Bishops Cleeve U18s start a big couple of weeks for club with play-off win against Longlevens
Easter Monday 2025 will be remembered as a massive day for Bishops Cleeve, with the common denominator being the term “play-offs.”
In the afternoon, Ross Langworthy’s injury time penalty was enough to see the Mitres beat title chasing Evesham United to secure their place in the Southern League Division One South play-offs, with a game remaining.
Then, their U18s travelled to Saw Mills to play CYFL North Champions, Longlevens, in the end of season play-offs to start determining the overall champion of the CYFL.
Two headers from centre back Ed Scott had the Young Mitres 2-0 up at half time, and despite Toby Boakes pulling a goal back for the hosts, Cleeve held on to earn their spot in the play-off final.
Cleeve will play the winner of Tuesday night’s semi final between Dursley Town U18s and Hereford Pegasus.
Ironically, if Dursley were to win Tuesday’s game then they will meet Cleeve in two finals in the space of a week – with the two facing off in the GFA U18s Shield on Monday 28 April.
For Cleeve’s First Team, they head to Cribbs on Saturday for their final domestic league game of the season and could be welcoming former Mitre, Stephen Cleal, and his Malvern Town side in a home play-off next midweek.
NOMINATE: Submit your nominations for the Severn Sport End of Season Awards 2025 HERE
Cleeve U18s arrived at Saw Mills buoyant with the First Team result and looked to make life tough for the North Division Champions.
But Longlevens started well. Fin Rankin went close after 23 seconds, before Rankin then dragged wide on 20 minutes as the hosts had the early chances.
Bishops Cleeve would take the lead just before the half hour mark though, with virtually their first shot on goal, as Scott rose highest to head home after Corey Morgan did exceptionally well to win a corner down the left hand side.
The Cleeve players were noticeably larger than their opponents and Scott was dominant in the air in both boxes throughout the contest.
Following the opener, Cleeve took complete control. Levens struggled to resist multiple waves of attack, with striker Tom De Quincey a handful in the first half.
Then after Kirel Halahen’s effort was tipped round the post by Jack Sargeant, Scott rose like a salmon to nod home his second header from a corner to leave his side cruising at the break.
As the second half went on, Cleeve allowed Levens to have the ball and adopted a “try and break us down” mentality, something that didn’t look like happening too often.
On the hour mark, Levens broke through though. Another corner, this time a short one, was flicked to the back post by Ryan Snelgrove and Toby Boakes was on hand to head home and give the hosts hope.
But Levens were huffing and puffing and didn’t look like forcing that equaliser until the very end.
Prior to that, Noah Parker had two really good chances, but was denied by Sargeant and then struck the bar after a great run forward.
Brandon Vance’s side’s best chances to get the equaliser saw Henry Driver-Dickerson found with a through ball and after squeezing round Charlie Wolfendale, the ball just trickled away from him and out for a goal kick and Lews Vye poking wide after a bit of a pinball around the box.
Longlevens did have the ball in the back of the net for a second time though, with ten minutes to go, but Sam Kelly’s effort was ruled out for offside and Cleeve went on to see the final 10 minutes out unscathed.
Cleeve will go into their GFA U18s Shield final with Dursley full of confidence and know if they can defend as well as they did on Monday, they will be a tough proposition for the South Division Champions.
You will be able to listen to the GFA U18s Shield final live on Severn Sport, with Butler, Sam Yapp and Tom Deakin live from GFA HQ on the night.
Longlevens U18s: Sargeant, Snelgrove, Boakes, Kelly, Peirce, Thompson, Demirok, Vye, Rankin, Driver-Dickerson, Worrall
Subs: Knight, Bee, Esson, Humphris, Mitchell
Bishops Cleeve U18s: Wolfendale, Baines, Scott, Williams, Brown, O’Leary, Halahen, Parker, Stalley, De Quincey, Morgan
Subs: Balchin, Balinski, Callaghan, Hibbets, Shore
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Ed Scott (Bishops Cleeve U18s)
READ MORE: Check out the list of Saturday’s fixtures in and around Gloucestershire right here
NOMINATE: Submit your nominations for the Severn Sport End of Season Awards 2025 HERE
