10-man Fairford end five year wait for victory over Longlevens
Fairford Town secured their first win over Longlevens since 2019, winning 1-0 in their final game of 2024.
Joah Hall’s first half effort was enough for all three points, with Jamie Reid’s side having to defend for the final half an hour with 10 men after Eddie Lewis received his second yellow card.
The result sees Fairford end 2024 just one point outside the play-off places, with two games in hand over Royal Wootton Bassett Town and Highworth above them.
For Longlevens, they remain 10 points clear of the relegation places after their Boxing Day victory over Tuffley Rovers – although Brimscombe & Thrupp have two games in hand over Michael Palmer and Craig Martin’s team.
It was an entertaining contest to conclude the calendar year of action on Severn Sport, with both sides playing their part in a typically competitive and entertaining encounter between the two.
Reid would have been very unhappy with how his side started the game, with the hosts taking twenty minutes or so to settle against a side who had played a tough derby match just 48 hours earlier.
A number of Longlevens corners peppered the Fairford box in the first twenty minutes or so, with Joey Haswell firing over with the first real clear-cut chance of proceedings.
Then, out of nowhere, Harrison Ellis’ long free kick landed through for Charlie Holliday, but the former Longlevens winger saw his effort deflected over by a recovering Dan Roddis block.
Holliday cut in from the right on 30 minutes, but Kane Winman got down well to save at his near post.
Fin Gwillim, who was playing his final game before heading back to university, poked an effort straight at Ellis from about 8 yards as a corner was headed down to him.
Gwillim was then appeared to have been tripped in the box, although the referee remained unmoved – much to Longlevens’ frustrations/
Fairford unfortunately saw Tristan Haswell trudge off after suffering a minor knee injury, with Lewis replacing him – although Lewis wouldn’t last long in the contest.
But with five minutes to go before the break, Henry Birkett swung a free kick into the box and after the initial headed clearance fell to him, Joah Hall found the bottom corner from about 14 yards.
Reid’s side were much better in the early exchanges of the second half, but were reduced to 10 when Lewis clattered Gwillim on the edge of the box, leaving the referee no alternative.
Cam Williams stepped up to fire the resulting free kick into the wall and the chance was gone.
The hosts were fortunate not to have been reduced to nine, when Luke Hitchman, who was already on a yellow card, stepped across Joey Haswell to bring him down as the two chased for a long ball.
On another day, a free kick would have been given and a second yellow shown.
Longlevens pushed for a leveller, but lacked that quality in the final third to beat Ellis.
Dan Roddis, Alex Knight and Cam Williams all fired wide from range, whilst Gwillim headed over from two dangerous balls into the box.
The closest Longlevens came was in the final five minutes, when Josh Mason’s cross from the right rebounded off the crossbar and after Shaun O’Connor’s scuffed effort was recycled, Jerzy Marszalek scuffed wide from about 8 yards.
In reality, neither keeper had too much to do on the day and whilst a point seemed the fairest result, Fairford did well to see the final third of the game out with 10 men.
Longlevens are set to be back in action on New Year’s Day, with a scheduled trip to Malmesbury Victoria – although Vics have had a number of home games postponed recently – including Saturday’s visit of Slimbridge.
For Fairford, they return to action with a trip to Hereford Pegasus on Saturday 4 January – with Longlevens not in action that weekend.
Fairford Town: Ellis, Birkett, Haswell, Way, Hitchman, Rawlings, Holliday, Hall, Lawrence, Edwards, McCrae
Subs: Lewis, Lodge, Shutt, Chamberlain, Blyth
Longlevens: Winman, Beardsell, Knight, Long, Roddis, Byard, Williams, O’Connor, Gwillim, Sherchan, Haswell
Subs: Kelly, Rankin, Mason, Marszalek, Martin
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Shaun O’Connor (Longlevens)
READ MORE: Check out the list of results in and around Gloucestershire from Saturday right here
