Cirencester Town FC
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
CIRENCESTER TOWN travelled to Hitchin on Saturday with high expectations after their encouraging win against Tonbridge Angels in the FA Trophy the previous week, but alas, their positivity was short lived.
On a bright, exceptionally cold afternoon at Top Field, where a minutes’ silence for the tragic events in Paris was immaculately observed, the Canaries punished Ciren’s defensive frailties and poor distribution.
It must be said that this was in no part down to a lack of effort; there were plenty of triers in black and red, particularly Charlie Griffin who chased and harried all afternoon, and Matt Liddiard who ran his guts out, covering ever blade for the full ninety minutes.
The Centurions started much the brighter; just 20 seconds into the game a quick and decisive seven pass move ended with Liddiard firing narrowly wide.
Then on 8 minutes, some neat play between Ian Herring and Brad Hooper sent Zack Kotwica away on the right, but his dangerous cross was gathered by Hitchin ‘keeper Charlie Horlock.
The Canaries first real chance came half way through the first half; a Lucas Kirkpatrick effort being deflected for a corner. From the resulting kick the powerful Brett Donnelly lost his marker to head narrowly over.
On thirty minutes Ciren’s Ollie Knight produced a jinxing run into the area to find the ever willing Liddiard, but unfortunately the ball got stuck under his feet in the cloying ground, and the danger was averted.
Another Ciren move found Griffin out on the left – he cleverly won a corner kick after drawing a couple of defenders. In the resulting move the ball was fed back to an onrushing Ellis Dunton, whose firm, low effort was parried by Horlock and eventually scrambled away.
At the half time whistle Ciren were certainly worth their share of the spoils. Had they returned to the field with the same momentum, they might have got something from the game, but it was the hosts who were much the stronger and more decisive as the game went on.
For most of the first half Ciren left back Dunton had kept the tricky and diminutive Johnny Macnamara at bay, but in that second period most of the danger came from his pace and guile. On one occasion his cleverness led to a melee in the Ciren goalmouth, but Shayne Anson was on hand to clear off the line.
Ciren’s only real chance in the second period came when, after a clever run by Kotwica, where he left two defenders lying in his wake, he opted for a strike low to the near post rather than squaring it for the advancing Hooper. Horlock dealt with his effort comfortably.
Poor defensive clearances were to give Hitchin both their scoring opportunities. The first, on 77 minutes dispatched by Hitchin substitute Matt Lench, who fired home from a narrow angle, and the second, a straightforward tap in by Robbie Burns to secure the points nine minutes from time.
Brian Hughes replaced Kotwica and Knight for the tenacious Connor Thompson and Aidan Bennett respectively, but they could not change the outcome of the game.
The result finds Cirencester languishing in a worrying 18th place in the league – it is imperative they get some positive results from their backlog of home fixtures.
This coming Saturday the Centurions host Gosport Borough in the Third Preliminary Round of the FA Trophy – they will need to be at their very best against the Vanarama Southern League outfit.
Attendance: 306
Referee: D.Hanna
Hitchin Town:
1. Charlie Horlock
2. Kane Smith
3. Josh Bickerstaff
4. Alasan Ann (C)
5. Ben Walster
6. Lewis Rolfe
7. Jonny McNamara
8. Lucas Kirkpatrick
9. Brett Donnelly
10. Robbie Burns 81
11. Sam Barker
12. Matt Lench 77
13. Michael Johnson (GK)
14. Dan Webb
15. Will Wright
16. Jack Boyd
Cirencester Town:
1. Glyn Garner
2. Ian Herring
3. Ellis Dunton
4. Shayne Anson
5. Brad Hooper
6. Leigh Henry (C)
7. Matt Liddiard
8. James Mortimer-Jones
9. Charlie Griffin
10. Ollie Knight
11. Zack Kotwica
12. Aidan Bennett (Ollie Knight-78mins)
14. Connor Thompson (Zack Kotwica- 66mins)
15. Jody Bevan