Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
The visitors to the Corinium Stadium for the second of three home matches on the bounce were Biggleswade Town. ‘The Waders’ are the top scorers in the Division with 65 goals from 38 games and before this match they sat in 12th place in the division table with 53 points from their games. Cirencester were 14th with 50 points from 38 games.
In the reverse fixture Biggleswade secured a narrow 1-0 victory.
The Cirencester starting eleven was unchanged from that which took to the field against Redditch United on Tuesday evening with 17 year old Matt Bower continuing at centre back alongside Shayne Anson in the enforced absence of Mark Pritchett who is suspended following his late dismissal against Biggleswade at the beginning of the month.
Cirencester kicked off playing towards The Shed End of the ground on a firm pitch in dry conditions with a cold breeze but it was the visitors who had the first corner kick that was comfortably defended.
Within the first couple of minutes Matt Bower was in the action as he played a ball down the left flank to Ollie Knight and this quickly followed by the careful shepherding of Tony Burnett on the front edge of his penalty area to enable Josh Langley to collect the ball – a promising start.
Seven minutes into the game Zack Kotwica collected a ball in the left corner and passed it back to Knight who crossed towards the far post for Charlie Griffin to head over the top left corner of the goal.
Three minutes later Knight crossed again from the left but this time it was deflected to Kotwica near the centre front edge of the Biggleswade penalty area and he immediately struck a right footed shot that was blocked.
On the quarter of an hour mark Biggleswade mounted an attack down their left flank and when Shayne Anson won the ball he moved it down the line to Kotwica who slipped it inside to Griffin, in the centre circle, and as the challenge came in he clipped it over the defender and as it dropped volleyed it to Knight who was bursting across the front edge of the visitors penalty area. Knight rounded the first defender but was unable to evade the second and his progress was halted.
Two minutes later Bower sent a measured forward pass to Griffin who moved it on to Kotwica on the right flank and he crossed first time but it was cut out.
Just after the mid-point of the half Biggleswade had another corner kick on their right flank that left back Mark Coulson curled with his left foot towards the back post where Max York was lurking and his resulting header was caught by Langley in the centre of his 6 yard box.
A couple of minutes later Biggleswade enjoyed a period of possession as they worked the ball down the right and then across the pitch and back again but eventually they ran out of room and Cirencester were awarded a goal kick.
Within minutes they were back again as the busy Burnett burst down the right channel and attempted to ‘chip’ Langley but his effort was wide of the left post.
As the half hour mark was reached Ben Prictor overlapped to the left corner and crossed into the Biggleswade penalty area where it was headed out - but only as far as James Mortimer-Jones who collected it in the Cirencester left channel, 25 yards out, and slipped it to his right for BRAD HOOPER to take a touch before firing a firm, low drive towards the left post. En-route it appeared to get a slight deflection that took it past the unsighted visitors ‘keeper, Ian Brown, and inside his right post. 1-0.
Three minutes later Biggleswade were awarded a corner kick on their right flank and once again Coulson curled it towards the back post where Gavin Hoyte got to it and headed back across goal – narrowly passing wide of the far right post.
Biggleswade were pressing for an equaliser and a high clearance from Anson, in the right defensive corner, landed a few yards outside the centre front edge of the home sides penalty area where Prictor miss-judged it as he attempted to head clear and a free kick was awarded to Biggleswade. Inih Effiong stepped up to take the kick but his effort was wide of the right post.
With six minutes of the half remaining Ian Rees crossed the ball from the Biggleswade left flank into the Cirencester penalty area for Effiong who fell to ground under pressure to the right of the penalty spot but despite the protestations of Effiong the referee did not award the penalty kick he was hoping for.
As half time approached Bigglewade were awarded a free kick just inside the Cirencester half, right channel, that York drove into the penalty area where Langley caught it on the front edge of his 6 yard box.
In the final moments of the half Cirencester worked the ball from right to left as Anthony Brown found Hooper who carried it to the left and out to Prictor, on to Knight and a cross which was headed out for Hooper to collect and feed to Kotwica on the right but as he crossed the whistle was blown for the half time interval..
Half Time: 1 – 0
With the advantage of the slope Cirencester immediately took the game to Biggleswade on the re-start and in the 3rd minute Griffin released the ball to Kotwica on the right flank. After a couple of ‘shimmies’ Kotwica cut inside and sent a left footed cross to the far post for Griffin to head but his effort struck the cross-bar and rebounded out – just behind a supporting Knight - and was cleared.
Ollie Knight was in the action a gain a couple of minutes later as he chased a ball to the left corner and crossed through the front edge of 6 yard box and at the far post a defender played it behind for a corner kick. Knight took the kick and curled it with his left foot towards the penalty spot where Anson got his head to it but it was blocked and cleared.
A Biggleswade clearance was intercepted by Prictor near the centre circle and he headed it to Matt Liddiard to his right, out to Anthony Brown, back to Liddiard, inside to Mortimer-Jones who played it down the channel for Liddiard to chase to the side edge of the Biggleswade area. Hoyte came across to cover and there followed a couple of challenges between the two as they battled for possession but the ball continued towards the bye-line and when it went out of play a goal kick was awarded.
