Gloucestershire rivals Bishops Cleeve were the latest visitors to the Corinium Stadium and in their last six matches they have secured wins against Merthyr Town, Mangotsfield United and Clevedon Town so another difficult game was anticipated.

The Mitres have a number of Cheltenham Town scholars gaining experience and ex-Gloucester City players in their ranks.

Cirencester had a good result on Tuesday against Paulton and would be looking to continue in this manner.  The home team were without Shayne Anson who failed a fitness test on his groin before the match so Matt Liddiard started at right back and Brad Hooper came into midfield.

The visitors kicked off playing down the slope towards the Arena and whilst the first ten minutes began in positive mood for both sides neither team was able to muster a threat on goal.

Mark Pritchett had to leave the pitch for a couple of minutes to have some repair work done to a cut over his right eye and whilst off the field Ellis Dunton moved to centre back and Brad Hooper to left back. When Pritchett returned he had bandage wrapped around his head reminiscent of Terry Butcher playing for England many years ago.

Lee Smith received a ball on the left flank and had a shot from distance that went wide of the right post.

Cleeve responded with a break down their right flank when Sam Turl pushed the ball down the edge of the penalty area and chased after it, catching it near the bye-line, and at full stretch he managed to get his cross in but Glyn Garner caught it above his head at the near post.

In the 18th minute Aidan Bennett latched onto a ball over the Cleeve defence on the left flank and when he reached the bye-line he passed it back to the supporting Smith on the left edge of the penalty area. Smith noticed Steve Davies in space on the far side of the area and moved the ball on to him. As he received the ball Davies lost his footing and the chance was lost.

The mid-point of the half brought a Yellow Card for Ellis Dunton when his attempted lay-off to Mark Pritchett, 10 yards inside the home half, was under-hit and Turl nipped in to intercept. Turl fell to the ground in Dunton’s recovery tackle and the card was awarded.  

Shortly before the half hour point Jack Oldham made a sliding challenge, just inside the visitors half, that resulted in Joe Shepherd, Brad Hooper and himself in a heap. When they got to their feet Oldham was awarded a Yellow Card.

Two minutes later Oldham was involved in a tackle on Hooper on the Cirencester left flank that left Hooper on the ground again and referee Adam Bayliss awarded a second Yellow Card followed by a Red so Cleeve had to play the last hour or so with ten men.

A few minutes later Cirencester had a throw-in on the right flank and Dunton crossed the field to take it. His throw bounced in the 6 yard box and Pritchett’s attempted header did not have enough power to trouble the home defence but he was penalised as the referee decided he had raised his hands on an opponent.

Within a minute this action was repeated but this time from the left flank.

With eight minutes of the half remaining Brad Hooper latched on to loose ball 30 yards out, left of centre, and struck a fierce drive that was wide of the right post.

Shortly afterwards a break down the right was switched to Dunton on the left and he fed the ball to Smith further down the wing.  When Smith reached the corner he crossed to the back post where Shepherd had made a charging run to meet it but his header went over the bar from the right edge of the 6 yard box.

The deadlock was finally broken with five minutes to go to the half time interval when Cirencester were awarded a fortunate penalty.  Smith was looking to collect a loose ball in the penalty area and as he ran from the left edge towards the front edge of the area he collided with Jake Lee, who was looking to clear the ball, and fell to the ground. The referee who was on the left edge of the area looking at the collision sideways-on awarded the penalty and issued a Yellow Card to Lee.

Lee Smith stepped up and drove the ball into the left side of the goal as ‘keeper Harvey Rivers dived to his left.   1-0

Four minutes later Cirencester increased their lead as a Steve Davies corner from the right was headed by Pritchett, at the back post, into the 6 yard box where Joe Shepherd was quickest to react to poke it home from a yard out.  2-0

Half Time: 2 - 0

Five minutes after the re-start Matt Liddiard started a move, involving Davies, Dunton and Shepherd, that took the ball down the right across to the left and back to the right where Shepherd’s cross was headed behind by Sam Rawlings for a left wing corner.

A few minutes later Dunton took a throw-in to Aidan Bennett, just outside the front left corner of the penalty area, the incoming challenge knocked Bennett over and a free kick was awarded. The kick was taken very quickly to Dunton on a run to the bye-line resulting in a left wing corner from which Shepherd headed wide of the right post.

Cleeve were awarded a free kick 5 yards outside the right edge of the area which was taken by Lewis Binns with his left foot but his attempted curler into the box flew high over the bar.

Brian Hughes decided to change the formation in the 57th minute when he brought Shane Bumphrey on up front, replacing Brad Hooper, moved Aidan Bennett to the right wing and Steve Davies to the supporting striker role. He also changed the defence to a back three by bringing Matt Liddiard into midfield.

Four minutes later Davies, back to goal, flicked the ball into the path of Bennett as he advanced down the right edge of the penalty area. Bennett’s cross shot towards the far post was touched wide of the left post by Rivers for a corner. Pritchett headed the corner kick over the bar from the centre edge of the 6 yard box.

Glyn Garner was called into action when he dived to his left to turn a David Waters effort,  from 25 yards - left of centre, behind for a corner.

Cirencester nearly added a third after Liddiard released Smith on the left for Shane Bumphrey to head the resultant cross goal-wards for Rivers to gather at the second attempt.

Pritchett was the second home player in the referee’s notebook when he went into a full blooded tackle with Joe Turley, 10 yards inside the home half. Referee Bayliss showing a Yellow Card to the defender.

Thirty one minutes into the half Cleeve won a corner on the left which Garner tipped wide for a corner on the right. Binns took the kick and Liddiard cleared it off the line to the edge of the area where it was driven high over the bar.

Within minutes Lorcan Sheehan had a dig from 25 yards out, right of centre, but this also cleared the bar.

Cirencester were awarded a free kick 10 yards inside their half, left side, which Garner drove to Dunton near the left front corner of the area.  Dunton headed it into the area for Bumphrey to send a right footed shot over the bar.

The loudest cheer of the afternoon was heard when the referee took a tumble that resulted in an impressive backward roll.

There was a flurry of activity in the final five minutes of normal time as first Dunton played a ball from the left side of the area to Bennett on the right edge of the 6 yard box. Bennett’s powerful downward header was saved by Rivers legs and cleared. 

It was then the turn of Smith who had two shots blocked - the first by Rawlings and then a minute later by Matt Williams after Bumphrey had released him with a good pass from the centre of the pitch.

The final action came when Garner presented the ball to Smith who moved it on to Dunton on the left flank. As a challenge came in Dunton flicked the ball over his opponents head, collected it and passed inside to Bumphrey. They then exchanged a couple of passes before Bumphrey had a shot from the centre edge of the area that was blocked.    

Final Score: 2 - 0

Whilst the match never reached the level of performance of Tuesday’s win at Paulton it was nevertheless an important three points for the hosts against a resilient young side who will no doubt feel aggrieved at the decisions that went against them.

On Tuesday, Cirencester travel to Nailsworth - to play the first of this season’s league games against Shortwood who are in a good run of form.

Attendance: 106                                

Referee:    Adam Bayliss