North Leigh 3

Shortwood United 3

SHORTWOOD and North Leigh produced a cracker in sparkling 3-3 thriller on Guy Fawkes night,writes Jim Cunneen.

In-form Shortwood appeared to be coasting at 3-1 with 19 minutes to go, but a Jamie Cook brace saw the Eynsham Park outfit snatch an Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West point.

Earlier, Lewis Sommers nodded the Nailsworth side ahead from a Nick Hancock cross. However, North Leigh netted parity when captain Ash Thomas was harshly penalised for an apparent perfect challenge 25 yards out.

There was no doubt about the quality of the free-kick-as Sanders’ strike was parried by Tom King, but Cook drilled home the free-ball.

Wood regained the lead after 66 minutes.Hancock curled in a free-kick and Phil Veal ran round the back to head home. Things got even better for Wood just another minute later. This time North Leigh appeared to be harshly treated by the award of a free-kick. Hancock supplied the set-play and Veal’s control and touch was perfect as he laid the ball into Adam Price who fizzed in a clinical strike.

Leigh got back into the game with 20 minutes to go. Sanders fired a dipping shot into the top corner from 25 yards to reduce the arrears and then levelled with 81 minutes gone. Cook went on a run that left two Shortwood players in his wake before scoring with a fierce shot.

Neither side were prepared to settle for a point. Former Forest Green goalkeeper Matt Bulman saved from Josh Egan and then parried a shot from Price.

SHORTWOOD: King, Rawlings, Bennett, Thomas A, Veal, Hancock, Thomas M (Opoku 82), Price, Sommers, Langworthy, Egan.

Star Man:Adam Price.