Shortwood United....0

Evesham United.......1

FORMER Shortwood striker Adam Mann returned to haunt his old club as his first half strike was enough for high-flying Evesham to pinch the Southern League points, writes Jim Cunneen.

Despite fielding a makeshift defence, Shortwood joint-manager cut a frustrated figure.

He said: “We did well especially with a makeshift back four. We made one mistake and it cost us and we did not have quite enough quality in the final third.”

Earlier, Shortwood started brightly. Evesham keeper Kevin Sawyer had a lucky escape when he got nowhere near a Marley Thomas cross and Lewis Sommers headed the ball down to Josh Egan whose chipped shot went straight into Sawyer’s arms.

Sommers then headed another Thomas cross wide before Ashley Edenborough shot straight at Tom King. Shortwood continued on the front foot with Egan fizzing a chance over. At the other end King did really well to claw away a deflected Carl Brown shot.

Evesham had a strong shout for a penalty waved away when captain Nick Hancock appeared to handle, but Shortwood were generally on top. The decisive moment of the game came after 36 minutes. A cross came in from the left saw Ross Langworthy slip at the vital moment and Mann needed no second invitation to sweep the ball past King.

The opening period of the second half was even, but it took a terrific Sawyer save from Sommers to keep Evesham in front.

Evesham were creating chances of their own and Edenborough toe-poked one chance wide and fired another over. Sawyer tipped a shot from sub Josh Klein – Davies over and Edenborough had an effort blocked on the line.

In the last minute of added time, Sommers flashed a header just wide.

SHORTWOOD: King, White (Klein – Davies 61), Humphreys, Sommers, Haddock, Hancock, Egan (Cant 74), Parrott, Langworthy, Thomas (Singh 64), Price.

Star Player:Tim Haddock.

Next up: Clevedon Town (A) Saturday, 3pm.