Longlevens 3rds stay in race for promotion with win over Cam Bulldogs
Second half goals from Connor Winman and Leo Marsden-Green were enough to see Longlevens 3rds beat Cam Bulldogs 2-0, on Wednesday night, to keep up their promotion hopes in Stroud League Division Two.
After a goalless first 45 minutes, the hosts brought Marsden-Green on for the second half and there was a sense of inevitability that his side would find the much sought after breakthrough.
Both Levens full backs played their part in the goals, with left back Winman planting an effort past Ryan Chandler and right back Jamie Simpson getting forward to cross for Marsden-Green to double the advantange.
The result means that Levens sit in 4th place, with five sides still potentially able to take the second promotion spot alongside Abbeymead Rovers.
Sherston Town currently occupy 2nd, with 47 points and one game remaining, with Sharpness Reserves on 46 points and Levens on 45 points – however, whilst the two have two games remaining, they meet in a crunch match on Saturday.
Stratton United sit in 5th on 43 points, but have four games remaining, whilst Brockworth Albion Reserves are 6th also on 43 points with three games remaining.
Stratton head to Brockworth Albion next Wednesday, before a trip to Sharpness Reserves on Saturday 26 April.
Longlevens know that to stand a chance of promotion, they will need to win at Sharpness Reserves this weekend and away at Kingswood next weekend and even then it could still not be enough.
Wednesday night’s game at Longford Lane saw the hosts take a while to warm to the task, with Louis Kimber firing wide for Cam inside the first 6 minutes.
Jack Cornell and Matt Hill combined for Levens’ first shot of the game, but Billy Stokes fired off target from the edge of the box.
The hosts had great chances to take the lead, but Warwick Drew headed over from Niall Priday’s pinpoint cross from the right, before Priday and then Hill had efforts saved by Ryan Chandler.
After half time, the hosts continued to press and should have been ahead on 53 minutes when Cornell danced up the left byline and fired across goal – but Priday somehow messed up his finish from about a yard out.
Sam Coxhead had a rare shot on goal for Cam, just before the hour mark, but curled over after cutting in from the left.
Eventually the goal came on 64 minutes when Connor Winman ventured forward and stepped onto a cut back to fire into the bottom corner.
Marsden-Green added a second with just under 15 minutes on the clock, as Jamie Simpson ghosted forward before being found on the right and his pull back was swept home by the forward.
Cornell, who had a particularly good second half, nearly added a third late on but after twisting one way then the other, had his effort blocked by Chandler at his near post.
Longlevens go into their final two games knowing two wins could still not be enough, whilst Cam complete their campaign in 8th place and know that they could only finish one place lower depending on other results.
Longlevens 3rds: Sutcliffe, Simpson, Adams, Croose, Winman, Drew, Stokes, Hill, Cornell, Priday, Bonser
Subs: Marsden-Green, Fishley, Biddlecombe, Dyson, Butler
Cam Bulldogs: Chandler, Symonds, Cole, Bowley, Murdock, Kimber, Spyvee, Davies, Minns, Coxhead, Ottey-Lewis
Subs: Mears, Frampton, Jones, Dolling
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Connor Winman (Longlevens 3rds)
