Longlevens produce sensational defensive display to reach Floodlit Cup Final
Longlevens booked their place in the Wiseman Lighting Floodlit Cup final with a 1-0 win at Worcester Raiders on Tuesday night.
After Alex Knight’s 11th minute opener, Longlevens sat in and produced a rock solid defensive performance that proved too tough for Raiders to break down on a wet and windy night in Worcester.
With no Brad Martin and Fin Gwillim now away on his travels, Ben Lodge had to play as the lone striker and put in a tremendous effort to offer his side an out ball.
It wasn’t pretty but it was an absolute masterclass from Buster Davies and Pete Boyle, with Levens keeper Drew Brei not having to make a meaningful save in the second half.
Levens will find out who they will meet in next Tuesday’s (17th March) final, with the Semi Final between Hungerford Town Reserves and Malmesbury Victoria taking place on Wednesday evening.
Whilst there has not been any official confirmation, it is believed the final is being held at Stonehouse Town’s Ben’s Takeaway Stadium.
The result is Longlevens’ second 1-0 win with a Knight winner in the space of 72 hours, after his corner proved to be the winner in the league against Mangotsfield United on Saturday.
It is a swift turnaround for Longlevens, with Corsham Town set to visit Saw Mills on Thursday night, before they head to Cirencester Town on Saturday.
Raiders started the Semi Final well, countering from a corner and Jake Collins flicked over at the near post from a Harry Lewis cross.
But Longlevens struck with their first effort on goal, as Lodge laid the ball into Knight and he rifled home to give his side the lead.
The hosts nearly levelled straight away, as Bailey Fuller stood up Jack Byard before curling over.
From there it became anywhere will do for Levens, who kept pumping the ball out of their box and down the Claines Lane hill.
Fuller was the only Raiders player who looked capable of finding that equaliser though, curling off the bar before firing just wide in quick succession.
Fuller had the final chance of the half and it forced Brei into a stunning save to tip over the deflected effort.
Longlevens nearly struck inside the opening five minutes of the second half, as Lewis Driscoll’s corner was palmed down by Charlie Emery from under his own bar and Lodge couldn’t turn home the rebound under pressure.
Raiders nearly levelled with twenty minutes to go, but as a corner was headed back across goal, Byard got back to head the ball off the line.
And that was pretty much it in terms of clear cut chances for Raiders, with Ollie Long, Jay Wells and Jack Byard in particular heading and clearing everything – leaving the hosts a couple of wayward long range efforts that wouldn’t have been given a second thought by Brei.
Longlevens broke the game up when they needed to and many would have described the win as ugly or the dark arts of football, but they won’t care as they got the job done.
Tempers flared at full time between the coaches with Raiders seemingly unhappy with something said, but the game was a competitive one and not a dirty game at all.
Worcester Raiders: Emery, Eades, Whitton, Sanogo, Stoddart, Donnelly, Fuller, Lewis, Collins, Murphy, Taylor
Subs: Reid, Hadley, Hamilton, Patey, Olaloko
Longlevens: Brei, Roddis, Byard, Long, Wells, O’Connor, Beardsell, Williams, Lodge, Driscoll, Knight
Subs: Sherchan, Weyman, Bevan, Hyett, Rankin
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Jay Wells & Lewis Driscoll (Longlevens)
READ MORE: Check out the list of Saturday’s fixtures in and around Gloucestershire right here
READ MORE: Check out the list of Sunday’s Women’s fixtures in and around Gloucestershire right here
