Cirencester Town FC
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
The visitors to the Corinium Stadium for the first Saturday home match of the new league season were Hitchin Town who finished one place and two points behind their hosts last term. In this fixture last season The Canaries obtained a 3-2 victory and their home game ended 0-0 so there appears to be little between the two sides and a tough match was anticipated.
In the first game of the season Hitchin lost 3-2 at home to Stratford Town and then they drew 2-2 at Cambridge.
There was one change to the starting eleven as Ben Brown had not recovered from the hamstring strain he sustained on Tuesday so Ross Langworthy started and Aidan Bennett dropped to right fullback with Gethin Jones moving alongside Leigh Henry to produce the back four that finished the game against Dorchester.
Cirencester kicked off playing towards the Shed End of the ground in perfect conditions for football – overcast but mild temperature, hardly any breeze and a well presented pitch – and within the first couple of minutes created an opening for Ross Langworthy. Brad Hooper won the ball in the centre circle and exchanged passes with Langworthy as they moved forward down the right channel. When Langworthy approached the front right edge of the area he pulled his shot wide of the left post.
This was soon followed by a free kick on the right flank, 30 yards out, that Zack Kotwica sent towards the back post but it was deflected high into the air and when it dropped Ellis Dunton took on a right footed volley that was saved by a well positioned Charlie Horlock at his right post.
Hitchin then put Cirencester under some pressure and the hosts countered as Kotwica collected the ball just outside the home penalty area and struck a right footed half volley downfield to Charlie Griffin but the striker sliced his shot wide of the right post from just outside the right front edge of the Hitchin penalty area.
The game was being played at a frantic pace and as a result neither side was able to retain possession for long producing a very scrappy match.
Just after the mid-point of the half Hitchin mounted a break down their right flank and the ball was fired hard and low towards the front edge of the 6 yard box where Simon Martin made a darting run but he just failed to connect with the ball at the near post.
This was quickly followed by a break down their left as Matt Lench slipped the ball inside to Josh Bickerstaff on a charging run 5 yards outside the Cirencester penalty area. Once in the area the fullback struck his shot at the near post where Glyn Garner saved it with his knees and a team-mate cleared the danger.
The Cirencester response was a deep cross from their right flank to Griffin at the back post but his volley was blocked by the well organised Hitchin defence.
On the stroke of half time Kane Smith carried the ball down the visitor’s right flank and when he reached the right front corner of the area he sent a shot fizzing past the far left post.
Half Time: 0 – 0
With the advantage of the slope Cirencester immediately took the game to their visitor’s in the second half and following a throw from the left flank into the penalty area the ball was cleared to the edge of the area where Hooper won it back, moved to his right and shot over the bar.
Within a minute Hooper won the ball again but this time he slipped it right to Bennett, on the overlap down the right flank, and as he neared the corner Bennett sent in a cross that hit the crossbar and rebounded to the left side of the box. Dunton collected the loose ball and crossed towards the back post where visiting ‘keeper Horlock caught it at full stretch under the bar near his left post.
Even though Cirencester were exerting pressure on Hitchin the visitor’s were still dangerous and an under-hit back pass nearly gave them the chance to open the scoring but the alert Garner rushed out to beat Lench to the ball and launch it out of the ground.
Eighteen minutes into the half the busy Jonny McNamara won a ball on the left and took it to the bye-line before cutting back to his right and firing a low shot from the narrowest of angles that went through the 6 yard box and past the far post.
Within a minute Smith attacked down the right and crossed to the far post where Martin dived to head but the ball had a slight deflection en-route causing him to miss-time his effort and it went high into the air and was cleared.
The game then entered another phase of cut and thrust with neither side able to dominate.
As the half reached the half hour mark Dunton charged forward down the left flank, cut right to the front corner of the box, and shot but his attempt was blocked – falling into the path of substitute Jordan Ricketts as he ran across the box. He was quickly closed down and was unable to connect cleanly when he shot and the danger was cleared.
Such was the pace of the game that within a minute the action was at the other end of the pitch as McNamara beat the offside trap to get behind the home defence and drive towards the home goal, slightly right of centre, for a 1 v 1 with Garner. As he entered the area Garner advanced and forced him to go to his right in an attempt to round the ‘keeper, instead of taking an early shot or lob. When McNamara did shoot, from a narrower angle than might have been available earlier, Garner managed to deflect the effort wide for a right wing corner kick.
With ten minutes remaining Dunton received a pass from Josh Parsons on the left flank and cut back to shoot - when it was blocked he won it back again and was fouled as he drove towards the front edge of the box again. The kick was in a similar position to Tuesday’s match against Dorchester Town – left of centre, 5 yards outside the area – and once again Josh Parsons stepped up hoping to repeat his brilliant effort but it was not to be as the defensive wall stood firm and blocked it.
With the game entering the final five minutes substitute Ollie Knight won a free kick near the bye-line, left corner, which he took himself. He sent a well flighted kick towards the back post where Leigh Henry rose to head downwards. Horlock saved the ball with his feet and then as others reacted to try and poke the ball into the net or clear the danger he managed to drop on it.
In time added-on Dunton took a throw on the left and launched it into the penalty area, Horlock punched it out to a waiting Parsons, just outside the area, and he immediately fired it goal-wards but somehow Horlock recovered to tip the ball over the bar.
Final Score: 0 - 0
Whilst this game did not have the goals of Tuesday’s match it did have plenty of action and endeavour. Such was the frantic pace of the game it was difficult for either side to mount any composed play as they cancelled each other out.
Both teams had chances but the defences held firm and when breached the ‘keepers dealt with the resulting threat.
Attendance: 125
Referee: Ben James
Cirencester Town:
1. Glyn Garner
2. Gethin Jones
3. Ellis Dunton
4. Ross Langworthy
5. Brad Hooper
6. Leigh Henry (C)
7. Aidan Bennett
8. James Mortimer-Jones
9. Charlie Griffin
10. Josh Parsons
11. Zack Kotwica
12. Jordan Ricketts (Charlie Griffin-70mins)
14. Ollie Knight (Zack Kotwica-82mins)
15. Ben Wells
Hitchin Town:
1. Charlie Horlock
2. Kane Smith
3. Josh Bickerstaff
4. Alasan Ann (C)
5. Daniel Webb
6. Stuart Pearson
7. Jonny McNamara
8. Callum Donnelly
9. Simon Martin
10. Lewis Rolfe
11. Matt Lench
12. Lucas Kirkpatrick (Simon Martin-82mins)
14. Robbie Burns (Matt Lench-65mins)
15. David Corran
16. William Wright
17. Michael Johnson