Evo-Stik Southern Div 1 South & West.

Cirencester Town 0 Shortwood Utd 1.

A SINGLE goal early in the second half from Shortwood’s TJ Bohane separated the two in-form teams in the division on a cold afternoon when defences dominated.

Cirencester certainly left their shooting boots at home; despite creating twice as many albeit long-range chances as their rivals, Wood’s keeper Tom King was required to make just two saves in 90 minutes.

Having said that, Ciren’s Glyn Garner also had little to do, being well protected by his back four, in which Chris Thompson and Leigh Henry were outstanding.

Both teams came into the game having won six of their previous seven, but it was Shortwood who settled into their stride more quickly.

Nonetheless, the first scoring opportunity fell to Sam Collier who had perhaps more time than he was expecting in the box before volleying over the bar in the 11th minute.

Wood’s only significant effort on target in the opening period was a drilled 20-yard half volley from Bohane on 18 minutes which sped straight at Garner.

Ciren had a double opportunity in the 28th minute – Chris Thompson’s header from a Ben Wells corner was blocked near the line and then scrambled clear, before an off-balance Brad Hopper just could not keep his curling shot under the bar.

Then, in the 31st minute, Collier could not get enough of a flick on a driven Henry free kick to cause King any real concern. Within five minutes, though, Shortwood should have been ahead.

Matt Bennett’s firm cross from the left bypassed a gaggle of players at the near post before finding an unmarked Tim Haddock on the penalty spot. However, the midfielder’s first-time shot went over the bar.

The Shortwood winner came out of the blue five minutes into the second half. There seemed little threat when Bohane collected a failed Ciren clearance with his back to goal just outside the box. But a neat turn and firmly-hit right-footed shot beat Garner low to his right.

After being momentarily stunned, Ciren gradually cranked up the pressure and dominated possession thereafter, but Shortwood dealt well with all that was thrown at them.

Indeed, the only time former Centurion King was tested came in the 69th minute when he tipped over a 30-yard free kick stinger from Wells.

Sam Packer and Scott Griffin came off the bench for Ciren without being able to alter the course of the game. Meanwhile, Ellis Dunton picked up a yellow card to add to his red one on Saturday for clattering Bohane in the centre circle seven minutes from time.

On a rare foray into the Ciren penalty area two minutes from the finish, Ross Langworthy did well to wriggle past three Ciren defenders but the threat was eventually snuffed out.

Next up for Cirencester is a trip on Saturday to fifth-placed Paulton Rovers.

Cirencester Town: Garner, Anson (capt), Thompson, Henry, Mortimer-Jones, Hooper (Griffin, 65), Wells, Collier, Bennett (Packer, 65) Bumphrey. Unused sub: Beeden.

Ciren MoM: Chris Thompson.