Longlevens Reserves bounce back with late winner over resilient Charfield
Jacob Chamberlain’s late winner was enough to see Longlevens Reserves bounce back from last weekend’s Reg Davis Cup defeat, to narrowly edge past Charfield at Longford Lane.
Levens Reserves went into the game looking to start better than they did in last weekend’s defeat to Tewkesbury Town and they nearly broke the deadlock inside four minutes – but Jacob Havard kept out Matt Emmett’s effort.
David Onakoya looked the most likely to score in the first half, but he flashed an effort across goal with 15 minutes on the clock.
The visitors had weathered the earlier pressure and nearly snatched the lead themselves – but Toby Boakes made a good one on one save to keep out Jake Hawkins, who had broke free down the right.
Onakoya had another effort palmed away by Havard, before a number of Fin Clift corners saw the hosts have a handful of goalbound efforts blocked in the six yard box – with James Barnett going closest.
Barnett nearly turned a Jamol Dare cross home, but was tracked well by a Charfield defender at the near post.
The second half saw Levens win a succession of corners once mroe, with Emmett and then Fin Clift have strikes blocked, before Emmett pulled back for Barnett, who skied over from the centre of the box.
As the half wore on, it felt like Longlevens Reserves were going to break the deadlock eventually, but Charfield defended very well to see some nerves slowly creep in.
Callum McLean was allowed to bring the ball out from the back for Levens, but Havard made a stunning save to keep him out. From the resulting corner, Barnett thought he had scored, but his header was somehow cleared off the line.
And just as Charfield would have thought they would earn themselves a point, a McLean ball into the box was unfortunately spilled by Havard as he landed with the ball and substitute Chamberlain was on hand to tap home from close range.
But the goal resulted in Charfield pressing for an equaliser, but Toby Boakes would pull off a stunning save to his left to claw out a volley which looked destined for the top corner.
The save was an important as the winning goal, as it earns Levens all three points, leaving them with a good four wins and one defeat record in the league in their first five matches.
Next up for Levens is an all-Gloucester derby at Hardwicke next Saturday.
Charfield find themselves with a 1-1-2 record and will play a lot worse than this and pick up points!
Their schedule doesn’t get any easier, with Dursley Town the visitors next weekend.
Longlevens Reserves: Boakes, Clift, Dare, Williams, Perry, McLean, Morrissey, Blackburn, Barnett, Onakoya, Emmett
Subs: Kent, Snelgrove, Aruno, Demorok, Chamberlain
Charfield: Havard, Bain, Wells-Frenchy, Chappell, Diment, Baxendine, Hawkins, Hemmings, Bennett, Spill, Pedley
Subs: Cullum, Piper
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Callum McLean (Longlevens Reserves)
READ MORE: Check out the list of results from Saturday in and around Gloucestershire right here
