Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Match Report by Andy Buchan
After a superb win away at Tiverton, who are one of the favourites to win the league, expectations were high for our first home game against Evesham United who incidentally have become one of our bogey teams at the Corinium.
On a warm August evening in front of a crowd numbering 127 Cirencester were playing the first half towards the shed end.
Ciren got off to a bright start playing good flowing football and we all thought here we go again this is in the bag, when a Evesham ball into the box in the 5th minute looked harmless enough and former Ciren player Marcus Palmer got a touch on the ball which bounced over the outstretched hands of Glyn Garner to give the visitors an early lead.
Minutes later Will Morford the Ciren No 9 showed great pace seeing off two defenders before seeing his right footed shot from the right whistle past the far post.
With 30 minutes gone Evesham were certainly having the better of it with Palmer causing lots of problems for the Ciren defence, it could have been 2-0 when Carl Brown, another former Ciren player, was through the middle with only Garner to beat but his flicked attempt was anticipated by Garner and cleared.
Ciren had a good last five minutes of the first half with plenty of crosses going in which the Evesham keeper John Bateman dealt with well.
The first half finished with Evesham having that one goal advantage, but here at Cirencester we now have a very tidy squad of players and the feeling amongst the Ciren supporters was ''were not out of this yet''.
The second half started with the flood lights on and an air of expectancy could be felt around the ground and we were not to be disappointed with the next 45 mins of action.
In the first quarter, Ciren were the busier of the two teams with Will Morford creating chances down the left linking well with Matt Liddiard and Ellis Dunton. Our back four, led by Shayne Anson (capt), Leigh Henry, Chris Holland and Dunton all having an outstanding game curtailing the lively strike force of Evesham.
James Mortimer-Jones and Joe Shepherd were now begining to control the middle of the pitch, picking up the loose balls and threading them down both flanks for the speedy Lee Smith and Steve Davies.
Ciren made their first substitution bringing on Aiden Bennett for Matt Liddiard. Minutes later Evesham had a rare attack and from just inside the box Neil Barnford skewed the ball over the bar.
Ciren levelled the score in the 65th min when, after a long Dunton throw-in, the ball bounced up at the far post and Lee Smith burried it high into the roof of the net giving the keeper no chance. It was a well deserved equaliser as Ciren were now playing all the football.
With 20 minutes left Ciren were now in complete control and surely it was only a matter of time before they scored again. Ciren went close on several occasions with Morford, Henry and Holland all going close, and then it came. After another long throw-in from Dunton this time it was Davies who from 12 yards out smashed the ball into the roof of the net giving Ciren a well deserved lead.
In the 80th minute Morford who has been carrying a knee injury came off to a great Ciren ovation being replaced with Sam Collier, for the last 10 mins. It was all Ciren with both Davies and Smith rampant when attacking the Evesham defence. Whenever Davies ran at them you could almost see the terror on the Evesham defenders' faces. and Collier was putting himself about and causing the Evesham defence all sorts of problems.
As the game drew to a close there was only one team going to win with Ciren looking the more dangerous right up to the final whistle.
This was certainly a game of two halves with Evesham edging the first. However Ciren overwhelmed Evesham in the second and ran out worthy winners.
We now have another tough game on Saturday at home against Bridgwater so we need all your support. Kick off is at 3pm.
Lastly we now have a new programme designed and produced by one of our members Terry Keogh don't forget to pick one up at the turnstyle. It is packed with up to date information and I would go as far to say the quality is that good, you won't find better anywhere in this leauge or even, dare I say, in the pro-ranks.
The first Four Pillars Hotel Man of the Match Award of the season was presented to Joe Shepherd.
Attendance: 127
Referee: Benjamin James
Cirencester Town:
1. Glyn Garner
2. Shayne Anson (C)
3. Ellis Dunton
4. James Mortimer-Jones
5. Chris Holland
6. Leigh Henry
7. Joe Shepherd
8. Matt Liddiard
9. Will Morford
10. Steve Davies
11. Lee Smith
12. Jon Beedon
14. Sam Collier (on for Will Morford - 80 mins)
15. Aidan Bennett (on for Matt Liddiard - 60 mins)
16. Brad Hooper
17. Tim Bond
Evesham United:
1. John Bateman
2. Marcus Jackson
3. Jared Wilson
4. Marc Richards
5. Matt Sysum
6. Mitchell Bloomfield
7. Carl Brown
8. Neil Barnfield
9. Marcus Palmer
10, Linden Dovey
11. Michael Tambling
12. Andre Rodrigues
14. Tim Clarke
15. Joshua Gould
16. Adam Millard
17. Daniel Holloway