FA Carlsberg Trophy – Preliminary Round

Match Report by Dave Pyzer

Following the weekend result Cirencester hosted Didcot Town for the replay of this FA Carlsberg Trophy Preliminary Round match on a perfect evening for football.

Leigh Henry returned to the centre of the defence allowing Shayne Anson to take his usual position at right back. Chris Holland and Ben Prictor completed the back four. As a result of the injury to Joe Shepherd on Saturday James Mortimer-Jones moved back to midfield alongside Brad Hooper and Sean Wood.  The front three was unchanged.

Ciren kicked off playing towards The Shed end and immediately looked more positive than the previous game moving the ball around the pitch with purpose. Such was their dominance it took until the 15th minute before Didcot managed their first shot at the Ciren goal which was well wide of the target.

In the 17th minute Shayne Anson crossed the ball from the right flank into the box and surprisingly it was James Mortimer-Jones who popped up to head the ball over the bar from around the penalty spot – this later proved to be rehearsal.

A couple of minutes later Brad Hooper headed a ball from the edge of the Ciren penalty area, left of centre, into the path of Lee Smith. Smith ran at the back-peddling Didcot defence and played a well weighted ball, between the right back and centre back, for Steve Davies to run onto. Davies’s early shot, as he cut in from the left wing, was saved by visiting ‘keeper Kieran Beesley with his legs.

Almost immediately afterwards Sean Wood collected a ball some 30 yards out, right of centre, and fired in a fierce shot that Beesley did well to tip over the bar.

Around the half hour mark Didcot enjoyed their first sustained period of possession and during this, in the 33rd minute, they were awarded a free kick on their right flank. The ball into the box was laid back by Louis Joyce to Luke Carnell on the edge of the penalty area but the centre back blasted the ball over the bar.

Eight minutes later Cirencester finally got the goal their possession warranted when Chris Holland converted a cross from the right wing by Sean Wood.  Holland powerfully headed the ball down, from outside the centre of the 6 yard box, to just inside the bottom of the right post.  1-0

Cirencester increased their lead three minutes into stoppage time when Ben Prictor made a strong run down the left flank before releasing the ball to Steve Davies on the left edge of the penalty area. Davies took a touch, looked up and calmly placed his shot inside the far right post. 2-0

Half Time:   2 - 0

Almost immediately from the re-start Didcot were awarded a corner on their right flank. Left back Taylor Janes stepped up to take the kick and having seen this move on Saturday (it produced their goal in the opening two minutes) Cirencester goalkeeper Glyn Garner was ready and he punched the ball clear.

Five minutes into the half Didcot opened their account when a persistent Matt Blenford withstood two challenges from home defenders as he made ground into the right side of the penalty area. He unleashed a fierce shot across goal that struck the inside of the far post and rebounded into the net. 2-1

Spurred on by this setback Cirencester responded five minutes later when Lee Smith crossed towards the far post from the left wing and found James Mortimer-Jones making a darting run into the area. The diminutive midfielder rose to produce a glancing header, from midway between the penalty spot and the 6 yard box, that entered the net inside the right post. 3-1

Didcot were still dangerous and Glyn Garner saved a deflected shot with his feet – the ball rebounding to Blenford who shot over under pressure. He was flagged offside anyway.

Midway through the half Ellis Dunton (returning from his shoulder injury) and Aidan Bennett replaced Brad Hooper and Steve Davies.

In the 70th minute Garner tipped a free kick from Taylor Janes, from the right, over the bar for a left wing corner which was driven into the side netting at the back post.

Just before the half hour a right wing corner reached Ellis Dunton at the back post and the ball fell to Chris Holland, near the penalty spot, and he smashed it into the net via Beesley’s body. 4-1

Jon Beeden (also returning after his back injury) replaced Leigh Henry in the 76th minute.

Two minutes after the substitution James Mortimer-Jones collected a ball on the right of midfield and played a superb ball to Lee Smith on the left flank.  Smith ran at the full back, dummied as if going left down the line but cut back onto his right and with supreme confidence, that comes from scoring twelve goals already this season, curled his shot inside the far post from just outside the left corner of the penalty area. 5-1

A minute later and that man Holland was again in action at the visitor’s end of the pitch as he headed a free kick from the right against the crossbar.

In the 82nd minute Ellis Dunton set Lee Smith free again on the left and his shot was parried by Beesley to Sam Collier who calmly tucked it inside the right post. 6-1

Knowing that time was running out to get his hat-trick Chris Holland tried an audacious pot at goal from the half way line as he noticed Beesley off his line, but it sailed wide of the right post.

Four minutes into stoppage time Aidan Bennett made a strong run down the right and crossed the ball on the run to Lee Smith. Smith’s shot rebounded into the air by the right post where Sam Collier headed it back to Smith. With his back to goal Smith laid the ball back to the edge of the penalty area to Sean Wood who, with precision, placed his left footed shot inside the left post. 7-1

Final Score: 7 - 1

Cirencester dominated the match throughout, creating numerous chances due to some excellent passing football.  This game was a good warm up for the home match against Weymouth in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Attendance: 75                                 

Referee:      James Whittington