Shortwood........ 2

Hengrove.......... 3

Shortwood United looked on course for their first win of the season but Hengrove produced a fine comeback in a huge bottom of the table clash.

It's a game Shortwood will feel they should have won comfortably after they were 2-0 up after eight minutes and totally dominant in the first half but they conceded three poor goals in the second half. In spite of that they created enough chances to have still won but poor decision making cost them dearly.

Wood took the lead after six minutes. Walker’s through ball saw Kalnins just beat the keeper to the ball and he touched it under him as he rushed out.

Two minutes later it was 2-0. Delightful play from Marsh fed Lee Bowles and he somehow squeezed the ball between keeper Greatbanks at the near post.

Nowell rattled the post with a header from a Scrivens free-kick and Marsh forced Greatbanks into s a sprawling save.

Kalnins might have had a penalty when he went down and it was 40 minutes before Clark was forced into a meaningful save. Just before the break

Kalnins was narrowly wide with a diving header as Wood finished on a high. The Wood faithful were more than hopeful such was the first half performance but it all went horribly wrong in the second half.

Within three minutes of the restart Langworthy was adjudged to have tripped Murray and although Wood protested that Langworthy had played the ball Fillington slammed the ball home.

Wood started to panic and their control was gone and on the hour Hengrove were level. Wood stopped expecting a free kick but Hengrove didn’t and Fear had a free header at the far post to score.

Wood then started to play again and twice Walker got in behind the defence and chose to shoot when a low ball to the unmarked Marsh or Mathews might have been the better option. Walker was then through but Greatbanks denied him with a fine one on one block.

Hengrove two were looking dangerous as the game swung and only great defending from Tryner denied Fillington. With 10 minutes to go Wood paid the penalty for their missed chances. A corner to the near post was met perfectly by Fillington to head home.

There was still time for Mathews to shoot over and for Marsh to go close before the final whistle and Wood left the field knowing they had thrown it away themselves.