Shortwood United 2

Slimbridge 1

GFA Senior Cup 1st Round

Shortwood again found enough to beat local rivals Slimbridge in this cup clash, in what was a similar encounter to the league match between the two teams played just over a week ago, writes Harry Ash.

Marley Thomas was presented with a chance with just two minutes played, when Ryan Thwaite misplaced a pass back to Harry Pickering, but Thomas shot wide.

Levi Cox was unlucky to see his fifth-minute shot hit the base of the post, but, after Slimbridge cleared for a corner, Jordan Morris sent it in for Sam Ockwell to head the hosts into the lead.

Slimbridge proceeded to take the initiative for the remainder of the half, with Nathan Payne finding space down the right, but the end product was rarely good enough to seriously threaten the Shortwood goal.

However, with just under ten minutes of the half to play, Luke Payne flicked a corner onto Richard Thwaite, who headed narrowly over at the back post. On the stroke of half-time, Slimbridge equalised through Birkett, who caught Pickering off his line and executed a spectacular finish from 40 yards.

Shortwood, continuing a pattern of improving their performances in the second half of most of their games this season, found an extra gear and really should have been out of sight by the final whistle. Captain Adam Price scored a fine goal to regain the lead for Wood after 51 minutes, curling into the top right-hand corner from 20 yards.

With 66 minutes played, a Price corner found Cox at the far post, who headed across goal, but Ockwell could not quite reach it for what would have been a tap-in. Ten minutes later, Price could have added a third from close range following a Brandon Preece cross, but the Wood captain was denied by a fine Beauchamp save. With six minutes remaining, Marley Thomas hit the post with a well-struck free kick from 25 yards, almost punishing Shortwood’s profligacy in front of goal in the second half.

Manager Paul Meredith said: “We’re always pleased to get the win in any game but it was the performance that I was looking for more so tonight. Again we finished well but we really do need to start better than we have been in recent games, we need to get on the ball and settle quicker which will enable us to play the way we want to for longer spells in games.”

MOTM: Ryan Thwaite

Attendance: 85

SHORTWOOD: Pickering, Humphreys, Prictor, Ockwell, Thwaite, Kibble, Price, Morris (Hawes 63), Marks (Burns 65), Freeman (Preece B 65), Cox