Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division

Chippenham Town 2 - 1 Cirencester Town   

Match Report by Dave Pyzer

Cirencester made the comparatively short journey to near neighbours Chippenham Town for this league fixture hoping to gain their first points of the New Year.

Since the turn of the year Chippenham have achieved two home wins and an away draw at Hungerford in their three games so far and will undoubtedly be eager to continue this run.

The Cirencester starting line-up included Ellis Dunton, following his one match suspension, at left back and as a result Kyle Pitts moved across to right back with Gethin Jones at centre back due to Leigh Henry being unavailable. The midfield, forwards and bench were unchanged from the previous match against Hitchin Town.

It appeared that the overnight snow that had visited Cirencester had not troubled Chippenham and Cirencester kicked off playing towards the Cricket Club end of the ground on a pitch that looked like it would be difficult to play on due to the ‘sticky’ surface as the heavy frost thawed.

It was the visitors who took the initiative as with nine minutes on the clock Ellis Dunton, who had started the season at Chippenham, collected a clearance on the Cirencester left flank, cut back to the left corner edge of the penalty area and unleashed a right footed shot that fizzed over the bar.

Three minutes later Josh Parsons played a clever flick that released Aidan Bennett down the left wing and after making ground he returned it to Parsons on the front edge of the area but as he searched for a perfect opening to shoot he was crowded out and lost the ball.

Midway through the half Matt Liddiard won the ball on the right, just inside the home half, and played it forward to Bennett who was darting across the box, from left to right, and he back-heeled it as he approached the right side edge of the area for Parsons to collect but his resulting shot was blocked near the 6 yard box.

Just short of the half hour mark Cirencester enjoyed a period of possession in the Chippenham half and Liddiard collected the ball in the right channel and as he moved forward he shot just wide of the left post with Kent Kauppinen unsighted.

The first attack of note for the home side was a couple of minutes after this escape as Bryan Smith released James Guthrie down the left flank. Guthrie made ground and sent in a dangerous cross that Cirencester managed to clear at the second attempt.

With nine minutes of the half remaining a left wing corner kick for the visitors was cleared to Ian Herring, 25 yards out in the left channel, and he hit it first time on the run with tremendous power but it struck the top right corner of the cross-bar and out of play. It must have taken a slight deflection from a home player as a right wing corner kick was awarded.

Two minutes later Cirencester had the chance to open their account when they were awarded a penalty kick as a deep cross from Dunton on the left reached Parsons on the right side of the box and he fell to ground under pressure from Jon Beeden. Parsons picked himself up and struck the kick towards the bottom right of the goal. Kent Kauppinen had read the intention and dived to his left to safely gather inside the post.

This was the last meaningful action of the half as the referee Sam Allison blew for half time with less than 44 minutes on the clock.

Half Time:   0 - 0

Cirencester had dominated the first half down the slope and started the second half as they had finished the first as within six minutes Ed Williams sent a left wing corner kick towards the front post where Herring had made a run to produce a header that cleared the bar.

Three minutes later another corner kick, this time from the right, was initially cleared to the edge of the box where Dunton, back to goal, tried a speculative overhead kick that was again cleared back to him near the front edge of the area. This time he headed the ball back towards goal for Kauppinen to produce a superb finger tip save to push the ball over the bar.

In an effort to get a foothold in the game Chippenham manager Mark Collier made a positive substitution twelve minutes into the half as striker Mark Francis replaced Toby Osman. The change had an immediate return as Francis flicked the ball on to Guthrie on a run down the left wing and his cross was deflected for a throw-in on the right flank.  Michael Pook took the throw and launched the ball towards the front post where Francis, sandwiched between two defenders, managed to get his head to the ball and produce a back header that reached ASHAN HOLGATE in the centre of the goal who headed home from a yard out.  1 – 0.    

Despite this setback Cirencester continued to push forward and a Herring cross was cleared to Liddiard on the left front edge of the area and he immediately fired a terrific shot that looked destined for the top right corner until Kauppinen produced another magnificent dive to his left to turn it over the bar at full stretch.

The home goal had another narrow escape shortly afterwards as Dunton headed wide of the near post following a right wing corner.

The home side were beginning to string a few passes together and midway through the half a quickly taken throw on the left to substitute Lee Phillips, who a minute earlier had replaced Pook, was crossed towards the penalty spot for an unmarked ASHAN HOLGATE to produce a sublime right footed volley inside the bottom right post to increase their lead.  2 – 0.  

Cirencester immediately replaced defender Kyle Pitts with forward Nat Jarvis and a few minutes later he had a header tipped over by the superb Kauppinen.

With three minutes of normal time remaining Mark Pritchett collected a throw from the left corner and fired a right footed shot just wide of the right post.

The endeavours of the visitor’s were finally rewarded two minutes into ‘time added on’ when Parsons drove a low free kick, from near the left corner of the box towards the right post, where Kauppinen, seeing it late, was only able to parry. The ball was then bundled over the line from a mass of players and the tannoy credited Nat Jarvis with the goal but I am advised that ELLIS DUNTON got the final touch.

Final Score: 2 - 1

This was a disappointing result for the Centurions but a much better performance as they try to return to winning ways. They dominated proceedings throughout but on the occasions that they managed to break through the resolute home defence they found ‘keeper Kent Kauppinen in magnificent form.

Attendance: 330                               

Referee:      Samuel Allison

CHIPPENHAM TOWN: