Tel Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Shortwood United 0 - 2 Ashford Town Beads 85' Bits 90+3. £1925 in the kitty. Well done lads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big J R Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Shortwood United 0 - 2 Ashford Town Beads 85' Bits 90+3. £1925 in the kitty. Well done lads Congratulations ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevchenko Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Well done lads and an away day to the seaside next at Herne Bay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swifty Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 I don't think I've ever had such a strange end to a journey to a ground, let alone a step 4 ground.Five miles before Nailsworth you reach Minchinhampton Common, where cattle are allowed free to roam over the road, and there was a tailback in the other direction due to a cow blocking the lane. You then encounter a set of hairpin bends on a 1-in-8 hill, with more cattle on or by the roadside. The last mile to Shortwood's ground is down a single track road with barely room for an average size car and a handful of passing spaces. I took a wrong turn just before the ground and found myself negotiating a very narrow road which, thanks to the confirmation of a local I stopped, looped back to the ground from the other direction.Once at the ground you can't believe how such an impressive venue's been built in the location. A decent size seated stand on a rise above the pitch, a small seated stand and a small covered terrace on the other flank, and a good amount of cover under the clubhouse porch.As for the game, if we'd lost I don't think I could have complained. Whether it was the pronounced side to side slope of the pitch, the difficult conditions, the overly long grass or the wrong choice of boots, we had trouble stringing three passes together in the first half and gave Shortwood too much space and respect throughout the match.We came close in the first half with a low effort from the edge of the box and a pinball effort, but that was about it, whereas Shortwood managed more efforts and crosses, their best chances also being pinball melees. We improved in the second half without really looking like breaking the deadlock until the key moments in the last 15 minutes of normal and stoppage time.Shortwood had marauded down our right flank and caused problems the whole game, but the ref had a tendency not to book the worst fouls (how Shortwood's defender Matt Bennett finished the match without a card flummoxed me) but dish out cards for lesser offences, so when Ed Weeks got a soft second yellow in the 81st, The Woods lost their feed down the wing and a valuable defender. The lads seized the chance to exploit the space, and Beads (who looked too good just to be sub) came up with the best bit of solo skill in the match and a finish to match in the 86th. Woods kept pressing and carving out chances, but we kept them out (Samad got my man of the match vote for a great defensive display) and a lovely through ball saw Bitz wrap it up with yet another 93rd minute strike.A good win while not being at our best. Some valuable prize money sneaked past those cows on the way home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B378 Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 I must acknowledge the warm reception we received from Shortwood United, made to feel welcome upon arrival. A hot meal provided to the players and officials afterwards, was I'm sure appreciated. A very nice setting to watch football. Although the crowd could have been higher, it was mentioned that Forest Green Rovers were playing at home and their ground was less than a mile away. Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swifty Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 They were indeed friendly folk at Shortwood - and at least they don't dictate to you what you can and can't eat, unlike Forest Green Rovers, whose vegan chairman has banned any sale of meat within the ground. Compare that to the whopping bacon burger at our cup tie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarus Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 There are some good photos at: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/shortwoodunited/photos/shortwood-v-ashford-town-681592.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatboyatmfc Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I would say Bitz "strike" was more of a "dink" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swifty Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 He struck that dink beautifully! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.