Soudley 1 - 3 Lydbrook Athletic

------------------------

PROBABLY for the first time it in history Soudley FC had some goal line technology – thanks to the Review.

As this sequence of shots by our photographer shows the ball definitely crossed the line but referee Richard Meredith decided it was not a goal, ironically over-ruling home linesman Mike Kear.

To be fair to the man in the black he had to make a split-second decision without the aid of technology and the decision did not affect the final outcome of the game.

Soudley's acting manager Martin Stephens described the game as "very much a game of two halves."

He said; "We were the better side in the first half but Lydbrook came back strongly in the second half and deserved to win."

Dannie Brain put the home side ahead in the first half but the Lydbrook come-back started in familiar fashion for the home side.

Martin said: "Last year we had a tendency to concede early in the second half. At half time I told them to keep it tight but Lydbrook scored early on."

He reckoned the key to this clash between divisions one and two of the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League was the visitors' superior fitness.

Soudley will be looking to improve on last year's showing when they finished in the bottom half of division two.

The Reg Davis Memorial Cup is the league's domestic knock-out competition and is named in honour of a long-standing servant of the league.

The competition reaches the semi-final stage before the league proper starts and the final takes place in the first week of October.

In the other matches involving local teams Harrow Hill beat Longford 4-2 on penalties after the game finished 3-3, Minsterworth beat Hardwicke 2-1, Broadwell Amateurs lost 6-5 on penalties after drawing 2-2 at home to Smith's Athletic, Viney St Swithins went down 2-0 at FC Barometrics and in the other all-Forest game Newent Town beat Ruardean Hill Rangers 3-1.

Second round matches take place tonight (Wednesday) with Lydbrook away to Brockworth, Newent hosting Minsterworth and Harrow Hill at home to Tuffley Rovers Reserves.