Driver-Dickerson inspires five star Longlevens into Severn Sport Cup Semi Final
Henry Driver-Dickerson’s Man of the Match performance helped his Longlevens U18s side to a 5-0 win over Fairford Town in the Severn Sport Cup Quarter Final, on Monday night.
The striker was a constant threat for 90 minutes and alongside Fin Rankin, Lewis Vye and Alex Knight, he played a key role in every attack and on another day scores more than one himself.
Goals from Toby Boakes and Thomas Whorrall had Brandon Vance’s side 2-0 up at the break before Rankin, Driver-Dickerson and Vye all added their name to the scoresheet in the second half.
Fairford competed well, but it was pretty ruthless in the end from the hosts, who joined Cheltenham Saracens and Dursley Town in the Semi Finals.
Elsewhere on the night, Shortwood United also clinched their place in the final four, thanks to a 1-0 win over Hereford Pegasus at Meadowbank
The round dates for the Semi Final is to be confirmed, with the draw intended for the first Buttee’s For Breakfast show of 2025 on Saturday 22 February.
The game at Saw Mills started with both sides created half chances, but neither Whorrall or Fairford defender Flynn Morley connected with their long range efforts.
Fin Rankin worked space well down the right hand side twice in quick succession, but both balls into the box just evaded Driver-Dickerson and then Whorrall.
But on 14 minutes Longlevens took their deserved lead as Alex Knight’s corner was headed in off the bar by Toby Boakes.
Prior to the match, Boakes was awarded the Severn Sport Player of the Month for November and celebrated with the opening goal.
Alex Knight, Rankin and Driver-Dickerson were controlling the game between them and everything was coming through the trio, with Rankin’s exceptional diagonal pass being taken under control and snatched wide by Driver-Dickerson.
Knight went close to a second on half an hour, but Fairford keeper Alex Thomson flew to his right to palm away the curling effort.
However, Thomson could do nothing to stop Thomas Whorrall’s effort just before the break as the winger cut in from the left and drilled an effort into the bottom corner from 18 yards.
Ten minutes into the second half, Knight intercepted a stray pass, ran at the heart of the Fairford defence and laid the ball into Rankin’s path and he fired in his side’s third.
Two goals in the final seven minutes added gloss to the scoreline for the hosts, with Driver-Dickerson sending a looping volley into the top corner from the edge of the box – before he turned provider for Lewis Tye in stoppage time.
Driver-Dickerson’s neat reverse pass into the box saw Tye have the freedom of Saw Mills to slide home his side’s fifth of the night and cap off a great team performance.
Next up for Longlevens is a trip to Downend Saints in the GFA U18s Shield on Sunday afternoon, before a trip to Lydney Town in the league on Thursday 13 February.
For Fairford, they are next in action on the 13 February, when they welcome Slimbridge to Cinder Lane – before the return league fixture the following Tuesday (18 February).
Longlevens: Sargent, Esson, Boakes, F Knight, Pierce, A Knight, Demrick, Vye, Whorrall, Driver-Dickerson, Rankin
Subs: Ball, Mitchell, Been, Snelgrove
Fairford Town: Thomson, Yousaf, Baker, Graham, Morley, Sanoiki, Mulraney, Hopkins, Ford, Mackin, Gargett
Subs: Sandry, Swadden, Booth, Pope, Bevan
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Henry Driver-Dickerson (Longlevens U18s)
READ MORE: Check out the list of fixtures in and around Gloucestershire this Saturday right here
