Gloucestershire Northern Senior League (From Gazette Series)

Gloucestershire Northern Senior League

Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division One Kingswood 4 Cheltenham Civil Service 2

KINGSWOOD produced one of their best performances of the season to beat a good Cheltenham Civil Service side.

The home side went into the game without manager Martin Bleaken due to work commitments but Keith Spill stepped up to do an excellent job on the day.

The game was almost a mirror image of the previous week's game against Huntley but this time it was Kingswood that produced the comeback.

Cheltenham started well, with the best football from an opposing team that the home side had seen this season.

The pressure eventually told as the visitors went into a 33rd minute lead, which they then doubled five minutes later after a mistake by Grant Brown.

Kingswood's Adam Harber went close to pulling a goal back with a good run and shot but soon afterwards he did get on the scoresheet with a neat finish.

The action was almost non-stop as the Civil Service attacked the hosts' back line once more.

A striker broke through only to be denied brilliantly by home goalkeeper Andy Rodman, who not only blocked the first effort but made an amazing stop to deny the same player from the rebound.

Within a minute Kingswood had raced up the other end and equalised through Gavin Dibden to complete a breathtaking period of football.

Cheltenham could not lift themselves to the same heights in the second half and the hosts were able to take charge.

Twelve minutes into the second period Mike Rodman set Gavin Dibden away and his pass put in Harber, who chipped the advancing goalkeeper to make it 3-2.

Both sides made changes but it made no difference to Kingswood and they secured the game five minutes from time when Harber completed a wonderful hat-trick with a curling shot off the outside of his right foot.

Kingswood's Dave Birt told the Gazette: "This win was the result of the whole team showing great character and determination after trailing 2-0 so early in the game."