Gloucester City U18s advance in the Severn Sport Cup with victory over Cheltenham Saracens

Gloucester City U18s swept Cheltenham Saracens aside with a clinical second half performance, running out 4-0 winners in the Cheltenham Youth Floodlit League’s Severn Sport Cup.

Lewis Vye scored early on in both halves before Shaun Warren and Reshay Nembhard added efforts in a second half that saw City really show their class.

Josh Taylor was able to utilise three U16s from the bench in Max Middleton, Oliver Gwizdon and Finn O’Kelly, with the latter two really impressing in their second half cameos.

City are back in action next Thursday (20th November) when they head to Pershore Town in the Herefordshire FA Giantkillers cup.

Sarries return to league action that night, as they host Lydney Town in Division One.

And despite going behind early on, Sarries gave as good as they took in the first half – ending the first 45 minutes particularly strong, but after going in behind, they were unable to effect the scoring after half time.

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There was only six minutes on the clock when Callum Tye battled up the left hand side, before his ball in to Henry Driver-Dickerson was teed up for Vye to stroke home his first of the night.

Ten minutes later, Driver-Dickerson was given a chance to make it 2-0 after Vye was tripped in the box – but the striker’s penalty came back off the foot of the post and the follow up was sent over.

Sarries tested Phil Chovanec with two long range free kicks, with Marley Diamond and then Jason Roberts seeing efforts palmed away by Chovanec.

Diamond then sent in a corner that Chovanec had to palm out from under his crossbar, with the resulting corner from the far side looping onto the bar itself as the visitors pressed for a leveller.

Sam Wilczyski fizzed a ball in from the left that evaded Bradley Roberts as Sarries ended the half on top.

But within five minutes of the restart it was game over.

After a through ball looked set to harmlessly roll through to Alfie Vincent, it squirmed under him, leaving Vye the simplest of tap ins.

Bradley Roberts worked into a great position on the edge of the box, but saw his effort fly straight at Chovanec.

Vincent would have beaten himself up for the second goal, but two fantastic saves in about sixty seconds would have made him feel a whole lot better.

First, Driver-Dickerson was sent one on one, but Vincent spread himself to make a superb block.

Then as the ball was recycled and crossed from the left, Vincent flew to his left to glove away Driver-Dickerson’s header.

With 20 minutes to go, City added a third as a free kick in from the left bounced through for Shaun Warren – with the centre half spinning at the back post and squeezing his effort past Vincent and in off the far post.

And after substitute Oliver Gwizdon had an effort turned round for a corner, the ball in was diverted into the bottom corner by Reshay Nembhard for 4-0.

City move forward in the Severn Sport Cup, joining both Hereford Pegasus sides, Worcester City and Fairford Town in the next round after this week’s fixtures.

Longlevens vs Dursley Town, Bishops Cleeve vs Cirencester Town and Cinderford Town vs Slimbridge were all postponed due to the weather and will be re-arranged in due course – with the winners making up the Quarter Finals.

Gloucester City U18s: Chovanec, Baines, Sullivan, Warren, Tye, Bradburn, Thomas-Phillips, Numbhard, Pinchard, Vye, Driver-Dickerson

Subs: Townsend, O’Kelly, Gwizdon, Chance, Middleton

Cheltenham Saracens U18s: Vincent, C Taylor, Parker, L Taylor, Cund, Bowen, J Roberts, Diamond, B Roberts, McCaffrey, Wilczyski

Subs: Rose, Finch, Burnett-Hockey, Kissel, Aplin

C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Jakson Thomas-Phillips (Gloucester City U18s)