Longlevens AFC 10 - 2 Stokenchurch FC

Coming from near High Wycombe in deepest rural Buckinghamshire the Hellenic East Division 2 side Stokenchurch FC known as the “The Lambs” on arrival at fortress Saw Mills, ”,(again similar to Ascot United last Saturday) were also struggling to raise a side. “The Lambs” eventually lined up onto the pitch to start the match on time, with just 11 players including the manager and coach and no substitutes. One wonders if Levens Gloucestershire stadium location is not on sat (urday) nav?!

From early doors to the 90th minute Levens just simply cut up Stokenchurch’s token and all over the place defence to chalk up a massive 10 goals to 2 goals win in the Bluefin Sport Challenge Cup.

Goal 1 – 15 minutes - BRAD VANSTONE slotted in from a Brad Martin threaded through pass

Goal 2 – 20 minutes – BRAD MARTIN tucked away as Dave Merrick slipped a short pass in

Goal 3 – 40 minutes – BRAD MARTIN with an easy shot to net after great run and pull back by Dunn

HALF TIME 3-0 Shaun O’Connor on for Ryan McDonalds

Goal 4 – 47 minutes SHAUN O’CONNOR finishes well beating after a mazy run past several defenders by Brad Martin opens up the Lambs thus roasting their leggy defence.

Goal 5 – 49 minutes BRAD VANSTONE converts after a great run down the left by O’Connor with pull back to Brad Martin who manages to divert for Brad Vanstone to slot home

Stokenchurch keep trying and Ally Jackson misses unbelievably just feet from Levens goal!

Goal 6 – 61 minutes SHAUN O’CONNOR places into the goal after a lovely 1-2 pass combination with Brad Martin
Stokenchurch pull a goal back when with virtually all but one Levens defender is up for a corner Levens are caught out when the Lambs break away with a long pass from the corner with six Lamb players charging forward and the low cross skids across and was side footed in by Ally Jackson to make up for his earlier miss. A commendable counter attacking goal by the visitors. But now 6-1 to Levens.

Goal 7 – 75 minutes BRAD MARTIN soon put paid to Lambs awakening when he blasted in the top corner with his right boot from the edge of the box. Best Levens goal of the day a net buster!

80-82 minutes Byard on for Brad Martin; Bernard on for Merrick

At this point and game time Stokenchurch kept trying and the “Lambs” pulled another goal back by Steve Park 7-2. One could say and blame sloppy Levens defending but actually Stokenchurch kept trying and both their goals were indeed well worked. However, almost at will, when they wanted to Levens restored the game with:-

Goal 8 – 85 minutes - ED SMYLLIE - Byard ignores calls for “a short one” then curved in a left footer corner from the right flag and Ed Smyllie unmarked with a simple downward header.

Goal 9 – 87 minutes SHAUN O’CONNOR with a solo run shrugging of 2-3 defenders and nearly falling blasted in off a post for his well-deserved hat trick as a sub

Goal 10 – 90 + minutes BRAD VANSTONE latching onto a long ball over the top, down the centre and roasting the Lambs’ defence rounds the keeper to stroke into empty net for his deserved hat trick too.

Levens players’ right up to the 90 minutes end all desired to score, as they easily moved into the next round of the Bluefin Sport Challenge Cup by a large margin of goals. Today’s game produced no fresh injuries and the score line maybe goes in the record books for Levens at this level? Other than that, the game had the look and feel of nice friendly routine practice game, with time and space to settle on the ball.

Credit to Stokenchurch for keeping going. No moaning, and no wild challenges when play was going very wrong for them. However, the greening pitch with the rain coming down probably gained more benefit from the afternoon event than the teams turning up for this fixture.

But another type of football on another planet faces the Levens boys at Thatcham Town away next Tuesday night in the Premier League. All the squad members….… starters and bench will have to be at their very best mentally and physically as last year’s near champions won’t be very generous. Expect a high octane game under a great floodlights atmosphere. Another two part(s) “tales of on the road with the Levens” to come in the next home match programme?!?

SQUAD:- HALL; DUNN; BYARD; KAVANAGH; SMYLLIE; BEATON;C.MARTIN; MERRICK; B.MARTIN; VANSTONE; O’CONNOR; BERNARD; WESTCARR;

MOTM DAVE MERRICK although not scoring himself was always in or thereabouts when the goals were being banged in, having input in the build ups and or producing creative play. Shaun O’Connor coming on as sub and scoring 3 goals was close behind. Hat tricks too each by the two Brads ….. and a mention for ressies promotion boy Japh Humphries you did well son too!

Finally congratulations to Ollie Hall on securing kit sponsorship by Matalan for new goalie tops for the rest of the season! 