Longlevens snatch late draw in thriller with Brimscombe & Thrupp
Longlevens came from behind three times in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Brimscombe & Thrupp, to move to the brink of Hellenic Premier survival, on Wednesday night.
Joey Haswell’s injury time header saw the visitors salvage a point after Jack Hughes had put the hosts ahead in the 89th minute.
The Lilywhites had been in front twice before, following Jayden Stratford’s opener and Jonty Welch’s effort before half time.
Longlevens initially levelled through a Jack Beardsell penalty, before Shaun O’Connor bundled in a second equaliser on the night.
The result all but ends any remaining hopes that Brimscombe could force an unlikely play-off push, whilst all but securing Longlevens’ Hellenic Premier status for another year.
Due to Wantage’s defeat against Slimbridge on Tuesday night, Longlevens are now 17 points clear – with Wantage only able to win 18 more points.
The game itself, played on a soft Meadow pitch, was a great watch, with both sides committed from the first whistle.
In the early stages, Shaun O’Connor and Sam Folkes exchanged off-target efforts for their sides, before Folkes had to depart following a strong challenge from Luke Finch.
Brimscombe broke the deadlock on 23 minutes, as Tom Black was picked out in space and he squared for Jayden Stratford to tap home, despite protests and calls for offside from the visitors.
Credit to Longlevens, they went down the other end and levelled the game. After Joey Haswell nipped in on a loose ball, he rounded and was then brought down by keeper Jordan Schofield – with Jack Beardsell blasting his penalty into the bottom corner.
On the half an hour mark, Brimscombe were forced into their second change of the night as Tom Black limped off with a hamstring injury.
Just before the half time break, Brimscombe regained the lead after taking advantage of a mistake at the back for the visitors.
After Ben Johns was caught in possession, former Longlevens midfielder Jonty Welch leapt onto the loose ball and squeezed his effort past Ronnie Newbury at his near post.
Longlevens started the second half on the front foot, with Jack Beardsell providing crosses into the box that were sent just wide from first, Joey Haswell and then Luke Finch.
And Michael Palmer’s side got their just rewards with just over 15 minutes left to go when a free kick from the right was headed down by Luke Hitchman, for Shaun O’Connor to bundle home from close range.
With the game locked at 2-2 in the closing stages, it looked set that Longlevens would literally be about to throw the game away.
Jack Hughes looped in a dramatic third for Brimscombe, after Levens keeper Newbury went to throw the ball out – only for the throw to rebound of the back of a defender before falling to Hughes, who hooked his effort into an empty net.
Longlevens were stunned and it felt like another cruel defeat heading their way, only for Haswell to rise like a salmon and plant a 93rd minute header into the top corner to earn his side a deserved point.
Both sides will be disappointed with the goals they conceded on the night, but Longlevens will definitely be the happier of the two, having come from behind three times.
This weekend sees home fixtures for both Brimscombe and Longlevens, with the Lilywhites hosting new crowned Floodlit Cup Champions, Worcester City, whilst Longlevens are set to square off against Wantage Town.
Brimscombe & Thrupp: Schofield, Folkes, Jones, Turner, Simpson, Ponting, Black, Welch, Harper, Freeman, Stratford
Subs: Price, Hughes, Pitt, Deakin, Aitkenhead
Longlevens: Newbury, Johns, Troke, Long, Hitchman, Finch, Barlow, O’Connor, Haswell, Brown, Beardsell
Subs: Parker, Nutting, Aldridge, Davies
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Luke Finch (Longlevens)
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