Clevedon Town 2 Bristol Manor Farm 5

Clevedon Town 2 Bristol Manor Farm 5
By the end Bristol Manor Farm had too much about them for their spirited hosts
to handle in this vibrant and hugely entertaining FA Cup tie at The Hand
Stadium on Saturday.
Drinks breaks were necessary in both halves of a sweltering afternoon so hot
that you might have readily forgiven the players if they’d have leant back on the
throttle a bit in a bid to conserve some energy. Not a bit of it. Both teams went
at this game with great vigour and purpose which made for a pacey, skillful
game peppered with flashes of great one-touch football and plenty of attacking
action with quality goals. Everything you’d want in a cup tie.
Lloyd Mills probably had a little bit more time than he thought he had when
rising to meet a 2 nd minute corner for The Farm however, the defender looking
almost surprised to go unchallenged in directing his header just wide of the
Clevedon post.
Both teams were eager to attack and get their tackles in. This inevitably perhaps
led to the games opening goal being scored from a penalty – Clevedon’s Elliot
Nicholson winning the spot kick in the 8 th minute while jinking wide in the box.
George King converted emphatically from 12 yards and the Hand Stadium rang
to the cheers of The Seasiders.
There were murmurs of a possible upset amongst the home fans but they didn’t
last for long as Lewis Bamford placed a well-directed header from an Ashley
Kington free-kick wide on the left into the top corner of the net for a Tenth-
minute Farm equaliser.
The game ebbed and flowed throughout the first half but it was Clevedon who
came closest to scoring during the 45 th minute when King – a positive threat for
the hosts for much of the afternoon – slipped into the Farm penalty area and
smacked a low drive off of the foot of the left hand post and away to safety.
Half-time, some welcome refreshment, 1-1 and ready to go again.
Much of the crowd was still returning to it’s seats with cold drinks when Manor
Farm struck quickly in the opening minute of the second half.
It was emblematic of The Portwaymen’s general approach when seasoned Farm
maestro Jordan Metters fed a nice pass through for Joe McClennan to run on to
and finish powerfully past the Clevedon ‘keeper.

Farm keeper Ben John, fresh from the heroics of a last-minute penalty save in
midweek gathered safely low down in the 50 th minute to maintain his sides 2-1
lead with Clevedon spiritedly looking for an equaliser. Minutes later the home
side were reduced to 10 men when Zach Drew was dismissed for a challenge on
Farm skipper Steve Kingdon. Tom Creed between the Clevedon sticks made a
smart save to deny Joe Tumelty when the youngster had been played in again by
Metters and John did well to hold on to a well-struck volley from Harry Smith
with the tie an hour old.
It was Farm substitute Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist who stretched the visitors
advantage to 3-1 ten minutes later. As play developed from a corner that he
himself had won, Leigh-Gilchrist moved through the inside-right channel before
drilling a low shot neatly past Creed.
After a second drinks break in the 72 nd minute George King played a nice one-
two before whipping a nice shot that curled away from the near post and wide.
It was a reminder that even at 1-3 Clevedon still posed a threat. And it was the
biggest threat, George King, that did finally get his team back in it when he
snuck in at the back post to squeeze the ball home in the 78 th minute.
Again however Clevedon’s elation was short-lived when Tumelty again found
space in the inside right position, running clear before finishing with a coolly
placed effort back across Creed.
Farm were in danger of running rampage when left-back Mason Winter
pounced on a ball in midfield in the 89th th minute, playing a nice one-two with
substitute Jordan Rogers before stroking the ball sweetly beyond Creed for 5-2.
There was to be no way back for the plucky Seasiders and Lee Lashenko’s
strong-armed Portwaymen were worthy victors on the day and now take their
deserved place in the Qualifying Rounds on the long road to Wembley.
STAR MAN (Jordan Metters, Bristol Manor Farm)