“The fact we’ve gone behind late and got something is a massive positive" - Slimbridge boss Tom Deakin on Hereford Pegasus draw
Slimbridge manager Tom Deakin was delighted with his side's resilience as substitute Will Hawes turned home an 87th minute equaliser at Thornhill Park against Hereford Pegasus in the Hellenic League Premier Division.
“Whenever we go behind we don’t get anything from games,” Deakins said. “It’s the beginning with this group and we are going to keep building.”
Pegasus opened the scoring in the 81st minute when Isaac Cooper’s left footed free-kick was steered into the bottom right corner by an unmarked Rory Thompson.
Substitute Hawes was able to secure a point for the Swans when his sliding effort at the back post deflected into the Hereford goal off keeper Mathew Apperley.
Slimbridge were denied in the opening minutes after Apperley pushed Callum Dark’s effort from six yards, onto the bar.
“If we’d have scored early then that would’ve settled us down a bit,” said Deakin.
“When we do score early on our momentum seems to kick on that little bit more and in these types of games, where it was quite tight, scoring first puts us in a great position for later in the game.”
Pegasus’ first chance came after Theo Clayson gave away possession to Niro Gowran, who beat Slimbridge captain Joe Hunt and shot straight into Kieran Winstone’s hands.
From a goal-kick Clayson headed the ball into Dark who flicked it through to James Tainton, but one on one couldn’t slot past the Pegasus keeper.
The Swans thought they had the lead when Dark tapped home the rebound but he was deemed offside.
The hosts were then stopped again by a superb Apperley save. This time Rhys Sarson was able to turn on halfway, playing a perfectly weighted through ball to Tainton who fired straight at the keeper.
Dark was involved again 10 minutes before half time linking up with Tainton again who turned and spread the ball wide right to Shutt. The winger was able to beat his man and deliver a cross through the six yard box where Dark couldn’t direct his sliding effort goalward.
“We probably should have been two up at half-time, I don’t think they threatened us,” Deakin said. “Everything was put in place at half-time for us to go on second half.”
Sarson looked to provide again with a through ball to a well-timed run by Shutt. The winger’s one on one was brilliantly tipped wide of the post from Apperley.
In the 55th minute striker Sarson had his best chance of the game when the resulting corner was struck to the near post and he headed over from inside the six yard box.
Swan’s keeper Winstone produced a fine save to deny Zach Johnston and recovered quickly to block Gowran’s follow up. “That double save was massive in the game. It just revitalised us a little bit,” said Deakin. “Winstone’s been superb since he stepped up from the Under-18s.”
With 10 minutes left in the game, Cooper delivered an accurate free kick from deep onto the penalty spot where Thompson was ready to convert past Winstone for the visitors.
Two minutes after his 85th minute substitution, Hawes equalised for the Swans.
Henri Parry-Williams played a spectacular outside of the foot pass to Hawes whose cross ran through to Shutt.
He was set the ball to Evans who delivered a deep ball which a sliding Hawes was able to put into the goal off the Pegasus keeper.
“The lads stuck with it and worked hard second half,” the Slimbridge boss explained.
“The chances we created first half we should have been in front. We showed good character to get a goal back and get a point out of it.”
“The whole game is a positive. It’s been a tough year with availability and today how they’ve played and what they’ve done, we seem to have found something."
Slimbridge: Winstone, Hunt (c) (Nsangou-Dijha 71), Evans, Parry-Williams, Dennis, Soule, Clayson, Dark, Shutt, Tainton (Hawes 85), Sarson Subs not used: Mills, Welch, Wasley.
Hereford Pegasus: Apperley, E. Dallaway (Price 68), Cooper, Thompson, Cuthbertson (c), Striunga, Burgess, W Dallaway, Gowran, Summers (80’ Hayes), Johnston (Rose 68). Subs not used: Hipwell, Gwynne.