Longlevens U18s presented with league title following win over Cinderford Town
Longlevens were presented with the CYFL North Division title after their 3-1 win over Cinderford Town on Monday night.
After securing the title on Friday night, Levens made changes to their side for Monday night’s game and looked to celebrate in style in their final home game of the regular season.
A first half header from Sam Kelly had them ahead at the break, and after Ollie Taylor’s equaliser for the Foresters, goals from Jimmy Mitchell and Rylan Snelgrove saw Brandon Vance’s side earn all three points.
Longlevens now go into the end of season play-offs, which sees the winners of each division play the runners up of the alternative division.
So, Longlevens host South Division runners up, Bishops Cleeve, on Monday 21 April, with the winners going on to play the winners of Dursley Town vs Gloucester City or Hereford Pegasus.
There will be a play-off before the play-offs as youth football cannot split teams via goal difference or head-to-head records.
This means that with City and Pegasus both finishing on 31 points, they will go into a play-off to be crowned 2nd place of the North Division, at Pegasus on Thursday night.
The winner of that goes on to head to Dursley Town next week and then the two winners of the play-offs will face off the week commencing 28th April to decide the overall winner of the CYFL.
It gets made even more complicated as Bishops Cleeve and Dursley Town are already scheduled to meet on Monday 28 April, in the GFA U18s Shield final.
Monday night’s match started with both sides having good chances. Fin Rankin lobbed the keeper but sent his effort wide on 4 minutes, before Alfie Williams curled wide moments later for Cinderford.
Ollie Taylor went close to an opener for the visitors on 11 minutes, but Jack Sargent was able to palm over after Taylor headed into the ground.
Rankin was denied at the near post after being played in down the right, but the visitors were seeing more of the ball and making life difficult for the Champions.
With just under 10 minutes to go before the break, Kaya Demirok’s effort looped onto the bar from a deflection and from the resulting corner, Sam Kelly rose highest to head home the opener.
But credit to the Foresters, they came out of the blocks in the second half and levelled within 36 seconds.
Taylor broke through into the box and slotted under Jack Sargent to restore parity – and get a goal that Cinderford deserved at that point.
But Vance’s side responded within five minutes as Jimmy Mitchell found space in the box and fired into the bottom corner.
Substitute Theo Bevan produced a great cameo after coming on at the break, and he nearly made it three moments later but his effort was well saved.
The third came with ten minutes to go after great work from Bevan saw a ball from the right guided into the bottom corner by Snelgrove, who arrived at the back post.
At full time, the Cinderford Town players and coaching staff respectfully applauded as Longlevens were presented with their trophy.
Levens head into their play-off game with Bishops Cleeve on Easter Monday, at Saw Mills, whilst Cinderford complete their season with a home derby with Lydney Town on Tuesday night.
Longlevens U18s: Sargent, Snelgrove, Knight, Kelly, Esson, Pierce, Demirok, Sherchan, Mitchell, Rankin, Whorrall
Subs: Ball, Vye, Bevan, Driver-Dickerson, Boakes
Cinderford Town U18s: Crowel, Wilson, Ryder, Phillips, Jobson, Taylor, Musturia, Brain, Jeffrey, Tye, Williams
Subs: Morris, Warner, Cook, Ravenhill, Aurris
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Rylan Snelgrove (Longlevens U18s)
