Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
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After three weeks without a game could the centurions continue their winning form?
Cirencester were without their injured skipper Jamie Reid but did have Chris Thompson back in the defence.
Ciren were on the attack from the kick off and it was in the fourth minute from a Ben Wells corner that saw Brad Hooper rise well and power a header goal bound only for the keeper to make a good save. Within minutes Ciren had another opportunity after Sam Collier put in a good cross which Aiden Bennett headed wide.
It was proving difficult for both sides to play good passing football on this hard bumpy pitch. Hooper went close again after Winchester could only clear and from 30 yards he fired a low hard drive through a clearing defence but the keeper was up to the task again making a fine save. However in the 14th minute there was nothing he could do from a Bennett cross which swung viciously in the air and curled into the far top corner leaving the keeper stranded. 6 minutes later it was Bennett again on the ball who hit a great cross with his left foot to the back post finding Shane Bumphrey on his own and with just the keeper to beat he aimed his headed attempt narrowly missing the top far corner.
In the 27th minute Ciren played the best football in the game so far when Ellis Dunton made a good run and put a ball straight at Collier. He laid an inch perfect header back into the path of Wells who hit a sublime lobbed/shot into the top right hand corner giving Ciren a 2 nil lead.
10 minutes later Wells was back into the action starting another good Ciren move when on the right he sent a pin point cross over to the back post for Bumphrey who headed into the path of Collier who bravely went in and volleyed past the keeper making it 3-0. It remained this way until half time.
Ciren continued the second half in the same fashion as the first. The whole team, as in previous weeks, were playing as a well oiled machine. Although Glyn Garner had little to do he was still vocal in his support of the back four who had been untroubled in the first half, with Hooper, Wells and Mortimer-Jones dominating the midfield, supporting the tireless work of Collier, who was a constant thorn in the Winchester defence as was Bennett and Bumphrey.
It was an early run down the right from Bennett who laid the ball off to Hooper. He then returned to Bennett and, with three defenders challenging him, he somehow managed to battle through and send in a penetrating cross which eluded the Ciren attack and was cleared for a corner. From the corner a Dunton header whistled over the bar.
Ciren were looking for that fourth goal and in the 53rd minute, after Bumphrey was fouled outside the box, Ben Wells (the magician) lined up to take the free kick. The referee was intent on getting the defence back 10 yards and when he was happy he blew for the kick to be taken. Wells hit it over the jumping defence with swerve finding the top right hand corner.
Ciren should have made it 5 in the 63rd min after Bumphrey had put Collier through with only the keeper to beat before being pulled back by the Winchester No 5 the ref pointed to the penalty spot which Collier took hitting it low and hard, but the keeper went down and the right way making a good save.
There was a severe injustice minutes later when Dunton received a red card. Bumphrey was on the floor trying to gain control of the ball when a defender started kicking aimlessly, some of which were landing in Bumphrey’s back. All Dunton did was to push the offending defender away and this created mayhem with all the players pilling in. The ref also sent off the Winchester No 4.
Ciren made two changes in the 66th min with Bennett and Collier coming off with Sam Packer and Scott Griffin on, 3 minutes later Jon Beedon replaced Bumphrey.
Full Time Winchester 0-4 Cirencester.
Another fine Ciren display, with four excellent goals, on a difficult pitch from the whole team the same of which we shall need for our local derby against Shortwood on Bank holiday Monday at the Corinium Stadium.
We are still top of the current form guide with Shortwood in fifth place. However they are one place above us in the league with a game in hand, so this is a definite six pointer and is certain to be a cracking game with both teams in good form.
Attendance: 33
Cirencester Town:
1. Glyn Garner
2. Shayne Anson (C)
3. Ellis Dunton
4. Chris Thompson
5. Leigh Henry
6. James Mortimer-Jones
7. Brad Hooper
8. Ben Wells
9. Sam Collier
10. Aidan Bennett
11. Shane Bumphrey
12. Scott Griffin (on for Sam Collier - 64 mins)
14. Sam Packer (on for Aidan Bennett - 64 mins)
15. Jon Beedon (on for Shane Bumphrey - 71 mins)