3pm 4 May 2024
Gloucestershire Northern Senior League, Division One
English Bicknor 2 Longlevens reserves 2 (att 55)
Two years ago I visited English Bicknor for what was their final game in their own village. Since then they've been relegated from the county league and moved a few miles to Worrall Hill.
Worrall Hill's own club had folded, and so the pitch and adjacent social club needed a new tenant. English Bicknor have developed decent facilities, with a railed off pitch and a pair of dugouts. The wooden dugouts that served at English Bicknor have been repurposed as two small shelters for spectators.
The home side have spent most of the season battling against a further relegation. But a remarkable run of results in recent weeks meant they went into this game safe.
But this was no end-of-season dead rubber. Longlevens are a few places off the top of the table, although with games in hand knew that winning their final fixtures would make them champions.
Their point at English Bicknor, rescued thanks to two late goals, just about keeps their title hopes alive. But those hopes are now slim.
The first half was a tale of two penalties. English Bicknor scored theirs for a lead that was against the run of play. Longlevens had a chance to level with a spot kick just before the break. It went high over the crossbar.
It got worse for Longlevens in the second period when English Bicknor doubled their lead. But the away side kept pressing, and were given hope with a goal back after 88 minutes.
Seven minutes into stoppage time, much of it added to compensate for the home side's timewasting, they scored again for 2-2. They still had two more minutes play after that, but couldn't force a winner.
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