Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West

North Leigh 3 Slimbridge 1

SLIMBRIDGE returned pointless from Eynsham Park after more than matching North Leigh in the first half, and despite taking the lead in the first minute of the game.

An error by Slimbridge Keeper Adrian Kowalski let the home side back into the game with 15 minutes gone, and two goal in four second half minutes saw the hosts claim the spoils.

Slimbridge made the best of starts and, with less than a minute on the clock, they were ahead - Joe Stokes and Swans Man of the Match Jack Twyman worked the ball across the North Leigh goal from the left flank, and Lee Smith drilled it past keeper Connor Thompson to put the visitors in the lead.

Slimbridge had a great opportunity to double the score on eight minutes, but firstly Stokes, and then James Harding with the follow up, saw Thompson pull off two good saves to deny them.

Nick Grimes was next to go close for the Swans, heading Marley Thomas’ corner over, before North Leigh got back on terms in bizarre circumstances. Brad Gray’s scuffed cross was rolling harmlessly to be collected by Adrian Kowalski, but the Swans’ stopper took his eye off the ball as he went to collect, and could only watch in horror as it went through his hands and into the net to even things up.

The Swans continued to match their hosts despite the setback, and Rich Thwaite’s header set up by good interplay between Dean Turner and Stokes saw Thompson make another bright stop.

North Leigh began to create their own chances, and Jamie Cook and Gray again were both off target as the home side pressed, but the teams went in even at the break.

Now playing down the slope, North Leigh nearly took the lead in the first minute of the second half, but Michael Hopkins’ free kick struck the bar and went over.

All the pressure was now coming from the hosts, and on the hour mark, they took the lead - Hopkins’ header saw Kowalski made an acrobatic stop, but the ball ran loose to Cook who made no mistake with the rebound.

Four minutes later, North Leigh scored again, when a break down the left saw Hopkins score with a shot across Kowalski into the far corner.

North Leigh continued to dominate possession, and Roger James had a couple of good efforts after coming off the bench.

In the final minute, Leigh’s Jon Else saw red for a late challenge on Rich Thwaite, but the dismissal was too late in the day to affect the rest of the game, and the Swans pointless streak now stretches to four games, ahead of the visit of runaway leaders Hereford FC to Thornhill Park next Saturday.

Hereford tickets remain on sale online until Tuesday through www.slimbridgeafc.co.uk, and the club will be selling tickets to personal callers between 2pm and 4pm on Friday and 9am-11am on the day of the game. No tickets will be available for sale after that time.

Team: Kowalski, Turl, Ry Thwaite, Grimes, Rich Thwaite, Turner (Mace 70), Twyman, Stokes, Harding (Sklenar 67), Smith (Cant 75), Thomas Supporters Man of the Match; Jack Twyman