Gloucester City secure Severn Sport Cup final spot with penalties win over Slimbridge

Gloucester City U18s came from behind twice before being taken to penalties in a 3-3 draw with Slimbridge, with City securing their place in the Severn Sport Cup final in the shoot-out.

Goals from Fin Hopkins and Josh Barclay had the Swans ahead twice, but efforts from Shaun Warren and Archie Myatt saw the game poised at 2-2 at half time.

Henry Driver-Dickerson put his side in front for the first time from the spot after the break, but a late equaliser from Joe Rowsell sent the tie to penalties.

Myatt scored the winning penalty, with the effort squirming under Kieran Winstone who initially looked like he had produced a stunning save.

City will play Hereford Pegasus in the Severn Sport Cup final, on Thursday 7 May at Bishops Cleeve’s Kayte Lane.

Both sides are back in action next Friday night – with City hosting Cleeve in the league, whilst Slimbridge have a Herefordshire FA Giantkillers Cup Semi Final at home against Longlevens.

City should have gone ahead inside two minutes, but Myatt lifted his effort wide after racing onto a through ball.

Kieran Winstone played a pin point diagonal for Theo Browne to get in down the left for the Swans and his ball across goal was tapped home by Fin Hopkins.

From there Slimbridge dominated the next 20 minutes or so, but couldn’t force a second, which allowed City to grow in confidence.

On 25 minutes, they levelled. Shaun Warren bundled the ball home at the back post after a free kick was whipped in from the left.

Both sides struck within moments of each other just before the break though.

First, after Theo Browne flicked a free kick into the box, the ball was hooked onto the bar with Josh Barclay on hand to hook the ball in on the follow up.

But City ensured the game went into half time level when Myatt worked a yard of space on the edge of the box and fired into the bottom corner.

Within five minutes of the restart, City were ahead.

Lewis Vye burst into the box and got a slight trip and a penalty was given. It was a soft one, but definitely one in the “seen them given” category.

Henry Driver-Dickerson stepped up to fire into the bottom corner to spark celebrations for the hosts.

Driver-Dickerson dragged wide with City’s best clear cut chance in the final twenty minutes, with the Swans levelling with ten minutes to go.

Joe Rowsell hooked the ball into the top corner after a corner pinballed around the City box.

The drama wasn’t over there, with Slimbridge hitting the bar twice and having an effort cleared off the line within 10 seconds in injury time.

But City survived and after Phil Chovanec saved from Rowsell, were ahead in the shootout thanks to Driver-Dickerson.

James Tainton converted before Winstone saved from Reshay Nembhard to leave the game level again.

Josh Mace, Theo Woodward, Fin Hopkins and Lewis Vye all exchanged goals before Chovanec saved again, this time from William Djiaha-Nsangou.

And this left Myatt with the chance to win the tie, and his effort looked to have been saved by Winstone – only for the ball to squirm under his hand and back spin over the line.

Both sides will take positives from the game and as two of the four sides in the CYFL Premier Division title race, know they are capable of getting a performance in the big game.

Gloucester City U18s: Chovanec, Chance, Tye, Sullivan, Warren, Thomas-Phillips, Nembhard, Vye, Myatt, Driver-Dickerson, Pinchard

Subs: Townsend, Hove, Hawkins, Woodward, Aitchenson

Slimbridge U18s: Winstone, Moore, Marshfield, Page, Barclay, Djiaha-Nsangou, Browne, Rowsell, Hopkins, Tainton, Neveu

Subs: Smith, Oram, Howarth, Carpenter, Mace

C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Archie Myatt (Gloucester City U18s)

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Cover photo taken and copyright Jamie Brain Photography. Visit his Instagram @jamiebrain_photography