Longlevens 3rds beat Old Richians on penalties to advance into County Cup Semi Finals

Longlevens 3rds and Old Richians produced an incredible cup tie with the hosts advancing into the Semi Finals of the GFA Junior (North) Cup on penalties, following an entertaining 1-1 draw at Longford Lane.

The Quarter Final was the stand out tie in the competition before kick off, with Stroud League Division One title challengers Old Richians, heading to a Longlevens 3rds who started the day top of Division Two.

On paper, it was always going to be a close fixture – especially with the fact both sides were missing a couple of bodies in the squad.

Ryan Symonds’ first half effort was cancelled out by Warwick Drew’s leveller with quarter of an hour remaining and as a neutral, it felt about right that the game would go to penalties after a hard-hitting 90 minutes from both sides.

Rich Dunn smashed the crossbar to give Longlevens the initiative in the shoot-out, but Drew followed suit and hit the upright.

But after Niall Priday gave his side match point with their fifth penalty, Scott Harris pulled his penalty against the foot of the post and Tim Lovesey’s are through and heading to Abbeymead Rovers in the Semi Final in Ferbuary.

Of course, penalties is a lottery, but neither side deserved to lose the tie and it felt fitting to decide it by spotkicks in the end.

Both sides started the match with similar messages, ‘let’s start well!’

In the early stages, both teams had crosses into the box well dealt with, before Will Matthews fired just wide from range.

The breakthrough came on 25 minutes, as a ball in from the left hand side bounced through the back post and Ryan Symonds was on hand to hook the ball past stand-in keeper, Tom Dyson.

Old Richians just about deserved their lead at the time and struck whilst they were on top, although Longlevens would respond fantastically well.

Josh Gallifent, who ultimately would go on to put in a Man of the Match display, combined well with Floyd Fishley before the ball across the box was diverted over by Jack Bonser – who knew he should have at least hit the target.

Another ball from the left bounced through to the back post, but Nick Sheppard made himself massive to block Matt Hill’s effort.

Then just before half time, the Division One should have gone closer to a second than they did – with Matthews sending a free header at a corner over from about 6 yards.

Richians had an equally good chance for a second after the break, with Jake Lowe skipping past his man and cutting back to Cam Hesk, who scuffed wide.

Ben Smith had a free kick saved by Dyson, whilst Longlevens’ best chance saw Leo Marsden-Green scuff wide after a ball into the box was flicked up into the air.

In the end, Longlevens’ bench proved the difference, with Niall Priday and George Cook playing crucial parts in their side getting back into proceedings.

A quick free kick was slipped down the right side of the box for Cook, and he cut back for Warwick Drew to level the tie with just under quarter of an hour to go.

From there the hosts were flying and nearly scored a second in as many minutes – but Cook couldn’t quite win the header at the back post and Priday’s follow up was well blocked.

Both sides had chances to win it in stoppage time, with Jake Lowe curling wide from a good position for the visitors, whilst Priday saw another effort blocked after a smart turn in the box.

And so to penalties, and after Josh Gallifent, Ben Smith, George Cook, Aaron Lowe and Leo Marsden-Green all converted, Dunn and Drew exchanged efforts back off the crossbar.

Jake Lowe levelled for the visitors with a good penalty, before Priday confidently fired into the bottom corner for match point.

And when Scott Harris’ effort rebounded off the post, the hosts celebrated an impressive win in a great cup tie.

Next weekend sees Old Richians heading to Division One leaders, Taverners, in a mouth-watering fixture, whilst Longlevens 3rds are back at home, in a Chairmans Cup tie against Cam Bulldogs.

Longlevens 3rds: Dyson, Simpson, Croose, Adams, Gallifent, Drew, Hill, Fishley, Marsden-Green, Bonser, Butler

Subs: Cook, Richardson, Beer, Priday

Old Richians: Sheppard, Gorick, Harris, Westcarr, Massingham, Smith, Matthews, A Lowe, J Lowe, Hesk, Symonds

Subs: Gibson, Dunn, Chamberlain

C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Josh Gallifent (Longlevens 3rds)

READ MORE: Check out the list of Saturday’s results in and around Gloucestershire right here