The scoreline should have been more comfortable given the number of chances the Kingfishers created, but Yash Romeo's side take four points from the two encounters.

The winner came on 26 minutes when Ben Portbury won possession in his own half, advanced forward and slipped the ball in to Christian Johnson. His lay off to Mo Ceesay was returned and Johnson cut in from the right and tucked the ball under the keeper.

Earlier on Ceesay had struck the foot of the post after Kyle Daniel-Spray’s surging run, while both players plus Jadyn Dundas each had shots kept out by Lewis Adams. Meanwhile Cinderford were mostly limited to scraps from corners and long throws into the box.

In the second half Cinderford changed their approach, taking risks to play out from the back while committing more men forward. Thatcham won possession in dangerous areas at times but failed to grab a second goal to make life more comfortable.

After Portbury headed into the keeper’s arms, Adams then made a great save from Andy Matthews’s header following Callum Willmoth’s inswinging cross. Oli Bourne headed narrowly wide from a corner then Jamie Davies saw a drive from distance deflected wide.

Although the main danger man Alex Bonthron was kept quiet, Cinderford were always in the game and Joe Keeping was found in space down the left in the closing minutes but drove wide. The goalkeeper came up for a couple of late corners and with the game’s last touch a visiting player flicked the ball goalwards but it landed in the arms of James Sharlott as he and the team kept a clean sheet to earn three much-needed points.

Team : James Sharlott, Ben Portbury, Shyam Taank, Callum Willmoth, Oli Bourne, Andy Matthews, Jadyn Dundas, Dan Smith, Christian Johnson, Mo Ceesay, Kyle Daniel-Spray
Subs on : Shamar Moore, Jamie Davies, Jenson Mansel, Lewis Slade