Cirencester Town FC
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
Cirencester hosted Weymouth for this mid-week fixture hoping to continue their eight match unbeaten run against a side four places above them in the league table.
The starting eleven for the Centurions was unchanged from the team that obtained a solid away victory at Cambridge at the weekend. Shayne Anson took a place on the bench having completed his three match suspension but Nat Jarvis was unavailable due to international duty. Mark Pritchett has one more match to serve of his suspension.
Weymouth kicked off playing towards the Arena end of the pitch in light rain and almost immediately lost possession enabling Cirencester to mount a counter attack that resulted in a corner kick on their left flank. The corner kick was cleared but sent back into the box so quickly that Ed Williams who had taken the kick was caught offside.
In the second minute Jamie Reid slipped a ball inside the visitors left back, Jordan Codd, for Williams to collect and his cross was cleared back to Reid who fired a shot over the bar from 30 yards.
Cirencester had started the game well and after an interchange of passes in the right corner between Matt Liddiard and Williams the latter squared the ball to Aidan Bennett just outside the penalty area who struck a left footed drive wide of the right post.
Ed Williams was again prominent in the eleventh minute when he received the ball on the right flank and made a darting run before crossing to the back post where Jacob Davidge produced a header that required visiting ‘keeper Jason Matthews to save low at his right post.
At this stage of the game Cirencester were enjoying plenty of possession and Weymouth had barely touched the ball but they managed to take the lead in the thirteenth minute when a ball to their left flank found Adam Kelly. Kelly was forced wide and into the corner but managed to wriggle his way out and from the left corner edge of the penalty area struck a right footed shot that curled around the helpless Glyn Garner and into the top right corner of the goal. 0 – 1.
Five minutes later Weymouth thought they had scored again as Stuart Yetton bundled the ball into the net but the Assistant Referee had flagged for offside earlier in the move so the ‘goal’ was disallowed.
Shortly afterwards Codd intercepted a pass intended for Williams on the left and surged forward before moving the ball on to Kelly but his cross was blocked and cleared near the front edge of the 6 yard box.
Weymouth were showing signs of getting into their game – breaking very quickly in numbers with a fluid, interchanging midfield supporting lone striker Yetton – and in the 25th minute they increased their lead as following a period of possession the ball reached Adam Kelly on the left. Once again he cut right to the left front edge of the penalty area and his shot took a slight deflection which looped the ball over the advancing Garner and under the crossbar. 0 – 2.
Despite the setback the Centurions continued to press forward and a good pass from Liddiard to Bennett on the right was switched to the left flank where an overlapping Ben Prictor fired his shot over the bar from the left side of the penalty area.
As the half was drawing to a close Cirencester produced a period of pressure in and around the visitors penalty area that eventually came to an end due to an over-eager foul near the left edge of the 6 yard box.
On the stroke of half time the possession was nearly rewarded when a right wing corner driven to the near post by Williams was met by an under pressure Ellis Dunton’s head but his effort went wide of the right post.
Half Time: 0 - 2
Within two minutes of the re-start Cirencester were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area following a foul on the busy Williams. James Mortimer-Jones sent the kick towards the left post where Dunton was just unable to reach it.
The second half was a more even affair with Weymouth repelling Cirencester attacks and counter-attacking swiftly in numbers.
Just after the hour mark, following a number of passes inside the Weymouth half, the ball reached Mortimer-Jones near the left edge of the penalty area and he sent it to Liddiard at the far post. Liddiard headed the ball back towards the front edge of the 6 yard box but Bennett had made his run a fraction too early so the ball went behind him and was cleared.
Midway into the half Chris McPhee took on a shot, following an attempted clearance, from just outside the penalty area but sliced his effort. The ball landed at the feet of Kelly on the right of the area, level with the penalty spot, and his fierce drive struck the stanchion.
A couple of minutes later Bennett passed the ball from the right to Williams on the left edge of the Weymouth area and he crossed it into the 6 yard box where a darting Bennett was unable to reach it.
This was followed shortly afterwards by another long range effort from Reid that was wide of the right post.
With four minutes of normal time remaining Weymouth were awarded a free kick near the right corner flag which was to prove a rehearsal for the final goal of the game. The kick was taken and the ball dribbled along the byeline before being driven towards the penalty spot where Yetton struck a fierce shot that Garner saved with his legs.
A minute later Bennett released Williams but his effort from near the edge of the 6 yard box was saved easily by Matthews as it lacked power.
The final action of the game saw a repeat of the earlier free kick in the right corner but this time Stuart Yetton saw his shot enter the net inside the left post. 0 – 3.
Final Score: 0 - 3
This was an entertaining game for the neutral with Cirencester having most of the possession, particularly in the first half, but no end product and Weymouth countering quickly through their mobile teamwork.
In the first half many of the Cirencester crosses were over-hit and possession wasted whilst their shots were wayward. This aspect of their game was better in the second half but they were unable to produce a meaningful attempt at goal.
Weymouth showed a difference in quality in front of goal to end the Centurions unbeaten home record.
The Four Pillars Hotel Man of the Match Award was awarded to Leigh Henry.
Attendance: 158
Referee: Adam Nunn
Cirencester Town:
1. Glyn Garner
2. Gethin Jones
3. Ben Prictor
4. Ellis Dunton
5. Matt Liddiard
6. Leigh Henry (C)
7. Jamie Reid
8. James Mortimer-Jones
9. Aidan Bennett
10. Jacob Davidge
11. Ed Williams
12. Ben Wells
14. Brad Hooper (Jacob Davidge–60mins)
15. Ryan Elliott
16. Shayne Anson
Weymouth:
1. Jason Matthews
2. Ashley Wells
3. Jordan Codd
4. Chris McPhee
5. Jamie Laird
6. Calvin Brooks
7. Adam Kelly
8. George Rigg
9. Stewart Yetton (C)
10. Steve Colwell
11. Chris Shepard
12. Tim Sills
14. Conor Jevon (Chris McPhee-80mins)
15. Sam Poole
16. Luke Winsper (Steve Colwell-88mins)