Shortwood Res 0

Milton Utd 0

A LARGELY uneventful game was played out in difficult conditions, with neither team able to impose themselves on the game, writes Harry Ash.

Shortwood could have taken the lead with ten minutes of the half remaining, but Meredith headed wide of the near post from a Palmer corner.

Milton started the second-half brightly; a free-kick was whipped in by Austin, which had to be tipped over by the alert Price.

Milton should have taken the lead with just over an hour played when Davies surged through, but he fired his shot over with the goal at his mercy.

Shortwood started to create some chances with 20 minutes remaining; Hawes floated a cross into the back post, which was controlled by Portlock, but he shot wide of the near post.

Five minutes later, Palmer found himself in space in the Milton penalty area, but his low cross was somehow cleared over his own bar by the recovering Craig Griffiths, with Blackah waiting for a tap in.

From the resulting corner, Rae flicked his near post shot agonisingly wide. Blackah's attempted chip two minutes later was not powerful enough to prevent keeper Andy Griffiths from catching it near his own goal line.

Shortwood were denied once again with five minutes left, when Blackah headed goal-wards from a long Hawes throw, but Timbrell cleared against the head of Apperley and the ball went out for a goal kick.

Boss Nick Ackland said: "I'm disappointed. There was a lack of quality today. We didn't play or get the ball down. The conditions were difficult with the wind and the pitch wasn't the best, but we failed to show any quality in the final third. We are unbeaten in five games though, with two wins and three draws."

Shortwood Res: Price, Parry, Rae, Apperley (c), R Meredith, Peyton, O Portlock, Palmer, T Blackah, Hawes, Regula, Harisson, Robinson, Ackland.