Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West

Cinderford Town 1 Slimbridge 0

THE SWANS can consider themselves very unfortunate to leave the Causeway empty handed after they pushed table toppers Cinderford Town all the way in this Gloucestershire derby.

On a bitterly cold afternoon the first half was void of any real clear cut chances as both midfields cancelled each other out, the best chance falling to the Home side on 39 minutes when a shot from Lee Smith shaved the post.

Slimbridge were certainly causing Cinderford problems with their pacy frontmen, Sean Lawson and Paul Fahy, the latter going on a tremendous run just before the break when he picked up the ball on the edge of his own area after a Cinderford corner and ran the full length of the pitch only to see his cross just failing to reach the advancing Lawson.

As the teams left the pitch for their half time cuppa it was the Swans boss Leon Sterling the happier of the two managers as John Brough made his feelings clear as to what he thought of his sides first half performance.

As expected Cinderford upped the tempo in the second period but the Swans defence were in no mood to make it easy for the league leaders, with The Thwaite brothers, Richard and Ryan in fine form along with strong performances from Sam Turl and Callum Brown it looked like the Swans might be heading for their second draw of the week after holding second placed North Leigh to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night.

However, Cinderford had different ideas and the match winning goal came on 69 minutes when Adam Thomas in the Swans goal made tremendous save, diving to his left to keep out a goal bound shot but as the ball came back via a cross from the left it was Substitute Lorcan Sheehan who reacted the quickest by planting his header past the helpless Thomas.

The home side were champing at the bit now and started to show why they are sitting at the top of the league table by playing some neat football and doing a good job of keeping the ball.

As the clock wound down Ryan Thwaite made a superb clearance off the goal line, diving low to get his knee to what looked like a certain goal, and then deep in stoppage time the Swans broke quickly and a shot by Lawson appeared to be handled on the goal line by a defender but referee Mark Pearson, who had a splendid game, blew his whistle for full time.

So the Swans now move on to Saturday's home game against Wantage Town which is being sponsored by Slimbridge Youth Foootball Club,and will include a half-time penalty shoot-out competition by members of the Youth Team before they make the short trip up the M5 on Tuesday evening to face an in form Evesham United.

SLIMBRIDGE TEAM: THOMAS TURL BROWN RYAN THWAITE RICH THWAITE WARD (BLACKIE 60)  TURNER TWYMAN LAWSON BRAD MARTIN (JAMIE MARTIN 71) PAUL FAHY (BABATUNDE 76)