Cirencester Town FC
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
Cirencester were on the road for their third away match on the bounce but this time the journey was comparatively short as they visited Hungerford Town who prior to the match sat in 5th place in the Premier Division table with 61 points from 35 games. Cirencester were 14th with 47 points from 36 games.
The ‘6-Match Form Guide’ placed ‘The Crusaders’ 4th in the table whilst Cirencester were 13th.
The two sides have already met twice this season at the Corinium Stadium – League and League Cup - with Hungerford the victors on both occasions by a one goal margin.
As a result of Leigh Henry leaving Cirencester Town to join near neighbours Chippenham Town Shayne Anson once again moved inside to centre back alongside Mark Pritchett with Anthony Brown and Ben Prictor completing the back four. Matt Liddiard was awarded the Captain’s Armband.
Matt Bower - a 17 year old ‘First Year Scholar at Cheltenham Town’ who is a 6’6” tall centre back – has joined Cirencester alongside ‘Second Year Scholar’ and striker Alex Dinsmore who made his debut last week. Both players took seats on the bench.
The home side kicked off, playing up the slope, in perfect conditions for football - cool, dry and sunny – and immediately attacked down their left flank through Alan O’Brien before working the ball across the pitch to the right and back again. The resultant cross was headed clear but fell to Mike Jones who struck his effort from 25 yards, left channel, over the Cirencester crossbar.
A few minutes later Hungerford won a corner kick on their left flank and when the kick came in Stefan Brown and Mark Pritchett rose together for a heading challenge on the centre front edge of the 6 yard box and it was the defender who won by blocking the effort.
Back came Hungerford as O’Brien raced down the left flank and crossed to the back post where the ball struck the inside of the post and rebounded out to be cleared.
Hungerford had started strongly and 10 minutes into the game won a free kick in the right channel, 25 yards out, that O’Brien took with his left foot to curl towards the left post for Jon Boardman to rise and head over the bar.
A couple of minutes later O’Brien took another free kick from a similar position but this time he aimed it towards the near post where Brad Hooper headed it out to Ollie Knight, just outside the visitors penalty area, and he quickly turned to run a few yards downfield before sending a superb pass across the pitch into the path of a charging Zack Kotwica on the right flank. Kotwica carried it towards the front edge of the home penalty area before cutting inside and moving across the pitch looking for an opening but his progress was halted and Hungerford countered.
Encouraged by this Cirencester began to show more confidence and with 15 minutes on the clock they began to press the home defence and were rewarded when Matt Liddiard chased a ball to the bye-line and managed to pull it back for CHARLIE GRIFFIN to make a darting run from left to right that enabled him to fire a right footed shot inside the right post from right of the penalty spot. 0-1.
Three minutes later Hungerford won a corner kick on the right that was sent to the back post but over-hit forcing Ian Herring to attempt an overhead kick as he faced the left touchline. Jon Boardman managed to reach the ball and head goal-wards but Josh Langley was in position to catch it under the bar. A couple of minutes later Boardman was replaced by Garyn Preen as he was injured in a typical strong challenge near the centre circle.
Shortly after the mid-point of the half Liddiard won the ball 30 yards from his goal, right channel, and played it out to Kotwica on the flank. The wide-man instantly played it inside to Hooper who immediately sent it into space further down the right channel for Kotwica to chase and show his pace. The winger advanced towards the home penalty area and fired a fierce right footed shot from 25 yards that fizzed past the right post.
Around the half hour mark some pressure from Cirencester produced a couple of corner kicks that the home defence cleared but Cirencester were soon back again as James Mortimer-Jones struck a left footed shot from just outside the area, right channel, that was deflected for another corner kick. Ollie Knight curled the kick with his left foot to the back post where Antony Brown headed wide of the target.
As the half entered the final ten minutes Cirencester produced a move down their right flank involving Liddiard to Kotwica, back to Liddiard, inside to Mortimer-Jones but the cross was cut out leading to a counter attack from the home side down their right flank. When the ball reached Nat Jarvis he carried it forward a few yards and crossed but it was too long and Cirencester cleared the danger.
A couple of minutes later a Cirencester clearance kick reached Griffin in the centre circle and spotting Knight charging forward down the left channel he headed the ball into his path. The young midfielder collected the ball and drove into the Hungerford half before striking a left footed shot from 35 yards that Paul Strudley caught on the front edge of his 6 yard box.
A minute before the interval this move was repeated as Griffin once again fed Knight, 15 yards inside the Cirencester half – left channel, but this time Knight sent a perfectly weighted pass to the right channel for Hooper to collect in space, 10 yards inside the home half. Hooper continued his forward run but was forced wider by the covering defence as he entered the penalty area but he managed to get his cross in as he was closed down. The ball cleared a supporting CHARLIE GRIFFIN who turned to collect facing the left touchline. He gathered the ball and turned back, just inside the left side edge of the penalty area, and evaded an incoming challenge by moving to his right, took a couple of steps forward and from left of the penalty spot placed a curling right footed shot inside the right post. 0-2.
Half Time: 0-2
In the first minute of the second half Hungerford showed their intent as Garyn Preen charged down their right channel, cut left and fired a left footed shot wide of the left post from 25 yards.
This was quickly followed by O’Brien taking the ball to the left corner and crossing for Langley to catch at his near post.
