The Swans left it very late to turn around a one goal deficit at Hellenic League Premier side Tuffley Rovers, but two goals in stoppage time saw Slimbridge book their trip to another Step 5 side, Combined Counties Premier League side Flackwell Heath on August 20^th. 

Trailing to an 80^th minute goal which looked like winning the game from Tuffley’s Ryley Mace, former Tuffley man Jacob Geddes pulled the sides level in the 93^rd minute, and then, in the 96^th minute, a superb solo goal from Marley Thomas saw the Swans progress into the next round.

Slimbridge dominated possession throughout, and as early as the second minute, were appealing for a penalty when Brad Bevan was clipped in the box by Scott Nicholls, but Referee Simon Laraway waved away the protests from the visitors. 

All the early pressure came from the Swans, with Will Hawes and Ethan Dunbar seeing a lot of the ball from a series of diagonal passes that created opportunities, but failed to be converted into scoring chances. 

On eight minutes, a lovely passing move involving Joe Shutt, Bevan and Ben McLean saw Ethan Dunbar unlucky to see his effort scrambled away for a corner.

The game was already turning into a very physical encounter, with some stiff tackles being made, and the next opportunity for the Swans came a minute later, when Bevan was felled outside the Tuffley box, but again, Shutt’s free kick came to nothing. 

Slimbridge were creating opportunities from all over the pitch, and Levi Francis was the next to go on a dangerous run into the Tuffley box, but a good blocking tackle denied him as he shaped to shoot. 

It was 14 minutes before Tuffley had their first effort on goal – a header from Jack Beardsell that was easily gathered by Lewis Adams. 

After another effort from Bevan was just off target, ex-Swan Mason Lewis went close at the other end, but his shot was off target as Tuffley broke. 

Slimbridge again began to create the better chances – Firstly Will Hawes, then Dunbar, Hawes again and Myron Turner all went close, but the teams went in level at the half. 

The game fired into life on the hour mark – after Demilade Yussuf was booked for a foul on Francis, Dunbar went into the book for a tackle that saw players from both sides square up. 

Manager Tom Speers and his team made three substitutions and changed the team’s formation to 4-3-3 to try and break the deadlock, but it was Tuffley who then started to create some pressure of their own, with Beardsell and Noah Smerdon both going close for the home side. 

The deadlock was broken with ten minutes remaining – as Slimbridge pressed forward, a quick Tuffley break saw Ryley Mace going one on one with Lewis Adams, and he kept his cool to slot the ball home and send the home crowd into raptures. 

As tempers continued to simmer all over the pitch, Warren Mann was booked for a scissor tackle on Hawes, as the sides moved into six minutes of stoppage time. 

In the 93rd minute, Slimbridge gained their equaliser, when Shutts’s corner was met by a towering header from Geddes to pull the sides level.

Then, to complete an amazing turnaround, in the final minute of stoppage time, Marley Thomas picked up the ball on the left wing, beat three men, and curled an absolute beauty past Rovers Keeper Elliot Jones to win the tie for the visitors. There was barely time to kick off before the final whistle, to the delight of the travelling fans and club officials. 

Speaking after the game, Manager Tom Speers was plainly delighted with the outcome – ‘I’ve been waiting for ages to use this cliché – it’s the magic of the FA Cup, isn’t it? It’s the first game as a player or a coach that I’ve actually ever won in the FA Cup with Slimbridge, and to do it in that style was very pleasing. 

I think we deserved it – it was one of those games – we had a lot of possession, we moved them where we wanted to, and we just weren’t clinical – and they had probably the two best chances and didn’t take them, but they weren’t really in the game. 

When we went one nil down it felt heartbreaking, but hopefully the difference between this side and some of the previous ones is being able to come back. It’s great for confidence.  ‘

Speers was full of praise for both his goalscorers – ‘Jacob for a young boy has got a great leap on him, he really attacks the ball, and Marley – what a finish! It’s nice to come from behind, and I’m especially pleased with the way we did it.’

Team: Adams, Geddes, Mitchell (Prictor 72), Turner, Lawrence, Francis, Shutt, McLean, Hawes, Dunbar (Lewis 64), Bevan (Thomas 72)

Goals: Geddes (90+3), Thomas (90+6)

Supporters Man Of The Match: Brad Bevan