MATCH REPORT SAT 13 SEPTEMBER 2025
GLADWISH CHALLENGE TROPHY 1ST ROUND
LETCHWORTH GC EAGLES 2 LONG BUCKBY 2
{EAGLES WIN 5-4 ON PENALTIES)
After conceding two goals early in the game Eagles staged a remarkable recovery in the final stages to equalise in the last minute of play and then win the game on penalties.
With less than 5 minutes played Long Buckby went ahead after a free kick from near half way reached the Long Buckby centre forward near the edge of the penalty area, who was given far too much space to turn and score with a low shot into goal. Things nearly got worse for Letchworth 10 minutes later following a break by Long Buckby down the left side. George Coomes the Eagles keeper was forced to make a blocking save with his feet in the goal area with a forward clear on goal. As the ball ran loose it was blasted high over the crossbar.
The visitors dominated play in the first half and nearly scored after 20 minutes when an inswinging corner was blocked by Eagles defence for another corner. That was only cleared a few yards outside the penalty area and a low shot found the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Relief was short lived. A couple of minutes later a low cross from the goal line was miskicked by a defender and the ball fell to a waiting forward, who scored with a low shot into the net.
Eagles defence continued to make mistakes and a pass out of the penalty area went straight to a Long Buckby forward whose low shot was once more blocked by the feet of the Eagles keeper. He then had to make a superb double save to deny a goal after Eagles defence was caught out by a long ball downfield.
Eagles came more into the game as the second half continued. After 72 minutes Shay Kelly ran at the Long Buckby defence and shot from just outside the penalty area, but straight at the keeper. A few minutes later he did score when he seized on a loose ball and passed it into the net from inside the penalty area after bursting past covering defenders. A few minutes later a high cross from the right touchline forced the visiting keeper to tip the ball over the crossbar as he stood on the goal line.
At the other end after 82 minutes a Long Buckby forward broke clear of the defence and Coomes had to make a great save to prevent a certain goal.3 minutes later it was the opposition keeper who was called into action when following a great attacking move by Eagles the ball was crossed into the penalty area, reaching a sliding Rory Gillham at the far post, but the keeper managed to smother the ball a couple of yards from the goal line.
As the game went into added time Eagles wasted a couple of chances with shots from outside the penalty area going high and wide of goal. Long Buckby also had a good chance to score when attacking forwards outnumbered Eagles defenders, but the final shot from inside the penalty area was wide of goal. Then total drama in the final minute of the game. Eagles sent a long throw deep into the Long Buckby penalty area and Gillham scrambled the ball into net from close range.
The game then went to penalties. Both sides missed a penalty before Coomes made a great save to push away the 6th penalty taken by Long Buckby, and Shay Kelly scored with Eagles 6th penalty, giving Eagles an unexpected victory in a cup tie full of incident and action.
