmarked 7 yards out and the Wood man needed no further invitation to shoot home and wrap up the points.
Finally in added time, Thomas made a remarkable save as Tryner inadvertently almost put the ball past him and denied Sodbury a consolation goal.
Shortwood: Thomas, Loveridge (Sabally 86), Royer (Mace K 61), Byrnes, Tryner, Mace K, Molyneux, Kent (Price 73), Dobbins, Smith (Sluman 82), Gayner D
