Wantage Town.....3

Shortwood...........1

By Jim Cunneen

ALEX Sykes watched Shortwood have a bad day at the office as his side slumped to back-to-back Southern League West Division defeats.

Co-manager Sykes failed to hide his disappointment after Shortwood were beaten at Wantage.

He said: “We had a very poor day at the office – I rarely say this, but we were out-worked and and out-fought.

“We need to have a really good look at ourselves, but our man- of-the-match was goalscorer Liam Meredith, who worked his socks-off.”

With Mangotsfield United closing in on a move for striker Jake Lee, Shortwood were handed a pre-match boost with winger Marley Thomas returning to the club after his summer switch to Paulton Rovers.

Whitehead opened the scoring for Wantage on 34 minutes.

However, Shortwood levelled in added time at the end of the first half.

The talented JohnCant swung in a cross and Meredith nodded home. Wood were level for less than a minute. Wantage won a corner and Cattell was unchallenged as he headed home.

Wantage increased their lead on 55 minutes when Whitehead bagged his second.

Only a sprawling save from Tom King denied Whitehead his hat-trick.

Shortwood remained vulnerable in midfield and defence and King made the save of the match to deny Davis. In the last minute Tim Haddock had a great chance to reduce the arrears, but his header went wide of the far post.

Shortwood travel to Hellenic Premier side Binfield in the FA Cup on Saturday and it will need a marked improvement if they are to progress.

SHORTWOOD: King, Rawlings, Cant (White 80), Lewis, Haddock, Hancock, Meredith L, Parrott (Thomas 55), Lee, Price (Halford 68), Bennett (C).

Star Man: Liam Meredith.