Southern League – Premier Division

2015-16

Cirencester Town   0 – 3   Weymouth   

 Match Report by Dave Pyzer  

Following their Emirates FA Cup exit at Petersfield on Saturday the Centurions returned to league action for this mid-week fixture against Weymouth – who had also lost to Petersfield in the previous round of the FA Cup.

For the statisticians Weymouth sat 5^th in the Premier Division table – two places below their hosts on goal difference but having played one more game.  The two sides are also very close in the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ – Cirencester 10^th, Weymouth 12^th (again due to goal difference).

On paper an even match should be expected but Cirencester have a mounting injury list with no fewer than six players unavailable for selection – Ben Wells, Ellis Dunton, Ian Herring, Josh Parsons, Gethin Jones and Ben Prictor – so a positive result for The Centurions would be an achievement.

To accommodate the absences Manger Brian Hughes moved the versatile Aidan Bennett to right back , young Ollie Knight started, and four Development Team youngsters took seats on the bench.

Weymouth kicked off playing towards the Arena end of the ground and the first ten minutes was frenetic from both teams with neither side able to retain possession for long.

In the 12^th minute Weymouth worked an opening on the right front edge of the penalty area that enabled George Rigg to fire a firm right footed shot that Glyn Garner in the home goal had to dive full length to save.

By the mid-point of the half the visitors were enjoying the advantage of the slope and were putting the home defence under a lot of pressure. Stuart Yetton crossed from the right and James Mortimer-Jones had to be aware and head behind at the near post for a corner kick. A couple of minutes later Yetton was again involved as he struck a left footed shot from the left channel of the area that rebounded from the inside of the right post across the goal-mouth. He latched onto the ball again but his right footed effort from the narrowest of angles was collected by a team-mate on the right flank and the resulting cross blocked for a corner kick. The corner kick from the right produced a goal-mouth melee during which Garner pulled off a point blank save before the danger was cleared.

Just after the half hour mark Cirencester suffered a setback when Ben Brown was injured and had to be replaced by Danny Gudger. As a result the team had to be shuffled - Aidan Bennett switched to left back, Mark Pritchett went into the left centre back position, James Mortimer-Jones dropped from midfield to right back, Ollie Knight into midfield and Danny Gudger a position on the flank.

Three minutes later the visitors opened the scoring as BEN THOMSON collected a ball on the left front edge of the home penalty area and clipped a left footed shot that was deflected by an incoming challenge into the air and it looped over the advancing Garner.  0-1.

As the half was drawing to a close Zack Kotwica produced a darting run down the right channel of the penalty area and as he approached the bye-line he crossed but it was deflected into the grateful arms of Jason Matthews in the visitor’s goal.

Half Time:       0 – 1

As in previous games Cirencester started the second half strongly and within 3 minutes Leigh Henry played an intelligent through ball for Ross Langworthy to collect on the right of the Weymouth penalty area but his right footed shot was wide of the right post.

A minute later a cross from Bennett on the left flank found Charlie Griffin on the far side of the area and he instantly struck a right footed volley that again was wide of the right post.

It was then the turn of Kotwica who made a driving run down the right channel before cutting left and shooting, left footed, from the left of centre front edge of the area - but he too saw his effort go wide of the right post.

Cirencester were then shown how to finish as within minutes of these three efforts Weymouth scored their second goal. A cross from their left flank was headed out of the box and as it dropped on the left front corner (from a Weymouth perspective) JAKE WANNELL darted forward to unleash a spectacular right footed volley that flew inside the far post.  0-2.

Undeterred the home side mounted some pressure on the visitor’s defence during which Kotwica found himself free to the right of the penalty spot but Matthews had spotted the threat and closed him down to save at his feet.

Whilst the visitor’s were temporarily on the back foot, they were however extremely dangerous on the break as they broke quickly and in numbers. Yetton fed the ball through to Thomson who managed to win a corner kick.

Just before the mid-point Ollie Knight played a cross-field pass to Danny Gudger on the left flank who cut inside and played the ball to a supporting Langworthy but his effort was blocked

Brad Hooper collected a ball in the right corner and crossed into the box – the defensive header fell to Gudger, left channel of the penalty area, but he under-hit his shot enabling Matthews to collect.

During the final quarter Weymouth created a few openings with the speed of their counter attacks – Adam Kelly played a ball down the right flank for an over-lapping Mark Cooper to chase and collect but as he entered the penalty area a covering tackle from Leigh Henry brought the move to an end. 

Stuart Yetton received a ball 25 yards out, right channel, and he produced a turn and shot that just cleared the home cross-bar. It was then the turn of Kelly to blaze over the bar as Henry closed him down.

It was no surprise when Weymouth scored their third goal although it was a centre back, Calvin Brooks, who created the opening as he had galloped down their right flank before playing the ball inside to substitute CHRIS SHEPARD  and he took one touch (his first of the game) before planting a firm shot inside the left post from the right channel of the home penalty area.

A couple of minutes later Cirencester thought they had got a goal back as Griffin bundled the ball over the line at the left post but the Assistant Referee had flagged for an infringement so the joy was short-lived.

On the stroke of full time Yetton received a pass near the penalty spot and ’chipped’ the ball over the diving Garner but the keeper had done enough and it rebounded off the bar. Substitute Jordan Copp had followed up and immediately shot at goal but his effort was blocked on the line by a covering Bennett and cleared.   

Final Score:     0 - 3

In the first half Cirencester had to hang on as the visitor’s mounted wave after wave of attacks with their slick, quick passing football but the depleted home side stuck to their task and showed plenty of resolve to keep them at bay.

After the interval Cirencester pushed forward and were unlucky to concede a ‘wonder’ goal that took the wind out of their sails for a while.

In the final quarter Weymouth controlled the game to collect the three points.

A game performance from a depleted home side and to lose yet another player, Ben Brown, to injury will certainly cause a problem for the Management Team.

Physio Lisa Vicat is going to be very busy as she attempts to get them back on the pitch.

Attendance:     156

Referee:          John Roskelly

Cirencester Town:

2.   Aidan Bennett

3.   Mark Pritchett

4.   Ben Brown                                      

5.   Brad Hooper                                  

6.   Leigh Henry     (C)                             

7.   Zack Kotwica                  

8.   James Mortimer-Jones

9.   Charlie Griffin                              

10.  Ollie Knight

11.  Ross Langworthy                

12.  Max Lloyd             (Ross Langworthy-85mins)

14.  Danny Gudger         (Ben Brown-34mins)       

15.  Sam Farr               

16.  Charlie Buse

Weymouth:

1.   Jason Matthews