Longlevens Ladies snatch injury time winner against resilient Red Falcon Women

Lucy Dannatt’s 93rd minute winner was enough to see Longlevens Ladies edge a seven-goal thriller, 4-3, to maintain their unbeaten run going.

Having been ahead 2-1 at the break, Longlevens were pegged back after half time and ultimately fell behind on the hour mark.

But Mel Hoad’s looped cross levelled the Division Two fixture with 15 minutes to go, before Dannatt scrambled home her second of the game with merely seconds left.

Longlevens maintain their unbeaten start to their GCWFL campaign and find themselves one point behind leaders, Gloucester City Women Development, but with two games in hand.

The game started at a frantic pace, with a goal-a-piece inside the first 8 minutes.

The visitors went ahead when Roberta Hyam-Lee got on the end of a through ball to poke past the on-rushing Skye Chamberlain.

Moments later, Olivia Kosylowicz did the same and slotted home after beating Amelia Matthews.

Matthews kept her side level during a first half that saw Longlevens grow with confidence, keeping out Kosylowicz and Kirsten Talbot twice.

On the half hour mark Dannatt got in down the left hand side for the hosts, before firing under Matthews to send her side into the break ahead.

Longlevens nearly added a third just after the restart, but Sarah Burford’s effort was blocked and Ashleigh Lloyd’s follow up was saved by Matthews.

And Red Falcon were level within 5 minutes, when Harri Mason converted from 12 yards after Lloyd was deemed to have handled in the box.

51 mins: PENALTY & GOAL @RedFalconWomen

After Ashleigh Lloyd is penalised for a handball, Harri Mason steps up to make it 2-2 pic.twitter.com/He5PdQ3Q4B

— Severn Sport (@SevernSport) January 14, 2024

The visitors took the lead on the hour mark through Hetty Graham’s header, which squirmed through Chamberlain.

Longlevens nearly levelled instantly, but Matthews made a terrific stop to keep out Tianna Chant’s volley from just inside the box.

The hosts’ top scorer, Hayley Pitt, fired wide before Mel Hoad’s ball in from the right caught out Matthews and we were all square going into the final 15 minutes.

And after Pitt missed a golden chance two minutes before injury, it looked like the points would be shared – until Dannatt forced home after a recycled corner with seconds to go.

Both sides are back in action next weekend, with Longlevens hosting Mangotsfield United Women Reserves and Red Falcon Women heading to Abbeymead Rovers.

Longlevens Ladies: Chamberlain, Hicks, Lloyd, Smith, Yates, Dannatt, Davis, Burford, Talbot, Bingham, Kosylowicz

Subs: Pitt, Chant, Hoad

Red Falcon Women: Matthews, Fox, Pope, L Hyam-Lee, Hardie, McAlear, Chaffe, R Hyam-Lee, van Raalte, Hardaker, Mason

Subs: Foreman, Sanders, Maggs, Graham, Luciani

C Martin Roofing Player of the Match – Lucy Dannatt (Longlevens Ladies)

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