FA Cup Prelim Rd

Shortwood Utd....0

Ashford Town......2

ANY FA Cup romance ended for Shortwood as Ashford Town broke hearts at the preliminary stage.

Shortwood had key defender Ed Weeks red-carded on a frustrating day for Alex Sykes’ side, who fell to their third home defeat on the trot.

“I am very disappointed to say the least, said Sykes. “Not enough of our players took responsibility.”

Shortwood started brightly enough - Andy Lewis having a shot blocked and Jake Lee fizzing the rebound over. Town responded and on-loan Cheltenham Town goalkeeper Rhys Lovett made a good double-save to keep the scoreline blank.

After the break Bidmead fired over for the visitors and Town keeper Tobin was out quickly to deny Will Morford and then made a fine save to keep out a Liam Meredith header. Meredith then had a shot deflected inches wide.

Meanwhile, the yellow card count mounted in a game where there was only one bad challenge before Weeks received his second yellow with 10 minutes to go.

Wood ploughed on and Lee found Adam Price, but his shot was very wide before Town took the lead after 85 minutes with Beadle finding time and space to shoot low into the bottom corner.

Nick Peare headed over for Shortwood, but in injury time Kam English raced through before chipping over the advancing Lovett to seal Shortwood’s fate.

STAT ATTACK

Shortwood: Lovett, Marks, Bennett, Lewis, Weeks, Hancock (Peare 72), Davies (Humphreys 75), Withington, Lee, Morford (Price 62), Meredith.

Shortwood travel to Swindon Supermarine on Saturday before welcoming Evesham United to Meadowbank on Bank Holiday Monday.