Red Insure Cup – First Round

Cinderford Town 0 – 1 Cirencester Town

Match Report by Dave Pyzer

Having been involved in a number of intense cup ties recently and with another looming in the form of an FA Trophy First Round Qualifying game against Egham Town on Saturday manager Brian Hughes took the opportunity to rest a number of his First Team squad for this Red Insure Cup 1st Round match.

The Cirencester team consisted of a number of Development Team players mixed with First Team squad members in need of minutes on the pitch.  In the absence of Shayne Anson and Leigh Henry the Captain’s armband was given to Ellis Dunton.

Cinderford were also resting a number of their First Team squad and included several members of their U18’s squad.

The home team kicked off and within two minutes were awarded a corner on the right, taken by Sam Hunt (left footed), that was headed towards goal by George Lloyd but deflected over the bar resulting in a second corner that was headed over the bar.

Cirencester responded almost immediately with a break down their right flank where Aidan Bennett crossed into the box.  Dean Bromley collected the cross, turned and shot left footed but the shot lacked power and was gathered by home ‘keeper Alex Harris.

During the early part of the game Cirencester produced some good flowing football with multi- pass moves and from one such move Bennett laid the ball back to James Mortimer-Jones who chipped it up to Jack Smith.  Smith headed on to Shayne Bumphrey, on the move towards the right of the penalty area, and Bumphrey returned it to Smith who shot from 25 yards but once again Harris saved the shot comfortably.

Another move on the right involving Dan Roberts and Bennett, midway through the half, found Ollie Pitt cutting across the edge of the penalty area to the right wing. Pitt turned sharply and crossed the ball into the box and the resulting clearance fell to Dean Bromley, inside the right side of the penalty area. Bromley produced some neat control and footwork creating enough space for a left footed shot that curled wide of the left post.

Cirencester had a number of shots at goal but did not trouble Harris in the home goal.

Cinderford attacks were being repelled by a resolute Cirencester defence but during the last ten minutes of the half they were very willing to take on pots at goal from distance.  Jon Newall produced a good effort from 35 yards, left of centre, that required visiting ‘keeper Adam Clatworthy to scamper across his goal-line to save inside his right post.

George Lloyd collected a clearance header from the Cirencester defence on the left flank, made ground before turning back onto his right foot, just outside the penalty area, and shooting wide of the right post.

Just before the interval Warren Archer headed a Sam Hunt left wing corner wide of the right post from around the penalty spot.

On the stroke of half time Ellis Dunton played a ball up to the busy Jack Smith who moved it on to Ollie Pitt on the left flank.  Aidan Bennett made a distracting run that created space for Pitt to run into and Pitt duly obliged producing a shot from the left edge of the penalty area that was wide of the near post.

Half Time:   0 - 0

Within two minutes of the re-start Cinderford had the ball in the net following a shot from outside the penalty area that was parried by Clatworthy, low down to his left, but the effort from Mike Whittingham was ruled offside.

In the 52nd minute Dan Roberts headed out a right wing cross to Smith who laid it back to Roberts. The ball was then clipped up to Bumphrey who fed Smith, on the left flank, and on to the overlapping Ben Prictor. Prictor crossed to Bumphrey, who had made ground into the area, but his header from the right side of the 6 yard box cleared the crossbar.  

Ten minutes into the half Jack Wright, who had just replaced Sam Harris, beat the offside trap but the alert Clatworthy advanced to smother the ball on the right edge of his penalty area.

Seven minutes later Kyle Pitts, who was outstanding in the Centurians defence, turned provider as he crossed a ball from the right flank to Bumphrey who produced a superb header that looked destined for the top left corner of the net before Harris leapt to his right to tip it over the bar.

Just after the half hour mark Jack Wright managed to get behind the visitors defence on the left edge of the penalty area but he shot over the bar.

The match looked to be heading for a penalty shoot-out as the two sides cancelled one another out but three minutes before the end of normal time Cirencester made the breakthrough.

Matt Fusco, who had replaced Dan Roberts, intercepted a ball inside his own half and moved it on to the impressive Jack Smith, just inside the Cinderford half - right of centre. Smith with great awareness immediately struck a brilliantly weighted ball, with the outside of his right foot, into the path of Shayne Bumphrey who was advancing down the left centre of the pitch. Bumphrey rounded the covering defender and from the edge of the penalty area slipped the ball under the advancing Harris and into the net.  0 - 1

Cirencester held out for the five minutes of added time to record a win that takes them into the next round of another cup competition.

Final Score: 0 - 1

This was a good cup tie with both sides putting in plenty of effort with periods of good play and shots at goal.

There were a number of performers to catch the eye for Cirencester.  Kyle Pitts was secure and composed in the centre of defence, Jack Smith linked play well with his touch and awareness of team-mates positioning, Shayne Bumphrey looked comfortable down the centre, whilst Aidan Bennett created plenty of problems, particularly in the first half, with his strong running down the right flank.

It was another excellent team performance with everyone playing their part.

Attendance: 61                                  

Referee:      L. Sheridan

Cinderford Town: