Longlevens AFC reserves co-manager Ben Symons insists his side “doesn’t fear anyone” ahead of their Gloucestershire County Football League clash at AFC Mangotsfield Rocks.
Symons side have been on a good run of form, four unbeaten and come off the back of a 4-1 win over Totterdown United solidified their third place position in the league.
On the upcoming clash he said, “All these games that we’ve played, nobody gives you a free game, especially going away from home on an astroturf facility there, we like to get it down and play some football.
“But I think they lost their manager a couple of weeks ago. So obviously somebody’s coming in with that to give them a little bit of a bounce.”
The reserve team often cycles through players due to first team call ups and the demand in which that requires, but sometimes first team players make the drop and play for them.
“Those sorts of things are very rare this day and age, we’ve got a good sort of club mentality with all the players that drop in and perform. We start these players when they drop down because that’s the club rule. And I advocate that all the time.
“So they come in and put in a shift as well. Also, because we’ve got a good team bond, they sort of build into it.”
Jack Beardsell is one of the recent first team players who has made this drop and scored in their 7-0 win over Stoke Gifford SGS United.
“They (the first team) had a big FA Vase game up at Cirencester and it was easy for him to go an watch as he was unavailable for that game, and he made himself available to play for us for the first half, which helped us. And then he obviously went up there and watched the game.”
Rylan Snelgrove was called up to the first team on Saturdays cup fixture away at Fairford after being in the reserves for consistent weeks.
“Rylan is a tremendous player. I mean, joined us two seasons ago now from Hardwick. We knew his dad and he came across because he wasn’t getting much game time at Hardwick.
“So he’s developing and learning. He’s still a young lad but as you deal with these boys, they turn into men. And he’s an exceptional talent, really.”
Findlay Rankin hasn’t yet made the call up but Symons is positive it will happen soon: “He’s hitting some form, scoring some goals and coming back from a little bit of a hamstring issue. So yeah, we’ve got some good talent that can make that step, which is good for them and that’s what we’re there for, is to give them that platform.”
