City set up Slimbridge Semi Final with comeback win against Longlevens

Gloucester City U18s secured a Semi Final showdown against Slimbridge, after coming from 2-0 down to beat Longlevens 4-2 in the Severn Sport Cup.

After an own goal and a header from Theo Bevan, Levens looked in control at the break – but after Joe Poole misjudged a sliced clearance from a corner, City had a route back into the contest.

A brace from Henry Driver-Dickerson saw the hosts take the lead, before an injury time penalty from Lewis Vye sealed the deal for Gloucester.

Gloucester City will now host Slimbridge in the Semi Final of the Severn Sport Cup, with the week set to be played the week commencing 9 March.

The two meet in the league on Tuesday night, whilst Levens are due back in league action when they host Ledbury on Monday night.

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Friday night’s game saw both sides have to settle into the wet and windy conditions, with Vye and Archie Myatt squandering good openings for the hosts in the early exchanges.

Longlevens had tried to get the ball out to Thomas Worrall and on 16 minutes, that paid dividends when Worrall twisted and turned before his driven ball in deflected past Phil Chovanec to give the visitors the lead.

Chovanec pulled off a smart stop low to his left to keep out Amo Jalloki’s side footed effort as the visitors began to take control.

And just before the half hour mark, it was 2-0, as Zak Gibbons cut back on the left and crossed superbly for Theo Bevan to head into the bottom corner and at that point it felt like a formality.

But City had a glorious chance to get themselves back into the game as Myatt was found on the edge of the box, but he dragged his effort wide from the centre of the goal.

And within moments Levens should have sealed the deal as Chovanec came for a corner, got nowhere near it and the ball hit Jalloki at the back post and fell wide.

City had to improve to get back into the game, but they were gifted a lifeline as a corner kick was sliced into the air by a Longlevens boot and keeper Joe Poole misjudged the flight and the ball landed over him and in.

That goal gave the hosts hope, but they were flying five minutes later when Poole came to sweep clear, only to clear straight to Henry Driver-Dickerson, who clipped an effort into the empty net from 30 yards.

Longlevens were guilty of going into their shell at that point and it only looked like one winner in the final 20 minutes.

The turnaround was completed with 15 minutes to go when Vye’s cross was headed down to Driver-Dickerson and the striker chested down before firing into the bottom corner.

Then in injury time, City put the icing on the cake when Vye converted from 12 yards following a trip in the box.

City will now face the Swans in the Semi Final, with the winner going on to play either Hereford Pegasus or Worcester City in the Severn Sport Cup final in May.

Gloucester City U18s: Chovanec, Chance, Tye, Warren, Sullivan, Kposowa, Bradburn, Vye, Myatt, Driver-Dickerson, Pinchard

Subs: Thomas-Phillips, Woodward, Nembhard, Townsend, Oliver

Longlevens U18s: Poole, Minton, Tomlinson, Demirok, Jalloki, Ali, Bevan, Lawrence, Bee, Gibbons, Worrall

Subs: Wood, Walsh, Beal, Day

C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Junior Kposowa (Gloucester City U18s)