6th September 2026 - Les James League Cup - Sponsored by Boca Teamwear
Mark Simpson
The first round of the Les James League Cup started Friday evening with a win for Longlevens Reserves over Chalford by 3-2 and a crowd over 100, the rest of the ties on Saturday produced some interesting results the top of which must be the University of Bristol turning over Filton Athletic by 7-0. There were also emphatic wins for Broadwell, Stoke Gifford, and Wick.
In a turn of fortunes Wick started the game against Bishops Cleeve Development at Oldbury Lane with an energy missing from the previous weeks; however, they gifted Cleeve a third minute goal when Gigov in the Wick goal under hit a pass which was intercepted by Solomon Osinuga who slotted home. But, two minutes later it was all square Louis Short finding the net from a corner, and within a minute Cleeve had a shot just wide. A defensive game this isn’t and on 11 minutes Wick were in the lead when Bailey Rudge latched onto a through ball and found the corner of the net with keeper Parry having no chance. On 27 minutes Rudge steamed into the Cleeve box and was unceremoniously upended and Lewis Densey stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, and only minutes later Parry was forced into a great save. As the half drew to a close Wick failed to clear and Cleeve, fortunately for Wick, fired wide, and in time added on Parry took a long punt and the Cleeve attack was this time thwarted by Gigov, however even deeper into the time added on Wick conceded a penalty which Callum Debonis dispatched to pull a goal back with the last kick of the half – 3-2. The second half began end-to-end but neither keeper was tested. On the hour Rudge raced onto a flicked header but shot wide and on 66 Wick had two great chances with one off the line and a follow up over the bar. On 72 minutes Rudge rattled the Cleeve bar with a 25-yard free kick and Sam Archer smashed the rebound home for Wick’s fourth. Cleeve tried to rally but Wick held firm and progressed into the next round 4-2.
With the Arnall Drive pitch looking more like a football pitch after last weeks rain the home faithful eagerly awaited this first round tie between Henbury & Rockleaze and Ruardean Hill Rangers. After a fast start by the home side, it took until the eighteenth minute for the first real chance when Kane Mannings got the ball 10 yards out but drilled wide and two minutes later Harvey Moran had a chance after some good interplay with Drew Sawdon but again it was wide of the post. It took only another two minutes for the only goal of the game when Mannings slid in to divert the ball home in the six-yard box after a superb threaded ball by Sawdon found Moran whose first time cross was turned in. Both teams huffed and puffed for the remainder of the half with neither keeper being tested. The second half saw much of the same with H&R having most of the possession but struggled to get behind the resolute Ruardean backline. Ruardean had a chance on 53 when Steve Clark cut in from the left-hand side and his shot looked to be in until Harry Trett pulled off a great save to turn the ball for a corner. On the hour it was Aaron Underwood’s turn to save well this time from Sawdon with his legs. The final chance of the game fell to Abdul Bangoura who first time effort sailed over. Not a game for the purists but H&R did enough to go through.
Perfect playing conditions on a bright September afternoon at the SGS stadium where Totterdown United were Stoke Gifford SGS United’s opposition. The opening exchanges were fairly even with both teams trying to gain the advantage but chances were few and far between. Totterdown had the first real chance on 35 minutes but Alex Silvester’s shot was well saved by Will Ferguson. Then, right on the stroke of half time Fin Coombs unleashed a 35-yard shot which Ashley Martin could only parry and Harrison Young tucked home for 1-0 to Gifford at the break. Gifford started the second half quickly and Luke Money’s cross was well put away by Young for his second. It was now all Gifford and Lewis Hedges grabbed a brace in quick succession, both from corners, to give Gifford a commanding lead. Jacob Godfrey did pull one back for Totterdown on 85 minutes but in stoppage time Dan Manley put a brilliant ball into the box which led to a bullet header from Tom Manley to give Gifford a comfortable 5-1 win and a place in the quarter-finals.
It was full-throttle cup drama at Waterwells as Quedgeley Wanderers held their nerve from twelve yards to edge past Tewkesbury Town following a pulsating 2-2 draw in regulation time. Quedgeley got off to a dream start, seizing control of the tie early on and Alfie Pledger broke the deadlock by powering home a well-delivered corner and moments later the hosts doubled their advantage when Jacob Chamberlain finished off a lethal counter-attack for 2-0. However, Town responded instantly and straight from the restart Nathan Newland-Gallaway pulled one back. Shaken by the quick reply Wanderers struggled to re-establish their cushion, and Newland-Gallaway struck again later in the second half to complete a dramatic comeback. With neither side able to break the deadlock the tie went straight into spot-kicks. QW showed good composure converting four of their kicks for a 4-2 shootout victory, with keeper Steve Sparrow saving two of Town’s kicks.
