10-men Cleeve victorious in eight goal thriller with Slimbridge but late sour scenes overshadow result
10-men Bishops Cleeve u18s continued their unbeaten start to the Cheltenham Youth Floodlit League with a feisty 5-3 win over Slimbridge u18s at Kayte Lane on Wednesday, writes Sam Yapp.
It was an emphatic match-up with goals galore and mistakes aplenty, but it was overshadowed by some sour scenes late in the game.
Cleeve took the lead, against the run of play, capitalising on a dropped cross by Alfie Davies which fell to Tom De Quincy who made no mistake finding the bottom corner on 27 minutes.
One instantly turned into two for Cleeve as just moments later Noah Parker put a dangerous low cross into the area which was turned into his own net by William Djiaha-Nsangou.
The Swans got their deserved goal right on half time when James Tainton danced through three players before dispatching into the far corner getting his side back in the game.
Cleeve regained their two goal advantage on 52 minutes through a Freddie O’Leary header from a corner, but it was quickly reduced two minutes later when Tainton curled a sublime effort into the bottom corner from 18-yards.
And the Swans completed their comeback on 65 minutes when Cleeve failed to clear a ball into the box allowing Djiaha-Nsangou to thump home from close range, making up for his early own goal.
But it was an instant reply from Cleeve as just two minutes later Ed Scott’s headed effort from a corner rebounded off teammate O’Leary and into the back of the net for his second of the game.
Cleeve sealed the three points on 81 minutes when for the third corner in a row the Swans were caught out as Scott this time glanced the ball in off the far post, all minutes before the sour scenes began.
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On 85 minutes Cleeve’s Marcus Cornwall appeared to punch Swans defender, Josh Barclay after a tussle in the air which sparked mass altercations on the pitch.
After deliberation between the referee and his assistant closest to the scene, Cornwall was shown a straight red on 88 minutes.
Three minutes later a disorientated Barclay was thankfully carried off the pitch but with the Swans having used all their substitutes, both teams finished the game with 10-men.
Speaking after the game Slimbridge u18s manager, Kieran Brice-Ingles gave his thoughts on the events that had transpired:
“It’s hard to comment too much on the game after the sour ending, it’s one of those where you just want to move on and forget it.
“I know Cleeve aren’t one of those teams who go out and hurt you, but one individual has let them down tonight, but their coaches are amazing guys, and they’ll deal with it correctly.
“For us tonight there are positives, but the negatives are outweighing them at the moment, but these boys will bounce back and they want to,” he said.
Cleeve will look to make it three straight league wins when they welcome Fairford Town u18s to Katye Lane On Wednesday October 2nd whilst Slimbridge travel to Cirencester Town u18s in the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday October 1st.
Bishop Cleeve u18s: Smyth (GK), Baines, T. Williams, Scott ©, Green, O’Leary, Balchin, Day, McCornmack, Parker, De Quincy
Bench: Morgan, McMillian, Callaghan, A. Williams, Balinski
Slimbridge u18s: Davies (GK), S. Thomas, Wayman, Barclay, Djiaha-Nsangou, Jagger ©, Parker-Delves, Johnson, Tainton, Harris
Bench: Howarth, Fowler, W. Thomas, Fisher
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Noah Parker (Bishops Cleeve u18s)
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