The home side were then awarded a free kick in the left channel that James Clark sent into the Cirencester penalty area and it was worked right for a shot to be deflected for a corner kick from the right. The kick was sent towards the front post where players from both sides were gathered, including NAT JARVIS and Mike Jones, and the ball was bundled over the line. 1-2.
Game On – Could The Centurions hold out with the slope now favouring The Crusaders?
With the pressure now mounting on the visitors they were forced to rely on counter attacks and when they were awarded a free kick on the left Kotwica sent a low drive towards the near post but Strudley was in position to gather.
Cirencester then kept possession on the left flank and worked the ball to the right for Hooper to cross from the corner but there was no-one available to take advantage and the ball passed through the 6 yard box and was cleared for Hungerford to mount a counter attack of their own.
Just before the hour mark Hungerford created an opening as Preen cut back on the right side edge of the Cirencester penalty area and laid the ball into the path of Clark, a couple of yards inside the area - right channel, but he rushed his right footed shot and blazed it over the cross-bar.
A couple of minutes later Herring launched a long throw from the left touchline into the visitors penalty area and when it was cleared it was collected by Preen on their right flank who took it into the corner before crossing. The cross was cleared but again the home side collected it and worked it to their left flank for Jarvis to head the resultant cross wide of the right post from right of the penalty spot.
The Cirencester response was down their right flank as Knight took the ball into the corner, cut back, and crossed to the back post where Strudley caught the ball as Griffin and Kotwica closed in.
Shortly after the mid-point of the half Herring took a throw-in on the left and delivered it short to Preen who turned and drove along the front edge of the Cirencester penalty area before shooting over the bar from in line with the left post.
Two minutes later Hooper chased after a ball into the left corner and held it for a while enabling his team-mates to support him. He played it back to Kotwica who moved it inside to Mortimer-Jones, back out to Ben Prictor on the left touchline who sent a long cross towards the near post where Griffin headed over the bar.
As the game entered the final quarter of an hour the energetic Knight collected a ball on the right flank and laid it back to Brown who played a measured pass to Hooper as he moved from left to right to collect in the corner. Griffin was unable to reach the resultant cross to the far post.
The Cirencester defence was in determined mood and holding firm whilst the midfield was working hard to close down and push forward at every opportunity. When the ball was worked down the left channel Hooper was able to slip the ball inside to a supporting Liddiard who struck a right footed shot wide of the right post from 25 yards.
With 9 minutes remaining Hungerford attacked down their left flank through Jarvis and O’Brien but the Cirencester defence was in place to force the ball back to Diak John as he advanced to support but his cross went behind for a goal-kick.
Eight minutes to go - Knight collected the ball in the right channel, just inside the Cirencester half, and sent a terrific pass into the path of substitute Alex Dinsmore who was darting down the left channel. The young Cheltenham Town Scholar collected the ball and cut right along the front edge of the home penalty area avoiding challenges as he went but eventually he was crowded out.
Four minutes to go – free kick taken by Strudley just inside his half, left channel, driven to the penalty spot for Jarvis to head – parried by Langley with his left hand and in the follow up Langley was fouled for a free kick to be awarded to Cirencester.
Two minutes to go – the ball was won in the centre circle by Hooper who played it forward to Griffin. The striker carried it forward before shooting wide of the right post from 20 yards, left channel.
On the stroke of full time Cirencester introduced 17 year old Matt Bower to the fray in place of Charlie Griffin to lend his height to an incoming corner kick that was defended.
Two minutes into added time Cirencester survived another corner kick and the ball was fed to Dinsmore who charged down the right flank and crossed towards Bower, who was operating as a makeshift striker, but the ball was cut out and the whistle to end the game blown.
Final Score: 1-2
A terrific team performance from the Centurions with everyone playing their part.
The defence was resolute with Shayne Anson and Mark Pritchett in uncompromising form, ably assisted by Anthony Brown and Ben Prictor. Josh Langley behind them did all that was asked of him.
The midfield four was energetic, closing down, supporting, creating, protecting and they all must have covered every blade of grass on the pitch.
Up front Charlie Griffin was in clinical form and Zack Kotwica took the pressure off with his pace down the flanks.
Attendance: 111
Referee: Adam Matthews
Hungerford Town:
1. Paul Strudley
2. Rhys Tyler
3. Diak John
4. Jon Boardman
5. Gary Horgan
6. Ian Herring (C)
7. James Clark
8. Mike Jones
9. Nat Jarvis 49
10. Stefan Brown
11. Alan O’Brien
12. Harry Goodger (James Clark-67mins)
14. Garyn Preen (Jon Boardman-20mins)
15. Mark Draycott (Gary Horgan-72mins)
16. Matt Berry-Hargreaves
13. Ollie Harrison
Cirencester Town:
1. Josh Langley
2. Anthony Brown
3. Ben Prictor
4. Mark Pritchett
5. Matt Liddiard (C)
6. Shayne Anson
7. Brad Hooper
8. James Mortimer-Jones
9. Charlie Griffin 15, 44
10. Zack Kotwica
11. Ollie Knight
12. Alex Dinsmore (Zack Kotwica-79mins)
14. Adam Connolly
15. Matt Bower (Charlie Griffin-89mins)
16. Jody Bevan
17. Ross Langworthy