Gloucestershire Senior Challenge Cup – Semi Final

Match Report by Dave Pyzer

On a bitterly cold evening Cirencester hosted a young squad from Bristol Rovers for this semi-final fixture in the Gloucestershire Senior Challenge Cup.

 The Rovers squad was a mixture of First XI fringe players and Academy youngsters that had defeated Gloucester City and Cinderford Town in the previous rounds.

The home squad had a familiar look about it despite the absence of James Mortimer-Jones and Josh Parsons as Ben Wells and Ed Williams came into the starting eleven. Leigh Henry also took a place on the bench.

Cirencester kicked off playing towards the Shed End of the ground and three minutes into the match Nat Jarvis collected a ball on the right and made ground into the corner before crossing from the bye-line but it was cut off near the right post.

Within minutes Brad Hooper played a ball up to Aidan Bennett on the centre front edge of the penalty area and he headed it back into the path of Jarvis who shot immediately but it was blocked.

Cirencester had started at a furious pace with neat inter-passing and good movement all over the pitch providing plenty of possession and a move involving Ed Williams, Bennett and Jarvis resulted in a Jarvis cross from the left side of the penalty area once again being blocked.

It took twelve minutes for the Bristol youngsters to mount their first attack – down their right flank – and the deep cross to the back post was dealt with well by Ian Herring as he headed it behind for a corner kick - under pressure from Tom Fry.

Herring was in the action again a few minutes later, this time in attacking mode, as after a period of possession the ball eventually reached him on the right flank and he sent a deep cross to the back post that was headed behind for a left wing corner kick. When the kick was taken Matt Liddiard had his effort blocked and then Ellis Dunton headed over the bar from just outside the centre front edge of the 6 yard box. 

During the next ten minutes the visitor’s goal was under siege as first Jarvis headed over and then Mark Pritchett saw his header cleared off the line. This was followed by an interception from Hooper and a clever ball inside Harrison Trueman for Bennett to latch onto on the right wing – Bennett’s cross whizzed through the front edge of the 6 yard box and out.

Rovers then mounted a rare counter attack down their left when Mitch Palmer played a ball forward for Jamie Lucas but it was slightly over-hit enabling Glyn Garner to gather at the striker’s feet.

On the half hour mark Williams embarked on one of his familiar ‘mazy’ runs in the right corner and won a corner kick that Liddiard headed over the bar at the back post.

With 6 minutes of the half remaining it looked like Cirencester were going to pay for their failure to convert the many chances their excellent play had created as the visitor’s were awarded a penalty under contentious circumstances.

A forward ball was collected by Aaron Ward-Baptiste in an advanced position resulting in the Assistant Referee raising his flag for offside but Referee Lee Sheridan allowed play to continue. The home defence had momentarily stopped expecting the whistle to be blown but when it didn’t they surrounded the lone forward as he entered the penalty area.  Herring, Jones and Garner all had had a go at dispossessing Ward-Baptiste and there was amazement from the home support and players alike when Referee Sheridan awarded a penalty kick.

As a result of his protestations Ian Herring received a familiar long lecture and eventually a Yellow Card from the referee.

Aaron Ward-Baptiste stepped up to take the penalty kick himself but his effort towards the right post was under-hit enabling Garner to dive and gather comfortably – ‘justice’ was the shout of the home support.   

In the final minute of the half Herring produced a superbly weighted pass with the outside of his right foot that curled between the visitors central defender and full back for Bennett to collect at full pace. Bennett took the ball towards the corner and laid it back to Herring who had continued his run to support and the fullback sent a great ball to the back post that was turned behind for a corner kick. 

Half Time:   0 - 0

Cirencester started the second half as they had finished the first putting the visitors under pressure leading to a foul on Herring and a free kick and lecture for the culprit, Ryan Broom.

As in the first half the Centurions were pushing forward and Ollie Knight, who had replaced Aidan Bennett at half time, passed the ball inside from the right flank to Hooper on the run and he moved it on to Williams further down the pitch who returned it to Hooper on the front edge of the penalty area. Hooper cut back to avoid the covering defence and struck a shot on the turn with his left foot over the bar.

Shortly afterwards Knight switched play from right to left when he played a ball to Williams on the burst. Williams rounded Tyler Little at pace along the left side edge of box and cut back before clipping a shot over the bar.  

The deadlock was finally broken on the hour mark after some pressure had resulted in a left wing corner that was driven to the back post where Knight collected and passed it parallel with the front edge of the penalty area to Herring who was a couple of yards outside the box, left of centre, and he struck a superb low curling shot around the mass of players in front of the goal that looked destined for the inside of the right post. MATT LIDDIARD was still near this post following the corner and to make sure he deflected the ball into the back of the net.  1 – 0.

The pressure on the visitors was relentless and a free kick from within the Cirencester half was chested to Jacob Davidge (who had earlier replaced Matt Liddiard) by Dunton on the left flank. Davidge played it inside the defence for Dunton to collect and drive to the bye-line before crossing towards the penalty spot but it was turned behind for a corner kick. 

A couple of minutes later the Centurions finally scored the goal they had been searching for as a Herring long throw from the right flank bounced in the box and dropped over the shoulder of NAT JARVIS as he turned towards goal on the right front edge of the 6 yard box and without delay he smashed it into the back of the net.  2 – 0. 

With the introduction of Davidge the Centurions had changed to a 4-4-2 formation with Knight and Davidge pushing forward down the flanks and Jarvis and Williams down the centre, Wells and Hooper holding midfield.

During the last quarter of an hour Davidge had many a fine run down the left flank causing his opponent a number of problems - creating an opening for Williams and a corner kick that Gethin Jones headed over the bar at the back post.

In the final five minutes Knight bent a pass into the path of Williams, to the right of the penalty spot, with the outside of his left foot from the right wing but Williams just failed to convert the chance.

As the game drew to a close there was still time for another header at the back post from Mark Pritchett, following a right wing corner, to be headed wide of the right post.

Final Score:-          2  – 0

This was a solid performance from the Centurions with everyone contributing - dominating proceedings from front to back throughout whilst playing some terrific free flowing football.

Their opponents were never allowed any time or space to get into the game.

CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE LADS.

Yate Town and Shortwood United will compete for the other place in the final on 17th February.

Attendance: 64                                  

Referee: Lee Sheridan

 1.   Glyn Garner
 2.   Ian Herring              YC-39mins
 3.   Ellis Dunton     
 4.   Mark Pritchett         (C)
 5.   Matt Liddiard
 6.   Gethin Jones
 7.   Brad Hooper           
 8.   Ben Wells
 9.   Nat Jarvis              
10.  Aidan Bennett
11.  Ed Williams 

12.  Kyle Pitts                 (Ian Herring-78mins)
14.  Jacob Davidge         (Matt Liddiard-61mins)~
15.  Ollie Knight             (Aidan Bennett-46mins)
16.  Leigh Henry  
17.  Tim Bond