Shortwood United 4

Bracknell Town 3

By Jim Cunneen

SHORTWOOD co-manager John Evans bemoaned poor defending as his side made hard work of their Emirates FA Cup first qualifying round victory against Hellenic Premier Division Bracknell Town.

The Nailsworth side were 3-0 up inside the opening 30 minutes but porous defender allowed Bracknell to hit-back.

Evans said: “This should have been comfortable. Three shocking bits of defending kept them in it.”

Shortwood hit the ground running and were 2-0 up after 15 minutes. Captain Matt Bennett opening the scoring after two minutes and striker Jake Lee made it two as he curled a stunning free-kick home from 20 yards.

Wood were playing delightful football and this was epitomised by the third goal after 34 minutes. Bennett made a good run down the left flank, laid the ball back to Nick Humphreys and his instant cross saw the in-form Liam Meredith dive full-length to send a header rocketing past Aulsberry.

Wood let Bracknell back into the tie when poor defending saw Cooper – Clark strike just before the break.

However, Shortwood’s two-goal cushion was restored eight minutes after the interval. Winger Marley Thomas supplied a whipped cross and Sam Rawlings took the defender away from Bennett with a good dummy run allowing the Wood man the simplest of close range finishes.

Ten minutes later Shortwood had a chance to put the game once again out of Bracknell’s reach when Thomas was tripped but keeper Aulsberry went the right way to save Lee’s penalty.

Still Shortwood poured forward and it took some desperate defending and good goalkeeping to keep them at bay.

With nine minutes to go more sloppy defending allowed Bradshaw another chance to reduce the arrears and Shortwood finished the game more nervously than they should have done.

SHORTWOOD: King, Rawlings, Humphreys, Lewis, Peare (White 71), Hancock, Thomas, Price (Singh 62), Lee, Meredith (Parrott 83), Bennett.

Star Man: Nick Hancock.