At the Hawthorns Broadwell Amateurs took on AFC Mangotsfield Rocks and there was nearly an early opener for the hosts with a Dan Brain cross came off the top of the bar. Shortly after Jamie Creed got close control in the box and shot through a crowd and forced a good low save by Luke Baker. On 15 minutes Mangotsfield had their first chance, from a corner, which fell to the edge and the shot came through a crowd brought a smart save out of Phil Chovenac. More pressure from Broadwell and in the 40th minute Creed flicked Liam Brain through one-on-one but he shot straight at Baker, and there was still time for another big Broadwell chance with Liam Brain taking a clipped ball over the top for another one-on-one but the Rocks defence did their job. Into the second half an early chance for Creed who nutmegged a defender but shot off balance high and wide. Mangotsfield gained an early corner which came to nothing but it allowed Broadwell to break with Dan Brain who went past two defenders into the box but his shot struck the post and out to safety. The deadlock was broken from a Kian Skidmore corner which fell to Jordi Locke on the edge of the box and his powerful drive took a little deflection for 1-0. A quick fire second with a Dan Brain switch to Creed who cut inside, was tackled, and the ball broke for Liam Brain out on the wing, who took it to the byline, cut back and Harry Knight arrived at the back post to finish for 2-0. The game somewhat livened up when Rocks keeper Baker saw red for a decision he didn’t like and shortly after Rocks had their best chance of the game with a ball over the top and through on goal before Knight illegally stopped the attack but the penalty was missed. It was then Broadwell’s turn when Creed took on his man and was brought down and this time Creed’s kick hit the upright. Creed eventually scored from Liam Brain’s cross for 3-0 and into the next round.
University of Bristol welcomed Filton Athletic to the Coombe Dingle Sports Complex in the LJLC for their first home game at this level. Filton started on the front foot, but it was the University who had the best chance on a breakaway with Jake Wintour hitting over the bar after being one-on-one. This theme continued with Filton dominating the ball and the University taking their next two chances on the break with Sebastien Tolosa slotting both past Filton keeper Tom Evans in quick succession. The game changed shortly after with Filton’s Yusef Abdulrahman shown a straight red for an off the ball confrontation. With the visitor’s down to ten the hosts saw a lot more of the ball but struggled to create anymore chances before half time. After the break however, they found ways to unlock the Filton defence with Tolosa completing his hat-trick from close range. After an indirect free kick for a pass back the University made it four as Nemo Al-Qaq cleverly finished from close range through the bodies on the line. Tolosa scored his fourth with a long-range strike into the bottom corner, before substitute Jai Bhatti scored arguably the goal of the day with a left foot rocket into the top left corner. Arthur Baldwin scored the seventh late on after an error by keeper Evans, which sealed a comfortable 7-0 win for the hosts to progress them to the quarter-finals.
On Friday Night Longlevens Reserves played host to Chalford, after a couple of early corners where Chalford looked dangerous, it was
Theo Bevan that opened the scoring on 6 minutes for Longlevens Reserves. Ryan Vincent hit the bar on the 21st minute
for Chalford. 5 minutes later Chalford were level when Ryan Harry's shot lobbed the Levens keeper. Chalford went ahead
on the 29th minute when Adam Day scored from the near post following a header from a corner. Leo Marsden-Green
followed up a Fin Rankin shot to make the scores level again on the 38th minute with the game going into half time at
2-2.
A quick start to the second half for Longlevens Reserves when in the 46th minute, an excellent ball in by Rylan
Snelgrove was headed in by Brad Martin to give Levens the lead. On the 55th minute, an effort outside the box by Theo
Bevan went narrowly wide. Levens continued to control much of the opening minutes of the second half. On the 68th
minute, Chalford had a dangerous break with a low cross in by Tyrel Roberts almost causing some danger in the Levens
box. Levens continued to control the game and it should have been wrapped up in the 89th minute when Fin Rankin's
square ball was smashed over the bar by Harley Walsh. Chalford almost snatched an equaliser seconds later when a
lofted ball was headed narrowly over the bar. A late flurry of Chalford crosses were defended well by Levens with
Chalford’s last chance going wide and the game finishing 3-2 where Longlevens Reserves progress into the Quarter Final
of the competition.
