Smith bags a brace as Slimbridge edge past Wells in FA Vase
Jack W Smith scored two, including a stunning first strike, as Slimbridge edged past Wells City 3-2 in the FA Vase First Round.
The Swans had to come from behind after conceding a penalty 45 seconds into the tie, but ultimately booked their place in the Second Round for the first time since 2014 after a brace from Smith and a neat Raiyan Ahmed effort.
Wells had made it 2-2 before the half time break though, with Harry Warwick stepping to convert from 12 yards for the second time.
The result sees the Swans move onto five games unbeaten since their defeat at home to Westfields, ahead of a run of fixtures that includes Corsham away in the league and home in the Challenge Cup – either side of a tough local derby at home to Tuffley Rovers as October draws to an end.
And whilst Smith will get the plaudits for his goals, it was a particularly impressive defensive display from Ryan Ponting and Charlie Hitchings.
The game started with Wells given a penalty inside the opening sixty seconds after Hitchings was adjudged to have handled in the box.
Harry Warwick beat Alex Kovacevic for pace and stunned the hosts – but they responded within two minutes as Smith let fly with a stunning, dipping volley to beat Harley Wilkinson from the right side of the box.
Slimbridge nearly added a second moments later, but Smith dragged his effort wide after getting onto another through ball.
Smith and Ahmed had both threatened a run from deep and were causing Wells problems and it came as no surprise to see Ahmed grab the next goal.
The winger, playing through the middle, stood his man up on the right corner of the box, before curling into the bottom corner to put the hosts ahead.
Ahmed won a free kick on the edge of the box moments later, but saw his free kick saved by Wilkinson.
A crucial sixty seconds saw Slimbridge squander a glorious chance to potentially kill the tie, before conceding a leveller.
Jacob Rodgers was played through on goal, but as Rodgers tried to let the ball run across him onto his left foot, he got a tiny bobble that forced him to go with his right and the ball flew wide.
Within seconds, Joe Shutt was penalised for a pull back from a throw in and Warwick once again beat Kovacevic for pace to make it 2-2 after half an hour.
Shutt nearly created a fifth goal of the half twice, firstly seeing his square from the right hooked over his own goal by Kai Murrell, then his cross was headed towards goal by Ahmed – but Wilkinson tipped over to keep the scores level at the break.
The second half started fairly slowly, but Wells nearly took the lead as Jake Brown spun Shutt, but saw his effort across goal deflected for a corner off Kovacevic.
Ryan Ponting went close just before the hour mark, heading towards goal from a recycled free kick, but Wilkinson got just enough on it to palm away.
Haydn Evans and Theo Browne came on for the Swans and both were particularly impressive from the bench.
The winner came on 73 minutes and it was a clinical counter from a Wells corner.
After Hitchings hooked the ball up to Browne, the young forward slid the ball through for substitute Dan Hanson.
As Hanson looked set to get onto the ball, the recovering defender slid in, only to send the ball square to Smith, who tucked his effort into the bottom corner.
Slimbridge should have added a fourth two minutes later, but after Smith’s cross was fired back across goal by Shutt, somehow Browne could only hook his effort wide from close range.
The hosts saw the game out easily enough in the end, however, Wells did create one final chance in the third minute of additional time as Jake Brown worked space on the edge of the box, but saw his effort saved by the on-rushing Kovacevic.
Over the course of the 90 minutes it felt like Slimbridge would have been unlucky had they not won the tie and they will now await Monday’s draw.
Slimbridge: Kovacevic, Shutt, Mathews, Kang, Hitchings, Ponting, Emm, Soule, Ahmed, Jack W Smith, Rodgers
Subs: Evans, Hanson, Haswell, Browne, Hughes
Wells City: Wilkinson, Tait, Duffy, McErlain, Murrell, Dashfield, Brown, Smith, Warwick, Fowler, Brown
Subs: Murray, Dyer, Murphy, Morgan, Wright
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Ryan Ponting (Slimbridge)
READ MORE: Check out the list of Saturday’s results in and around Gloucestershire right here
