Cleeve come from behind against Cinderford to keep in the mix for play-offs
Bishops Cleeve moved into the play-off places after coming from behind to local rivals, Cinderford Town, 4-2 on Tuesday night.
After Alex Bonthron headed the Foresters in front on the half hour mark, the hosts went into half time level thanks to Ross Langworthy’s effort.
Ethan Dunbar put the Mitres in front for the first time shortly after the break, before goals from Harry Burns and Ben McLean had Paul Collicutt’s men well on their way to a crucial three points.
Bonthron pulled one back with five minutes to go, converting a penalty after a handball in the box, but it was too little too late for Matt Driscoll’s side, who remain bottom of the Southern League Division One South table.
The game started with Cleeve seeing the majority of the ball, but they weren’t really using it well at all.
Ross Langworthy stung the palms of Cinderford keeper, Joel Manning-Butler, before Harry Burns and then Matt Bower sent efforts off target.
Dunbar and Burns then had efforts easily saved by Manning-Butler, as the hosts looked to be livening up, however it would be the visitors who would strike first.
Former Cleeve man, Blaine Waugh. crossed from the right hand side and Bonthron sent his header past Lewis Clayton and into the bottom corner.
But the lead didn’t last too long, 8 minutes in fact. Mat Liddiard carried the ball out from the back and after getting to the byline, his ball across was kept alive by Bower and Langworthy swept home his sixth league goal of the season.
Will Emery tried his luck from range, but his effort sailed just over and the sides went into the break locked at 1-1.
Collicutt would have had some choice words for his side at the break, with the majority of their play slow and laboured.
But whatever he said worked, as they found themselves in front within the first four minutes of the second period.
After a corner was recycled on the right, the ball fell to Dunbar, who rifled an effort past Manning-Butler and ease a bit of tension in the Kayte Lane air.
The hosts extended their lead just before the hour mark, with again Mat Liddiard starting a move off that resulted in Bower crossing from the left and Harry Burns took the ball into his stride and drilled into the bottom corner.
That goal gave Cleeve the controlled they had hoped to have from the get-go and they made it 4-1 with just under twenty minutes left on the clock.
Ben McLean swept home after another ball from the left, however Cinderford were unhappy that after Waugh and Langworthy had collided as they jumped up for a header earlier in the move, the referee didn’t stop the game as both seemed to have a head injury.
Cinderford reduced arrears with five minutes to go, when the ball was adjudged to strike substitute Steve Davies on the hand and the Foresters were awarded a penalty, with Bonthron stepped up to convert to try and inspire a late comeback.
But Cleeve were good value for their win and saw the game out easily enough from there, with Bryan Stalley coming off the bench and having the best chance at adding to the scoring – but his injury effort was blocked on it’s way to goal.
The Mitres move into the play-off places after Mousehole’s defeat against Tavistock on Tuesday night, but with three points separating eight sides as it stands, the play-off race in the Southern League Division One South still has plenty of twists and turns left in it.
As for Cinderford, they remain two points adrift at the bottom of the table, and have played up to four games more than some of the sides above them.
Next up for Cleeve is a trip to Westbury United on Saturday, whilst Cinderford play host to Mousehole at the Causeway – ironically, both aides could help the other out with a win at the weekend.
Bishops Cleeve: Clayton, Emery, Bower, Turley, Jeremiah, Liddiard, Pearce, McLean, Dunbar, Langworthy, Burns
Subs: Evans-Harriott, Selman, Parker, Davies, Stalley
Cinderford Town: Manning-Butler, Jones, Bell, Keeping, Coates, Carson, Evans, Lewis, Thomas, Waugh, Bonthron
Subs: Aldridge, Knight, Smallcombe, Symons, Cape O’Reilly
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Isaac Pearce (Bishops Cleeve)
READ MORE: Check out the list of fixtures in and around Gloucestershire this Saturday right here
Cover photo taken and copyright Jamie Brain Photography. Visit his Instagram @jamiebrain_photography