Longlevens produced an electrifying second-half performance to overturn a deficit and claim a 4-1 victory over Hungerford Town Reserves in the Floodlit Cup final held at Stonehouse Town’s Oldends Lane.
Despite conceding an early goal from Callum Ginger, Longlevens remained resilient. After a sluggish first half that saw Hungerford in control, Longlevens manager Buster Davies was “over the moon” with his team’s spirited turnaround, describing their second-half display as “brilliant.”
Hungerford started strongly, pressing Longlevens goalkeeper Drew Brei, who was called into action early on to maintain the clean sheet. Callum Ginger broke the deadlock, cutting in from the left and calmly slotting past Brei. However, Hungerford failed to capitalize further, allowing Longlevens to regroup.
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Longlevens struggled offensively during the first half, with key chances falling to Alex Knight, who was unable to convert. Davies admitted, “I didn’t recognise the first-half performance from our team,” but remained optimistic that his side would respond after the break.
The second half saw Longlevens dominate possession and create numerous opportunities. Their breakthrough came just after the hour mark, when Cameron Williams picked up the ball 30 yards out and unleashed a stunning strike that left Hungerford’s goalkeeper Alex Braidwood with no chance.
Momentum shifted decisively as Jay Wells powered home a header from a corner, putting Longlevens ahead. Hungerford had chances to equalize but were consistently thwarted by Longlevens’ solid defense.
With 15 minutes remaining, Williams secured his brace, calming nerves and further extending the lead. Davies praised Williams as “a big game player,” highlighting his crucial contributions.
Brad Martin sealed the victory late on with a header that came off the crossbar and back into the net, sparking jubilant celebrations as Longlevens lifted the trophy.
Next up, Longlevens will host Fairford Town in their Hellenic League Premier Division match on Thursday evening.
Lineups:
Longlevens: Brei, Roddie, Byard, Long (c), Wells, O’Conner, Beardsell, Williams, Lodge, Driscoll, Knight. Subs: Spencer, Sherchan, Holmes, Hyett, Martin.
Hungerford Town Reserves: Braidwood, Bucknell, Blackford, Ginger, Luckett, Dopson, Passey, Tomlinson, Squires (c), Thorp, Howes. Subs: Cooper, Barrett, Green Sides, Seymour, Atkins.