Southern League South and West Division

Cinderford Town 2 Shortwood United 0

By Jim Cunneen

SHORTWOOD suffered a New Year's Day defeat at Gloucestershire rivals Cinderford Town.

Shortwood joint-manager John Evans cut a dejected figure as his side fell to back-to-back defeats.

He said:“We were devoid of ideas and outplayed by a team who wanted it more.”

Shortwood mustered one shot on target in the whole game and the derby could not have started any worse as they fell behind to a soft goal in only the second minute. A corner from the right was headed down onto the edge of the six yard box and no one in the Wood ranks reacted allowing Kieran Thomas all the time in the world to bury his shot.

Shortwood created a good opening for Langworthy after 10 minutes but his shot was well wide of the far post. Cinderford looked dangerous and Donnahue sent a free kick just wide and King reacted well to turn round a shot from Turley. When Wood did get forward their finishing was poor and a couple of shots high or wide were all they had to show for their efforts.

Shortwood had the wind at their backs for the second half and enjoyed more possession but the final ball was too often harmlessly over hit – and the closest they came was a Hancock free kick that Donoghue almost turned into his own net. Bennett fired a shot straight at Harris after 55 minutes before Wood were sliced open after 68 minutes and Lloyd slammed the ball home for the killer second goal.

Even the usually effervescent Singh and Marley Thomas failed to spark as Shortwood drifted to the end and it was Kieran Thomas who came closest to adding to Town’s score line as he stung King’s hands near the end.

SHORTWOOD: King, Rawlings, Humphreys, Lewis, Lee, Hancock, Egan (Singh 51), White, Sommers, Langworthy (Thomas M 69), Cant (Bennett 26).

Subs not used: Herbert, Sykes