Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
On a warm summers evening the Centurions welcomed the Tigers to the Corinium Stadium for what was to prove a tough competitive game.
As in the games against Swindon Town and Forest Green Rovers, Gloucester were playing the first half towards the arena.
As early as the 2nd minute Glos launched an early fright for the home team when Mike Green made a run down the right to the by-line his cross was left by Capt. Shane Anson and keeper Glyn Garner and reached a shocked Matt Groves at the back post, whose left footed clipped shot ended up high and wide.
Within minutes Ciren had an equal opportunity from a corner which saw Joe Shepherd’s header finish in the safe hands of the Tigers keeper, in the 12th min Lewis Hogg played a short free kick off to Darren Mullings whose ferocious shot narrowly missed at the near post, Shepherd produced some intelligent football seeing the tigers keeper off his line from 40 yards hit a lob shot destined for the net and it was only the quick peddle back by the keeper who managed to take the ball high.
The first half was a very even affair with both sides having goal scoring opportunities. However everything changed on the stroke of half time when Lee Smith ran into the opposition's box on a goal bound run when he was chopped to the ground. Referee Stacey Woodley did not hesitate in awarding Ciren a penalty. Steve Davies made the perfect spot kick sending the keeper the wrong way and firing the ball low and hard into the opposite corner giving Ciren a 1-nil half time lead.
Ciren came out in the second half as they finished the first with Dean Bromley seeing his dead ball effort fly over the bar, 3 minutes later the score was level after a Tigers corner. Mullings raced forward to the near post and flicked his header past Garner with the ball finding the net coming off the far post.
In the 64th min the Tigers were to take the lead after a superb run by Hogg into the right side of the box before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the far corner of the net, a minute later it was to be 3-1 to the Tigers when Scott Wilson saw Garner was off his line and lobbed him from 30 yards.
In the 69th min Ciren made 3 substitutions. Considering the quality of the Tigers three goals it was unlikely we would see anything further this evening that could surpass them!
However in the 70th min an overhead kick 8 yards out from Chris Holland bought out a great save from the Tigers keeper who managed to tip it around the post for a corner if! It had of gone in, it would surely have been the goal of the season! From the corner it was that man Holland again getting good contact with his headed attempt which powered over the bar.
The Tigers tied the game up in the 74th minute after a thumping header from substitute Will Morford which nearly ripped out the back of the net giving Garner no chance,
Ciren came close on a few more occasions, none more so than in the 84th minute when a stray ball found James Mortimer-Jones who from 35 yards unleashed a right footed thunderbolt which screamed over the bar like an exorcist missile!
At the final whistle Ciren were well beaten 1-4 by a good Gloucester team who’s four goals were of the highest quality. It was also a good display from Cirencester with plenty of entertaining and quality football played the only real difference was the four well taken goals.
Cirencester Town: G. Garner, S. Anson, E. Dunton, J. Mortimer-Jones, C. Holland, L. Henry, J. Shepherd (Hooper 69), D. Bromley (Beedon 69), L. Smith, S. Davies, A. Bennett (Collier 69)
Subs Not Used: S. Packer, J. Bevan
Gloucester City: MJ. Green, MF. Green, T. Weir, M. Coupe, J. Harris, M. Liddiard (T. Webb 61), L. Hogg, S. Turl (Tracey 70), D. Edwards (W. Morford 70), D. Mullings (S.Wilson 61), M. Groves (J. Edge 53)
Subs Not Used: R. Batten