Swans’ Joint Manager Adam Coyle was delighted as his side recorded their first victory of the season tonight with a 5-2 defeat of Thornbury Town in the Hellenic Premier League, but the scoreline only tells half the story of the evening.

With the Swans 1-0 up through Rudi McKinnon, and with 22 minutes on the clock, an accidental head injury to striker George Neill saw the game held up for 38 minutes while he received medical attention, and resulted in Neill leaving the ground in an ambulance. At the time of writing, he has been in contact with his teammates and is recovering in hospital. 

Referee Paul Herbert said he was prepared to continue the game subject to the agreement of both sides, and having gained that consent from the management teams, it resumed after the long stoppage. 

Five minutes from half time, Thornbury equalised through Will Fowler, and then, ten minutes into the second period, Harvey Pritchard put the visitors ahead. 

But the Swans responded with four goals in the last 15 minutes of the game – Jack Smith pulled things level and then Will Hawes, on for Neill, converted a nine minute hat trick to win the game for the home side, at the end of a game that eventually finished at around 10.30pm. 

Speaking after the game, Coyle said ‘It’s a relief to get off the mark, I think it was a mental block that we had, and now the monkey is off our back, and so we can look forward now. We have got the first win out of the way and the changing room is really happy, and I think we probably deserved it. 

We didn’t respond to the break very well. Thornbury started well, and we didn’t really react to it. Credit to Thornbury for coming and having a go. 

What I was really impressed with was the reaction after going 2-1 down – we could have folded, but we absolutely dug in, and we said to them that we needed a match winner, and Hawsey absolutely deserves that.’

Coyle also praised the contribution of three players who last season were playing for the Slimbridge Under 18 side – Jack Smith, Theo Clayson and Tyler Jaggers – ‘It's been an absolutely brilliant two days for the club – the Under 18’s won in the FA Youth Cup yesterday, and those three - Tyler, Theo and Jack were all superb tonight. It’s a really really good time for the club at the moment, we work hard for our Under 18’s and it’s a big thing for us, we want to produce our own players, and they have been superb.’

But a lot of the attention naturally was rightfully focussed on Neill and his injury, and the impact that it had on the team as they watched their team mate receive medical attention in the goal mouth. 

‘It was a difficult situation. Obviously, you hear lots of things that are going on in the area, but once we knew he was going to be fine, the lads were happy to get the game back on. The mentality was ‘Let’s go and do it for George’ really. You don’t like to see one of your teammates be taken away in an ambulance, but we hope he’s alright – we think he is, he’s sent a message into our group chat, but the lads wanted to do it for him, and they responded.’

Coyle is already looking forward to the next game at home to Wantage Town – ‘The feeling in there now is’ We were ok, there were some bits to improve, and we need to iron them out, but let’s kick on to the next one – we know it’s not going to be easy, but we’re at home and hopefully we can put in the same second half performance, and be good for 90 minutes.’

There was little indication of the drama to come after a cagey start from both sides – the first real effort came from Slimbridge on eight minutes, but his effort was too high. But two minutes later, a superb diagonal ball from Sam Blackie set Theo Clayson free on the Swans’ right flank, and his drilled cross was converted by Rudi McKinnon to put the hosts into the lead. 

Joe Hunt, making his debut for the side was proving very effective, and his dangerous pass saw Neill go close with a header only to be thwarted by Thorns Keeper Mackenzie Welsh. 

The next Swans attack saw the injury sustained by Neill as he dived for a header, and was injured in a collision. Credit is due to the medical teams of both sides, who immediately sprang into action, and continued to work with the injured player while an ambulance was summoned. 

After a lengthy delay, Neill was escorted from the pitch to warm applause from all in Thornhill Park, and was taken to hospital for further treatment. 

As might have been expected, it took a while for the game to settle back down into any pattern after the injury break, but Thornbury responded well, with Pritchard going close, although the Swans also had their chances – Hunt and Hawes combining well to fashion an opportunity that Thornbury cleared.

Five minutes before half time, the visitors were level. Will Fowler was left in too much space in the Slimbridge box, and his header from Pritchard’s cross gave Slimbridge Keeper Ellis Parker no chance.

There was still time for Marley Thomas to rattle the Thornbury Bar with a long range effort, and McKinnon to have his effort saved, leaving the teams to go in level. 

The second half started well for the home side, who began to create chances – Hawes, McKinnon, and Hands all had opportunities which came to nothing early in the second period. 

However, it was the visitors who took the lead on 54 minutes, when a quick counter attack saw Pritchard put Thornbury into the lead for the first time. 

The game became end to end – A probing run from Theo Clayson saw him denied by a superb double save from Welsh, while Rhys Hodgson’s Free Kick at the other end went wide via the Slimbridge post. 

On the hour, Marley Thomas went close with a deflected shot, and Hunt saw a header just find the roof of the net as the home side pressed. 

But Thornbury were still proving dangerous, and it took a good save from Parker to deny Hodgson’s effort outside the Slimbridge box. 

On 75 minutes, the game turned on it’s head – Clayson’s cross into the Thornbury box was cleared to Jack Smith and he drilled the ball home for the equaliser.

That was Clayson’s last contribution as he was replaced by Edji Mbunga, and the change paid off immediately for the Swans – Mbunga’s cross on 78 minutes saw Hawes flick a header home to put Slimbridge into the lead. 

Four minutes later, the same combination saw Hawes convert his second from another Mbunga cross to put the Swans two goals to the good. 

With three minutes remaining, a scramble in the Thornbury box saw Joe Guest penalised for handball on the goal line and earn himself a red card, giving Slimbridge a penalty. Hawes converted the spot kick to record his hat trick. 

There was still time for Mbunga and Hands to have good efforts off target before the game finally drew to a close. 

Slimbridge continue their Hellenic League campaign on Tuesday when they entertain Wantage Town at Thornhill Park (7.45pm), before started their FA Vase campaign on Saturday with a home time against Lydney Town. 

Team: Parker, Hunt, Clayson (Mbunga 75), Hands, Hitchings, Prictor, McKinnon Jaggers 83), Blackie, Neill, (Hawes 22) Smith, Thomas

Goals: McKinnon 10, Smith 75, Hawes 78, 82, 87 (Penalty)

Supporters Man of the Match: Marley Thomas