Southern League South, West Division

Shortwood United 1

Larkhall Athletic 0

SHORTWOOD won their second game in a week with a single goal victory over Larkhall.

Once again Shortwood’s small squad shrugged-off recent disappointments with another spirited display that saw them climb one place up the table.

Shortwood face the hardest of run ins with eight games still to play which will see them play three games a week and the games could not be harder with play-off contenders Wimborne and Evesham coming to Meadowbank on Tuesday and Thursday.

Des Meredith said: “Another excellent team performance today but we tired towards the end and with so many games in a short time this is always going to be a problem. But the points on the board will give the boys a lift.”

Wood certainly started brightly and could easily have scored in the first minute Hawes and Freeman combined to set up Jordan Morris but he shot straight at Semmens in the Larkhall goal.

Kibble then fired wide before a Carrick snap-shot tested Pickering. Humphreys at full-stretch just failed to get on the end of a Hawes cross and the combination of Hawes, Humphreys and Freeman really combined well.

After 32 minutes Hawes went on a fine run but could not wrap his foot round the ball and his shot went wide and Taylor shot straight at Semmons. Just before the break Humphreys had a goal mouth shot blocked and Hawes headed narrowly wide as Shortwood finished the first-half on top.

Larkhall started the second-half brightly and Britton fired wide of the far post before Rich Thwaite just failed to touch home a Sam Taylor corner.

After 66 minutes Will Hawes got away down the left and his low cross was swept home by Nick Humphreys. Larkhall responded and it took an excellent Pickering save to deny Lambert. Hawes then robbed a day dreaming defender and raced clear but as Semmens came out the ball bobbled and Hawes shot went over.

Larkhall ramped up the pressure and substitute George King ought to have levelled but missed his close range header.

Gould shot at Pickering and man of the match Rich Thwaite was magnificent in defence and inspired his colleagues. When Larkhall did get away their shooting was poor and Wood could easily have wrapped the game up in the last few minutes but Morris shot narrowly wide.

SHORTWOOD: Pickering, R Meredith, Prictor, Thwaite, R Thwaite, Taylor, Kibble, Freeman, Humphreys (C), Morris, Hawes