Sherwood are too strong for Eastwood in opener

The Badgers were hosting their first league match on the only 3G surface in the division, but despite taking the lead were pegged back as the visitors took all three points.

The match started slowly with both teams failing to take control of the game in the early stages and with much of the play being in the middle of the pitch.

First blood in this tie was drawn by Eastwood after a counter-attack down the left hand side and a slip by a Sherwood defender on the edge of the area allowed Patrick Webb the chance to take a shot which moved away from the oncoming keeper into top left corner after 20 minutes.

Just four minutes later Sherwood equalised as a corner was met by the head of Jobe Shaw who sent a well timed header looping over the keeper into the net.

Sherwood took the lead on 40 minutes as a shot by Lewis English which should have been defended better beat the keeper and stretching defenders as it crept over the line to send the away side into the break ahead.

The second-half started as much as first ended with both teams looking to score but it was Sherwood who split the Eastwood defence a number of times and it was just the final shot or ball which denied them scoring and extending their well-deserved lead.

Eastwood’s reserve side got some revenge as they beat Sherwood Colliery Reserves 2-1.

The first-half showed very little between the teams until Sherwood took the lead just before half time through Micky Taylor, but two Eastwood goals in the second-half turned the game around with Sherwood defender Adam Bishop also being sent off.