Cirencester Town FC
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
The final 'Away' league fixture of the season took The Centurions back to Cambridgeshire to meet Histon who are in a good run of form lately - placed 5th in the 'Six Match Form Guide' - having won 11 of the 18 points on offer. Within this run they have drawn with Redditch and defeated Paulton.
In comparison Cirencester are in 13th place with 7 points but would have been encouraged by their performance and victory over Poole in mid-week.
There was one change to the Cirencester starting eleven with Ian Herring returning after suspension and Leigh Henry dropping to the bench due to injury. As a result Matt Liddiard moved into the centre of the back four and Herring took his place at right back. Gethin Jones continued at left centre back, with Mark Pritchett at left back. The formation in front of them was as the mid-week match against Poole.
The Centurions kicked off in sunny, dry conditions on a firm pitch that meant the ball bounced higher than expected making it difficult to control.
The home side got off to the best possible start when they opened the scoring in the 3rd minute following an attack on their goal by Cirencester. Mark Pritchett had made a foray into the home box when the ball was lost and Histon quickly fed it down the flank whilst he was out of position. The ball was played inside to the centre front edge of the penalty area where it was slipped through to SAM IVES on the burst, just inside the right front edge of the area, and he calmly tucked the ball inside the left post. 1-0.
A few minutes later Brad Hooper, making his 100th appearance for the Club, struck a raking ball from the right to Aidan Bennett on the left wing and he ran at his opponent before laying the ball back to Pritchett who launched it across the penalty area for home 'keeper Enol Ordonez to make the catch at the back post.
Cirencester then attacked down the right flank as Ian Herring took a throw-in to Jordan Ricketts who returned it to him. Herring crossed into the centre of the 6 yard box where Nat Jarvis rose to head but a defender jumped with him and partially blocked his effort taking the pace out of his header so that Ordonez was able to catch it easily.
Histon countered a couple of minutes later when the busy Ives, in the centre, played a ball over the top for the tall Geoff Mitchell to run on to, down the left channel, and noticing that Glyn Garner had left his line he attempted to 'chip' the ball over him but did not get enough on it and the 'keeper caught it comfortably, level with the penalty spot.
Just after the quarter hour mark Histon mounted a quick break down the left as Ashley White took a throw-in and sent the ball down the flank to Nick Freeman who crossed to the near post where Mitchell met it with his head but his effort was once again caught by Garner.
At this stage Histon were looking dangerous on the break and a ball into the left corner was chased by Ives who crossed towards the penalty spot and when Matt Liddiard headed it out it was collected by Freeman who shot wide of the left post from the left front edge of the area.
Cirencester had showed glimpses of the football they are capable of but too many ambitious passes were being intercepted to give possession to Histon.
With 26 minutes on the clock Cirencester won a corner kick on the right that Bennett drove low and hard towards the front post. Ian Herring darted forward to meet the ball and played a clever flick with the inside of his right foot that took the ball into the centre of the 6 yard box where Gethin Jones struck a left footed shot that looked destined for the back of the net until it hit Ordonez on the line and was cleared.
Two minutes later Cirencester were unlucky again as they searched for the equaliser when Josh Parsons jinked past a couple of challenges, just inside the penalty area - left of centre, and fired a left footed shot that struck the bottom of the right post with Ordonez helpless.
The action then moved to the other end as an Ives free kick on the right was headed out of the area by Bennett and Rogan McGeorge latched on to the loose ball and took on a rather ambitious attempt at goal from 30 yards that was well over the bar.
The home side nearly increased their lead with five minutes of the half remaining when Freeman slipped the ball inside from the left wing to Ives, left channel of the penalty area, and as the ball bounced up on the hard surface he struck a left footed volley that narrowly passed the far post.
The final action of the half was a break down the right as Miles Smith, on halfway, moved the ball up to Curtis Fulcher who broke down the right channel of the area. Gethin Jones came across to clear the danger and his header resulted in a corner kick. When the kick came in Danny Rumens touch was too heavy and the ball went behind for a goal-kick.
Half Time: 1 – 0
Within five minutes of the re-start Cirencester created an opening as Bennett won the ball on half way and passed it on to Parsons, in the centre, who moved it out to Jordan Ricketts, out wide on the right, and he carried the ball forward to the right front edge of the area where he cut inside and fired a left footed shot that just went wide of the left post.
Histon then retained the ball on the front edge of the Cirencester penalty area looking for an opening but Cirencester held firm and as the game reached the hour mark a throw in the left corner to Freeman resulted in a cross to the near post that Mitchell headed wide of the left post.
Shortly afterwards Cirencester began to exert more pressure on Histon and were rewarded in the 69th minute when Ollie Knight sent a curling left footed free kick from the left flank towards the penalty spot where it skimmed the top of the head of a defender under pressure and fell to MATT LIDDIARD in a cluster of players, on the right front edge of the 6 yard box, and as he was bundled to the ground he managed to get his right foot to the ball to jab it inside the right post. 1-1.
On the half hour mark of the second half Mitchell made a diagonal run, left to right, to get to a long ball and attempted to chip the ball with the outside of his left foot over an advanced Garner but once again the ‘keeper caught the ball easily.
Cirencester began to pick up the pace and increase the pressure on Histon during the last 15 minutes and Jones played a ball up to Knight on the left flank and he headed it on to Jarvis. The striker returned the ball to Knight who was closed down quickly and managed to win a corner kick that Bennett struck to the back post where Parsons produced a powerful header that Ordonez blocked on the line.
With five minutes of normal time remaining the home supporters raised an excited cheer as they thought their team had scored but the Assistant Referee had raised his flag earlier in the move to indicate offside.
As the game drew to a close Jarvis received the ball in the left channel and on the turn played a superb ball inside the full back for Knight to chase and win a corner kick as his attempted cross was deflected.
In time added on Salim Relizani chased a ball into the right corner and won a corner kick that Ives sent into the box for Evan Key to head over the bar.
Final Score: 1 – 1
This was a disappointing performance - when compared with the terrific display against Poole. Histon were allowed too much space in the first half although this did improve in the second as they showed more urgency especially after the scores had been levelled.
Attendance: 225
Referee: Mr A Gillett
HISTON:
1. Enol Ordonez
2. Miles Smith YC-38mins
3. Ashley White
4. Evan Key
5. Danny Rumens. (C)
6. Rogan McGeorge
7. Ryan Auger YC-89mins
8. Curtis Fulcher YC-64mins
9. Geoff Mitchell
10. Sam Ives 3mins
11. Nick Freeman
12. Peter Clark (Nick Freeman-74mins)
13. Barney McClaughlin
14. Eugene Libertucci (Rogan McGeorge-58mins)
15. Luis McCoy
16. Salim Relizani (Geoff Mitchell-77mins)
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Glyn Garner
2. Ian Herring
3. Jordan Ricketts
4. Mark Pritchett (C) YC-84mins
5. Matt Liddiard 69mins
6. Gethin Jones
7. Brad Hooper
8. James Mortimer-Jones
9. Nat Jarvis
10. Aidan Bennett
11. Josh Parsons
12. Jacob Davidge
14. Kyle Pitts
15. Ollie Knight (Jordan Ricketts-62mins)
16. Leigh Henry