Caught short! Rovers lose unbeaten record (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Caught short! Rovers lose unbeaten record

Shortwood Utd Res 2, Bourton Rvrs 1

UNITED hit back with two second half goals to end Tony Spedding's side's 100 per cent record in the Northern Senior League.

The Nailsworth side deserved Saturday's victory for a dominant second half showing, but Bourton were left to rue missing two gilt-edged chances that could have seen them return home with a point.

The home outfit, youthful, nimble and comfortable in possession, were by a stretch the best side Rovers have faced in the league.

For the most part, however, Bourton matched them and, in a closely contested first half, the visitors got their noses in front courtesy of James Luney's heavily deflected strike.

Shortwood came out with all guns blazing at the start of the second period and were unlucky not to equalise with a low drive that caught the inside of a post and rolled across the goalline.

Luney then had to be replaced by Mark Payne after he suffered a badly bruised foot in a heavy challenge, before the game turned dramatically.

First, Shortwood scored the equaliser they had been threatening when Ben Newman pulled off centre-half Mathew Winter to drill a the ball under Andrew Herbert.

Straight from the kick-off, Payne missed the simplest of chances to put Rovers back in front. Stuart Hughes received the ball from the centre, burst forward and played in Ryan Newhook down the left.

The wide man stood the ball up perfectly for Payne just six yards out, but he sent the ball spiralling high over the crossbar.

From then on in Shortwood took advantage. They hit the bar with a curling free- kick, before Wayne Bowns was allowed to run unchallenged from just inside the Bourton half and, with the defence backing off, he placed his shot into the far corner.

Bourton poured men forward in the remaining minutes and, deep into injury-time, Winter got on the end of an inch-perfect David D'avanzo cross but his powerful header lacked control and soared over the bar.

Bourton take a break from league action on Saturday when they face Cheltenham League side Star in the GFA Senior Cup.

Gloucestershire Northern

Senior League

Division One

P W D L F A Pts

Bourton Rvrs 5 4 0 1 16 10 12

Lydney Town 3 3 0 0 12 2 9

Huntley 3 3 0 0 7 1 9

Longlevens 4 3 0 1 10 6 9

Cheltenham CS 5 3 0 2 11 8 9

Cam Bulldogs 5 3 0 2 6 8 9

Berkeley Town 5 2 1 2 8 6 7

Sharpness 4 2 1 1 7 6 7

Chalford 5 2 1 2 7 7 7

Shortwood Res 4 2 0 2 6 7 6

Warden Hill Utd 5 2 0 3 8 10 6

Broadwell Ams 4 1 0 3 10 13 3

St Marks CA 4 1 0 3 5 9 3

Bredon 4 1 0 3 2 9 3

Brockworth Alb 5 0 2 3 5 10 2

Smiths Ath 5 0 1 4 5 13 1