Slimbridge maintain unbeaten start with efficient win against Cinderford Town
Goals from Casey Collins and Raiyan Ahmed saw Slimbridge maintain their unbeaten start to the season, beating Cinderford Town 2-0, on Tuesday night.
The Swans moved up to 2nd in the table, only behind leaders Corsham Town on goal difference and boast three wins and a draw from their first four league games after Tuesday’s win.
It was an efficient display from the hosts, with Cinderford very unlucky on the night, with chance after chance created in the second half, but Stephen Sarkodie untested on the night.
The first half saw Slimbridge race out of the traps and should have been ahead on 4 minutes.
After a poor touch in the backline, Casey Collins latched onto a loose ball and slotted wide when one on one.
Both sides tried to feed their right wingers in the early stages, with Collins and Blaine Waugh the target for attacks – but the Foresters would go on to lose Waugh to an injury on 14 minutes.
Waugh appeared to pull up slightly as he tried to get back at Jack W Smith, after the Slimbridge man was found by a Joe Stokes diagonal.
After a tough opening quarter of an hour, Cinderford grew into the contest, with Kian Davies and Lewis Powell linking up well.
Their best chance came on 25 minutes, when a cross from the left was side footed against the upright by Powell and it fell away agonisingly for Matty Driscoll’s side.
And within five minutes, the Swans were ahead and Cinderford will be disappointed with the way it came about.
Stokes swung in a corner from the left and somehow Collins was allowed acres of space at the back post to guide a header past Lewis Adams.
Stokes combined with Jack W Smith moments later, with Smith flashing the ball across goal and beyond the far post.
Sam Hunt drew the first save from Stephen Sarkodie of the evening, as his free kick was stopped by the former Hartpury man, with the follow up smothered away.
Both sides made changes at half time, with Raiyan Ahmed coming on for the Swans.
But it was Cinderford who had the first chance of the half, with Joe Cattermole and Kian Davies combining before the latter’s cross being turned out for a corner.
Jaxson Hundt came on for the Foresters and immediately added energy to the front line, skipping past his man down the right and pulling back for Cattermole, but he would scuff his effort wide.
And once again, moments after a big Cinderford chance, they conceded.
This time, Ahmed skipped his way into the box and drilled past Adams. Driscoll wasn’t happy with the lack of a free kick in the build up and made his frustrations known at the following drinks break.
From there, Cinderford were the side pressing for the next goal for the most part, with Slimbridge looking to manage the game.
Lewis Powell scuffed an effort wide from the edge of the box, before a corner from the right was headed down at the back post and fell in between Cinderford men.
Joe Cattermole then tested Sarkodie at his near post, but the half volley was well saved.
In the final ten minutes, Cinderford had a flurry of corners, which came to nothing – before an 88th minute free kick was headed wide by Ben Vine to sum up a frustrating night for the Foresters.
Slimbridge will be delighted though, earning the three points and being able to manage minutes and knocks to certain players within the group.
The Swans will be looking to continue their great start in the FA Cup this weekend, as they travel to Portishead Town.
Cinderford face another tough fixture at the weekend, with a trip to Corsham Town.
Slimbridge: Sarkodie, Hunt, Rodgers, Soule, Hitchings, Mara, Stokes, Kang, Smith, W Smith, Collins
Subs: Evans, Ahmed, Mathews, Shutt, Blacker
Cinderford Town: Adams, A Davies, Hunt, Vine, Dennis, Evans, Cattermole, Power, K Davies, Powell, Waugh
Subs: Parsons, Hillier, Hundt, Tye, Dobson
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Joe Stokes (Slimbridge)
READ MORE: Check out the list of fixtures in and around Gloucestershire this Saturday right here
