FOOTBALL: Shortwood co-manager Alex Sykes insists his side were far from their best at Bashley

Bashley 0 Shortwood United 1

By Jim Cunneen

SHORTWOOD co-manager Alex Sykes insisted his side were far from their best at basement boys Bashley.

Prolific striker Jake Lee scored the only goal of the game as the Nailsworth side jumped back into the play-offs.

Sykes said: "We were not at our best today and got away with one, but could have scored a couple more at the end though."

The only goal came after 10 minutes. Nick Humphreys swung over a cross, Liam Meredith did well to control the ball and divert it into the path of Lee who smacked the ball home from 10 yards.

Meanwhile, James Singh almost turned home a corner and Lee dropped a header over the bar. However, Bashley almost got on level terms when keeper Tom King raced out to hack a long ball away and missed, but managed to get back and smother the ball.

Wood thought they had scored a second after 60 minutes when Dunne looped the ball past his own keeper, but Meredith was ruled offside.

The introduction of the returning Adam Price livened Shortwood up and Marley Thomas drove a shot against the legs of keeper Jones, who also saved well from Price.

With 12 minutes to go Bashley built up a good move and Matt Bennett tripped Foster for an obvious penalty. Hill hammered his spot kick against the bar and Wood cleared.

This seemed to galvanise Shortwood and they looked more purposeful in the remaining minutes. Singh failed to get enough on a Thomas low cross to turn the ball home and Jones did well to turn round a Joe White shot that was destined for the bottom corner.

SHORTWOOD: King, Rawlings, Bennett, Lewis, Moxham, Hancock (Price 68), Singh (White 80), Hicks, Lee, Meredith L (Thomas 64), Humphreys.

Star Man: Sam Rawlings.