Ardley need to bounce back from exit

Ardley United manager Paul Davis saw his side go out of cup

Davis saw his side go out of the Hellenic League Floodlit Cup in Tuesday’s semi-final, going down 2-0 against Lydney Town.

Lydney took the lead in the fifth minute when skipper Jamie Addis was allowed the freedom to push forward and thump the ball past keeper Nick Bennion.

The home side eventually threatened when Jack Ross screwed a shot wide before Declan Benjamin’s free-kick just eluded Chris Jackson.

Joel Meade exchanged passes with Nathaniel Lewars and his cross found Benjamin whose shot took a kind deflection for keeper Richard Thomas to claim.

Bennion turned away Declan Morley-Lyne’s shot but another Ardley corner saw Bradley Cox’s header cleared off the line by a defender.

After the restart Jack Ross crossed to Troy Bryan who turned and shot wide before Lewars crossed for Benjamin who headed over.

Leam Howards tried an overhead kick which Thomas saved before a defensive slip allowed Morley-Lyne in but he fired wide.

Cox had a shot blocked, Howards fired straight at Thomas who also denied Ross as the visitors defended in depth.

Jamie Addis fired straight at Bennion before Kerry Hale scooped over the bar from the edge of the box. Bryan cushioned a header down into the path of Carl Tappin who fired straight at Thomas. Bennion saved from Lewis Halford before Benjamin’s free-kick was tipped over by Thomas.

But with a minute left Jack Rutter received the ball 20 yards from goal and he looped a shot over Bennion and into the top corner to book his side’s place in the final.

Davis said: “Going out at the semi-final stage of any competition is hard. For the first 15 minutes we were as bad as we have ever been this season.

“We improved as the game wore on and created a lot of chances but failed to convert any of them. On another day we’d have scored six or seven from the amount of chances we had.

“I don’t want to make excuses as Lydney deserved to win the game, their game plan was executed brilliantly. But when we are not at the races we really are not at the races.

“It’s now up to the players to pick themselves up. We have another cup quarter-final and a league game that can see us finish in top five or six, and we need to finish the season on a high.”