1st Team
Matches
Tue 01 Mar 2022  ·  Division One
Shortwood United
1st Team
L Lewis (5'), P Holmes (15')
2
2
Abingdon United
Superb game in awful conditions

Superb game in awful conditions

James Cunneen3 Mar 2022 - 14:24
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Wood 2 Abingdon 2

This was a really excellent game between two attacking sides and a point apiece was the right result. It is highly questionable whether the game should have been played at all given the pitch conditions but following instructions the game was played and both sides showed full commitment but with common sense and It has to be said that the game was superbly refereed by Luke Hinchcliffe and both camps were full of praise for him after the game. Such was the attitude of the players that it was not necessary for him to produce a card all evening!

The rain started to fall just as the game kicked off and got steadily heavier throughout the evening which did not help matters.
Wood started the brighter and after 4 minutes a long throw from Lewis was back headed by Paul Holmes and his header was only just caught by keeper Midwinter just under the bar. Barely a minute later Nathan Payne, who terrorised the defence all night with his storming runs, chipped the keeper but the ball was headed off the line. The ball came back to Payne and this time his cross was headed down by Holmes and Lewis hit a half volley home from 10 yards. A corner from Payne almost drifted in at the near post and from the clearance Abingdon broke and Davis sent a chip just wide of the far post.
Wood doubled their lead after 15 minutes. Payne raced down the left, cut in and shot and Midwinter parried it and Holmes hooked it home.
Abingdon were lively going forward and always looked dangerous. After 24 minutes a long throw from Lewis was met by a towering header from Tunnicliff and somehow Midwinter just managed to claw the ball away from the top corner. Another run from Payne caused chaos and Harper – Emerson got his shot away but Midwinter smothered it. It was far from one way traffic, however, and Tryner managed to clear a free kick into the box under severe pressure. Byrnes had a shot blocked after Holmes laid the ball back to him before Abingdon reduced the arrears 2 minutes before the break and what a goal it was. Wood lost the ball in midfield and Rhys King smashed the ball into the top corner from fully 30 yards. Abingdon then forced a series of corners before the interval and Robinson chipped the ball just wide.

The second half was a real end to end affair with both sides going full out for another goal. Payne nearly equalled King’s effort but the ball smacked against the bar and Lewis had a shot deflected wide. On the hour Stallone had a header cleared off the line for the visitors before Abingdon levelled after 63 minutes. The ball was worked down the right and the low cross was only partially cleared.to Davis who shot low into the bottom corner. Wood were under real pressure for a while before gaining the upper hand towards the end. After a fine Wove Midwinter made a fine save to keep Wilton’s effort out, Tunnicliff headed straight into Midwinter and in the very last seconds another run and low cross was inches away from being turned in by Holmes.

A truly excellent game played in awful conditions and Wood’s pitch at the end can only be described as a complete mess.

Sims, Harper – Emerson (Nowell 45), Barrett, Tryner, Tunnicliff, Byrnes, Payne, Peyton, Holmes, Beecham (Wilton 75), Lewis (Bayley Evanson 61)

Match details

Match date

Tue 01 Mar 2022

Kickoff

19:45

Attendance

41

Competition

Division One

League position

10
Shortwood United
15
Abingdon United
Team overview
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