Two goals in the final ten minutes of the game saw Slimbridge through to the next round of the Wiseman Lighting Floodlit Cup, after a very entertaining evening at Thornhill Park, played between two teams who were both determined to play attractive football. 

Smith, who came on in the 65^th minute to replace Edji Mbunga, notched two late strikes in the 81^st and 88^thminutes to win the tie for the home side. 

Swans Joint Manager Tom Deakin was delighted at the final whistle – ‘Job done in the end – we gave the lads the objective tonight of a clean sheet. We needed that and that was what we wanted to go with tonight. That helps you progress to the next round. They (Inkberrow) are a good, very well organised side, I’d be very surprised if they’re not in the top two or three at the end of the season in (Hellenic League) Division One, and we don’t see them in Hellenic Prem next season. 

This is a good game for us to have had, and for us, it’s getting back on that winning mentality. This club at first team level hasn’t won a trophy for many years, and it gives us a big opportunity to win something, so our whole team talk tonight was about winning something for this club for this season. Hopefully tonight is one step towards that pathway. 

It’s a little bit frustrating that we haven’t taken our chances early on, which would have made it a bit more comfortable for us, and then Jack made an impact off the bench, which was what we wanted. 

If you’re going to win competitions, you’ve got to have a strong back line – with Ellis we’ve got one of, if not, the best goalkeepers in the League. Some of the saves he made tonight, you can see what he can do. The back four was solid, even though we mixed it around a bit, and we felt we were comfortable tonight, which is something that we continue to build on in the coming weeks.’

The main highlight of a quiet first 15 minutes saw a superb save from Inberrow’s Keeper Ben Ladds to a point blank Mbunga header with just four minutes on the clock. 

Inkberrow were certainly not overawed by their higher division opponents, and some clever play on 21 minutes saw Tom Emblem foiled by a good save from Ellis Parker to deny the visitors a lead. 

Three minutes later, an audacious effort from Rudi McKinnon saw him attempt to lob Ladds from the halfway line, but the Swans man was off target. 

Just before the break, Sam Blackie went close for Slimbridge, but his effort found the side netting after a good break down the Swans' right, and then Ladds made another good stop from Myron Turner to send the teams in level at the break. 

Inkberrow had the better of the early second half exchanges, with Declan Green failing to take a couple of good chances, before the Slimbridge substitution paid off. Firstly, Smith was left with a little too much space in the Inkberrow box, and drilled the ball past Ladd to put the home side ahead. 

After Ellis Parker had made another important stop to prevent an equaliser, Marley Thomas played in Smith, who beat his man before notching the second to secure the win.

Inkberrow were not finished though, and it took a superb block from Ben Hands to deny them a goal back in stoppage time, but Slimbridge held on for the victory. 

Team: Parker, Clayson (Hunt 65), Prictor, Blackie, Dennis (Mara 60), Hitchings, McKinnon, Turner, Gardener, Neill, Mbunga (Smith 65)

Goals: Smith 81, 88

Supporters Club Man of the Match: Ellis Parker