Swans Joint Manager Tom Deakin said that Saturday’s draw against Hereford Pegasus at Thornhill Park on Saturday was probably ‘Two points dropped’, although he was pleased that ‘results elsewhere helped us a little bit.’ 

The draw sees Slimbridge remain in fourth spot in the Hellenic Premier League, although with Cinderford and Highworth Town both within touching distance, and both with three games in hand, the end of the season will be nothing if not interesting until the conclusion. 

George Neill had put the Swans ahead, before Cawley Cox equalised before the break. A Jack Gittoes penalty looked to have nicked the points for Pegasus, but a late penalty for Slimbridge converted by Shiyak Sutherland saw the sides share the points. 

The previous game between the two teams, which was abandoned after 26 minutes with Slimbridge two goals to the good, but this one saw a cagey start from both sides. Sam Blackie and Jack Smith both saw efforts thwarted, while a promising break for Pegasus saw Ellis Parker booked after just 7 minutes for a foul outside his box on the approaching Pegasus attacker. 

It was 16 minutes before the visitors had their first dangerous attack – Cawley Cox, who was a danger all through the game, just failed to connect with a dangerous cross before, six minutes later, he forced Parker into a good save. 

On 25 minutes, the deadlock was broken when Shiyak Sutherland’s cross ran to Rudi McKinnon, whose effort on goal was blocked, but George Neill was on hand to sweep the ball home and put the hosts ahead. 

A series of chances for Slimbridge as they took the momentum were off target, and they were subsequently punished when Cox played a 1-2 inside the Slimbridge penalty area and drilled the ball past Parker to level things up five minutes before the break. 

Slimbridge continued to create the better chances, and in first half stoppage time, Jack Smith just failed to meet Sam Blackie’s cross, and after Sutherland had his effort blocked, McKinnon was off target with an overhead kick. 

With the replacement of Myron Turner with a hamstring pull by Ben Hands at half time, it was Hands who made an immediate impact, setting up Jack Smith for an effort that was just wide. 

Cox continued to trouble the Swans back line and was off target with another effort two minutes later. 

Play continued to go from end to end, and after Bogdan Mara’s shot was deflected for a corner, Neill was too high with his effort for the Swans. At the other end, a dangerous effort from Harry Pitman brought a good save from Parker to keep the teams level. 

With 68 minutes gone, the visitors took the lead – Harrison Coker was penalised for a tackle on Jack Gittoes in the Slimbridge box, and Gittoes got up to put the resulting penalty past Parker. 

Pegasus looked to kill the game off, and Carlos Moreira was off target a few minutes later, while Neill saw his shot blocked, with Blackie’s follow up wide at the other end. 

In the final minute of regular time, Slimbridge drew level. Theo Clayson’s break down the right saw him round Pegasus Keeper Matt Gwynne and cross the ball into the Pegasus Box. George Neill’s goalbound header was punched away by Pegasus Captain Lewis Fletcher, who received a straight red card for his troubles. The resulting penalty was converted by Sutherland to level the scores. 

With eight minutes of stoppage time indicated, which ended being ten played, there was plenty of time for a winning goal, and it was Slimbridge who looked as if they would nick it, but superb saves by Gwynne from McKinnon and Neill saw the sides end an entertaining afternoon level. 

Speaking after the game Tom Deakin was philosophical about the outcome – ‘We were a bit frustrated at the end – it probably is two points dropped on our behalf, although results elsewhere helped us a little bit. We were a little bit flat early on, I think, the goal sort of woke us up, and then we’ve given them a sloppy goal. Then, second half, again, another sloppy goal – the penalty – it was a penalty, just unfortunate for Harrison, and then the last 15-20 minutes, we seemed to come to life. Their Keeper has made, two, three four? Really good saves, and then after the penalty at the end when the lads gets sent off was just ‘Can we nick one?’. It was one of those afternoons really. 

At half time we said we’d got to be a little bit more composed and be better on the ball. Our key players needed to step it up a little bit more I think, Handsy to be fair to him came in for Myron at Half Time, and got us going straight away – we nearly scored. Then it was just a matter of how patient we could be, the penalty obviously changed things a little bit for us, but bringing Theo on created more chances for us, exploited their left back, and we got the goal that we deserved. I’m not wuite sure if we deserved three points or not. 

The game on Saturday against Wootton Bassett is going to be a tough game – they are a good side with a good Manager. We know what to expect from them on and off the pitch. It’s going to be a competitive game, probably not one to be missed, I’d have thought, down here. 

We’ve got to give it everything we can now, we’ve got three games left, it’s still in our hands, and we’ve got to keep looking at it that way.’

Slimbridge are back at Thornhill Park next Saturday (30^th , 3.00pm) when they host Royal Wootton Bassett Town.

Team: Parker, Mara, Coker (Prictor 76), Turner (Hands 45), Dennis, Hitchings, McKinnon, Smith (Clayson 74), Neill, Blackie, Sutherland

Goals: Neill 25, Sutherland (Penalty) 89

Supporters Club Man of the Match: Shiyak Sutherland