Slimbridge Manager Tom Speers reflected on reflected on his side’s start to the season that saw them picking up their first points of the season at previously unbeaten Hamworthy United, and declared ‘It’s getting better’.

After falling behind to a first half goal at the County Ground, a much improved second half display saw Ethan Dunbar level things up with 15 minutes remaining, and a draw was a fair result on the balance of play, although Hamworthy will be rueing some first half chances not taken that gave them the opportunity to put the game to bed. 

It took a while for the game to get going, with the Swans adjusting to the artificial pitch, and it wasn’t until the 13^th minute before any opportunity of note – a Hamworthy Free Kick on the edge of Slimbridge box saw George Caverley’s strike easily gathered by Swans Captain for the Day Lewis Adams. 

Three minutes later, another free kick opportunity for Caverley saw his strike high and wide as the home side started to press. 

It was 20 minutes before Slimbridge had their first effort on goal. After good work by Joe Shutt and Dylan Lewis, Zak Mitchell was off target with a header from the resulting corner kick. 

The deadlock was broken on 23 minutes – Ben Mclean appeared to catch his feet on the surface as he was challenged, and he was robbed of the ball by Max Wilcox, who played in Eddie Hodge who converted easily when one on one with Adams. 

Hamworthy had a couple of golden opportunities to increase their lead as Slimbridge consistently mishit their back passes – Bailey Rowe had two great opportunities to latch onto bad defensive passes, but was unable to make either of them count as the hosts took control of the game. 

Hamworthy had one more golden opportunity to increase their advantage on 37 minutes, but Hodge’s dangerous cross saw no-one in the Slimbridge box to convert for the home side. 

Slimbridge started the second period with a different tempo and new determination, although they still managed to ride their luck early in the half when Adam Costello and Cameron Munn were both off target with efforts, but there was shift in momentum as the Swans began to get into the game. 

With Myron Turner on and a change of formation, the chances began to appear for the Swans, and a lovely move involving Lewis and McLean saw the Hammers’ Keeper Shane Murphy make a good stop from Edji Mbunga’s effort as the Swans began to exert their own pressure on the hour mark.

Two minutes later, Mbunga was off target with a header as Slimbridge began to create a series of chances of their own, with James Sunley just off target with a header, although Drew Eccott-Young’s run and shot that produced a good save from Adams showed that Slimbridge still needed to be very wary of their opponents. 

On 68 minutes, Lewis brought a good save from Murphy, and five minutes later the deserved equaliser arrived – Mbunga made some space for himself on the right side of the Hamworthy box, and drilled the ball across goal, where Dunbar was in the right place to tap the ball home and level things up. 

Although Hamworthy still had their moments of danger – Eccott-Young having two good chances late on which were spurned, the game played out three minutes of stoppage time for a draw that was probably a good reflection of the play over 90 minutes. 

Speers was delighted with the application of his side after the game.

‘It was very tough battle, but I think we deserved the draw – especially on the Second Half performance. We knew before we came that they were going to be direct, but out of possession, they are very very clever, the winger on the other side to the ball stays high, and as they attack that comes into force – it’s really difficult to deal with. 

The Keeper boots it for miles, the whole back four can boot it for miles…in the first half we didn’t deal with it, and I will take the onus on that – I think we could have changed our shape earlier. Half Time was a Godsend, and so we changed our shape to match them, went one for one at the back, and I think we had the better of it in the second half.

Of course, they always looked threatening because, that direct ball from deep is always difficult to deal with, but we’ve got a young side, and I think we deserved the point. 

Like all of the teams that have come up this year, Hamworthy are very strong, they have a budget and they’ve made some really really good signings, so there are going to be no easy games in this League this year.’

He also paid tribute to the work ethic of his team - ‘We matched them – it’s hard to match a team that goes long all the time, because they just miss out a whole phase of the game – but I thought, at times, some of our football was brilliant – we had spells where for five, six phases, we’d gone through them, we’d played it wide, we just didn’t have that killer instinct of having someone in the box to tap it in – Ethan did that for the goal, and the phase up to that was very, very good. 

It's pleasing that we’re digging in, it’s a difficult place, Totton came here and lost, and a lot of teams will drop points here, so we did really well to get one.’

Speers also paid tribute to James Sunley, who made his first team debut for the side at Hamworthy.

‘James Sunley had a great debut. When we took over in December, we drew up a list of the players that we wanted. We want the best young players in Gloucestershire playing for us, and he was one of those that we targeted. Unfortunately because of his commitments with Jersey Under 21’s, he came back late, but I thought he was really effective in and out of possession and it was a really good performance from him.’

Slimbridge entertain Bristol Manor Farm on Bank Holiday Monday (3.00pm), before returning to FA Cup duty next Saturday (September 3^rd, 3.00pm) when they entertain Sholing in a First Qualifying Round Tie. 

Team: Adams, Mitchell, Prictor, Hands (Turner 59), Lawrence, Sunley, Shutt, McLean, Mbunga, Lewis (Thomas 69), Bevan (Dunbar 69)

Goals: Dunbar 74

Supporters Man of the Match: Toby Lawrence