WIMBORNE Town boss Matty Holmes exonerated Sam Davidson over his penalty nightmare and insisted: "It was soft as anything."

Magpies were beaten 2-1 by Shortwood United on Saturday with the visitors' winner coming from the spot seven minutes from time.

Davidson was deemed by referee Craig Robson to have brought down Will Morford, who then got to his feet and fired past keeper Gerard Benfield from 12 yards.

Matty Holmes told the Daily Echo: "The ball went into Morford and Sam got in tight, as he should. If he hadn't, his man would have had space to turn and get a shot in.

"Morford felt a touch and went over. I think we all felt it was a really soft penalty. It was soft as anything.

"At the slightest contact, he's gone down. It was experience from him but it wasn't a great decision (from the referee)."

That strike – Morford's second goal of the game – allowed Shortwood to exact revenge following their 3-1 home defeat to Wimborne 11 days earlier.

The afternoon had started well for Magpies with good work from Luke Holmes and Jack Lovell allowing Billy Maybury to smash home from the edge of the box midway through the first half.

That was how it stayed until Morford pounced from close range with 17 minutes to play, before despatching the penalty which earned his side three points.

Matty Holmes added: "It was very much a game of two halves.

"In the first half we were excellent but didn't really put them away. We went 1-0 up, had loads of chances and played some beautiful football.

"In the second half they changed their shape a bit and we tried to counteract that. We were on the back foot. We went too long and didn't keep the ball.

"In a way, I'm not hugely disappointed but we didn't manage the game mentally. We were found wanting in terms of seeing the game out."

Magpies: Benfield, Walker (Hester, 59), Penny, Maybury, S Davidson, Kellaway, Stokoe, L Holmes (Preston, 76), T Holmes, Cann, Lovell (Neale, 59). Unused subs: Hartley, Prior.