Premier Division
Didcot Town 1 Shortwood United 3
Saturday, 14 December 2002
Despite enjoying plenty of possession, and creating numerous chances, Didcot lost 3-1 at home to Shortwood United on Saturday. It was Town?s fourth successive League defeat of the season but with a little more luck in front of goal, the result could have been very different.
Shortwood were always dangerous on the break and Matt Williford was narrowly off-target with a clever flick on 5 minutes. Didcot?s first opportunity came on the quarter hour as Lee Newport turned Terry Morrisey?s deep cross into the side netting. The visitors were unfortunate to see Craig Cole?s firm drive shave the top of the crossbar in the 20th minute as the game swung end-to-end. Darren McNamara lobbed the ball the wrong side of the post shortly after following a poor punch from United?s keeper Adam Thomas. Didcot suffered a setback midway through the first half when the influential Dwaine Strong limped out of the action with a recurrence of a hamstring problem. Didcot refused to give up and should have taken the lead with three minutes of the half remaining. The turning point of the match came on the stroke of half-time, Chris Johnson?s shot was cleared off the line by Steve Walker following a free-kick from McNamara and United broke immediately up-field. After forcing a corner Walker was then on-hand at the other end to nod the ball home at the far-post.
Half Time: 0 ? 1
Shortwood nearly doubled the lead through Rich Evans two minutes in to the second half but it was the home side that dominated for long spells after the interval. Ian Concannon brought a fingertip save from Thomas in the 48th minute and moments later the he was denied by another stunning save from United?s keeper. From the resulting corner Andy Cooper saw his powerful header blocked on the line. Cooper was involved in Town?s next attack and only brave defending from Chris Phillips cleared the danger. Cruelly for the home side Shortwood scored with a breakaway goal in the 63rd minute. Mike Green finished well after Evans had produced a fine run on the left. Luke Hemming could have added another for United when he headed over the bar from only 5 yards out three minutes later. Didcot?s Scott Davies then tried a speculative shot from 40 yards and the visitors only just managed to scramble the ball away after the ball had rebounded off the post. Shortwood did add a third in the 73rd minute with a smart finish from Cole but Didcot immediately hit back when Concannon drilled the ball home from the edge of the box. The home side tried all they could to score again but found Shortwood keeper Thomas in inspired form. First he saved well from Newport after the Didcot striker had been put clear by Morrisey, and then he managed to flick away Concannon?s clever shot in the dying moments.
|
|