Gloucestershire

County Cup

Cinderford Town 2

Bristol City 2

(Cinderford Town won 3-1 on penalties)

THERE wasn't a player over the age of 27 on either side, as Cinderford and Bristol City served up an entertaining treat at The Causeway on Monday night.

City's side was packed with potential stars of tomorrow from their academy, but it was some of Cinderford's young guns who caught the eye, including right-sided midfielder Matt Barnes and lively striker Scott Wilson.

City started the better with Wes Burns making life difficult for Town's makeshift left-back Warren Archer.

All too often, however, City were caught out by Town's offside trap.

The hosts produced the best chances, with O'Sullivan forcing a superb one-handed save from Dylan Casthenhro and Wilson flicking the ball over the bar from one of many testing Barnes crosses.

In the second half Cinderford should have had a penalty when Jones handled.

Still feeling aggrieved they took a 57th minute lead after Casthenhro spilled a 25-yarder from Andy Lewis and Sam O'Sullivan pounced to convert the rebound.

City raised their game but found Town goalie Alex Harris in tremendous form. He made several great stops, but could do nothing to keep out a Burns lob after the hosts failed to properly clear a corner.

O'Sullivan restored Town's lead with a magnificent effort, racing between City's two centre-halves to get onto the end of a long ball. His half-volley strike past Casthenhro could hardly have been sweeter.

It was City who dominated the remainder of the game as Town wilted. Despite riding their luck at times it looked like the home side was going to hang on – until Tyler Collyshaw pounced deep into stoppage time to thread a Bula pass between bodies and into the net.

And so to penalties, where home keeper Alex Harris came into his own.

Scott Wilson netted for Town, but Matt Barnes had his penalty saved. Harris saved both of City's first two spot-kicks from Collyshaw and Hull.

Lee Smith (Cinderford) and Dobie (Bristol City) both scored, then Sam O'Sullivan (Cinderford) shot wide and Harris produced another diving stop to deny his City namesake.

That enabled Andy Lewis to step up and fire Cinderford into the next round at the expense of the current cup holders.

Cinderford Town: Alex Harris, Ashley Malcolm, Warren Archer, Dan Harrison, Greg Lewis, Andy Lewis, Matt Barnes, Jack Camm, Sam O'Sullivan, Scott Wilson, Josh Emery. Subs used: Alex Evans, Lee Smith, Matt Smith. Not used: Dave Bird, Lewis Sommers.

Bristol City: Dylan Casthenhro, Nathan Battersby, Tom King, Luke Dobie, Curtis Jones, Pierre Mitchelle, Tyler Collyshaw, Lewis Hall, Aaron Holloway, Wes Burns, Kevin Krans. Subs: Vences Bula, Jammal Sims, Miles John, Jo Jo Woolacott.

Southern League South & West Division

Hungerford Town 3

Cinderford Town 2

AFTER fighting back bravely from 2-0 down, Cinderford lost out to a 93rd minute goal away at league leaders Hungerford.

The hosts were the better team in the first half and fully deserved their lead.

Cinderford keeper Alex Harris made a couple of superb saves before Mark Draycott broke the deadlock on 30 minutes from a Ben Pugh lay-off.

Five minutes later, Cinderford's defence was carved open.

Harris raced off his line but was never going to get to the ball and Luke Hopper drove it into the empty net.

Just before half-time Cinderford got a lifeline when top scorer Scott Wilson tricked his way into the box and netted with a neat finish.

The goal lifted the visitors and they took the game to Hungerford in the second half.

The equaliser came 12 minutes from time when a low ball to Scott Wilson was intercepted by an off balance Luke Brewer, who turned it into his own net.

It was Hungerford who finished the match the stronger.

Despite being thwarted by a double save from Cinderford's man of the match Alex Harris they kept plugging away and deep into added time Harry Goodger pounced to stab a loose ball inside the Cinderford six-yard box over the line.