Whilst Cirencester were pushing forward Biggleswade were still very dangerous on the break and 9 minutes into the half Burnett blazed a shot high and wide of the target from the left front edge of the Cirencester penalty area.
Three minutes later Craig Daniel carried the ball down their right flank and towards the centre line of the pitch before slipping it to Effiong in the left channel. Effiong made a strong, determined run that took him to the bye-line - his shot from a narrow angle was saved by Langley but the referee awarded a corner kick. The corner kick was caught by Langley and a counter attack started as he punted the ball downfield for Kotwica to reach and ‘toe-poke’ wide of the left post with Griffin in support to his left.
As the mid-point of the half was approaching Cirencester were awarded a free kick, left channel – 20 yards out, that Kotwica sent towards the area between the front edge of the 6 yard box and penalty spot where Griffin produced a powerful header and Ian Brown made a reflex save to push it over his cross-bar.
Cirencester were pressing, looking to increase their lead, and worked the ball down the left with Knight, Kotwica, Mortimer-Jones involved but the eventual cross from Kotwica was caught by Ian Brown.
Biggleswade were by no means lying down and mounted a couple of attacks down their right channel – the first resulted in a cross that was over-hit, and the second a catch from Langley as York fired a right footed shot goal-wards from 20 yards after good approach play from Evan Key and Burnett.
Ollie Knight then slipped the ball between two approaching opponents on the right flank to release Liddiard down the right channel. As Liddiard neared the front edge of the Biggleswade area he slipped it to Kotwica who missed the target.
With eleven minutes remaining there was a mass substitution as Cirencester replaced two and Biggleswade three players.
A minute later Knight slipped the ball to Liddiard who returned it to Knight as he entered the left channel of the visitor’s penalty area and his low cross went through the 6 yard box and past the far post without contact.
Biggleswade were awarded a throw-in on their right flank, level with the front edge of the Cirencester area, and Sam Merson launched it into the box where it bobbed about, bouncing high on the firm ground, until IAN REES claimed it to score off the underside of the home crossbar. 1-1.
Back came Cirencester as Kotwica crossed towards the penalty spot for Griffin who slipped it to Knight near the left post but he was quickly closed down and the visitors goal defended.
One minute to go and Kotwica attacked the right channel and slipped the ball behind York towards the left channel of the area. A charging Knight stretched and just got his left foot to the ball aiming towards the right post but an advancing Ian Brown managed to dive to his left to drop on it.
On the stroke of full time Merson played the ball to Conner Vincent who struck a solid drive towards the inside of the right post that required Langley to dive full length to his left to push round his post.
One minute into added time Knight sent an overhead pass from the centre circle to Griffin who immediately moved it on to Aidan Bennett as he drove down the right channel. As Bennett reached the front corner of the Biggleswade area he could have taken on the shot but he elected to send an accurate cross to Griffin, just outside the centre front edge of the 6 yard box, and the powerful header that followed struck Ian Brown and was cleared before Knight could reach it.
The ball was quickly recovered and fed to Kotwica on the right and he did a couple of ‘step-overs’ before laying the ball back to Anthony Brown who sent a long ball from half-way down the right channel of the area where MATT LIDDIARD was making a typical driving run and as the ball dropped over his right shoulder he produced a sublime right footed looping volley that cleared Ian Brown, who was guarding his left post, and landed inside the far post for a winner that was wildly celebrated. 2-1.
Final Score: 2 - 1
This was a solid performance from the team against high scoring opposition with Josh Langley, Shayne Anson and Matt Bower providing a solid platform with their determination not to be beaten, ably assisted by the full backs, Anthony Brown and Ben Prictor.
James Mortimer-Jones provided his usual protection and Matt Liddiard, Brad Hooper and Ollie Knight the mobility and work-rate to close down their opponents in front of them.
Up front Zack Kotwica provided an outlet with his pace and Charlie Griffin kept the visitors back line busy throughout and could have scored three but for Ian Brown and the cross-bar.
Attendance: 78
Referee: Darren Whilding
Cirencester Town:
1. Josh Langley
2. Anthony Brown
3. Ben Prictor
4. Matt Bower
5. Matt Liddiard (C) 92
6. Shayne Anson
7. Brad Hooper 30
8. James Mortimer-Jones
9. Charlie Griffin
10. Zak Kotwica
11. Ollie Knight
12. Aidan Bennett (Ben Prictor-79mins)
14. Alex Dinsmore
15. Adam Connolly (Brad Hooper-79mins)
16. Ross Langworthy
Biggleswade Town:
1. Ian Brown
2. Max York
3. Mark Coulson
4. Russell Short
5. Gavin Hoyte
6. Evan Key
7. Craig Daniel (C)
8. Ian Rees 81
9. Inih Effiong
10. Callum Lewis
11. Tony Burnett
12. Michael King (Craig Daniel-79mins)
14. Conner Vincent (Evan Key-79mins)
15. Sam Merson (Tony Burnett-79mins)
16. Chris Marsh
17. Ollie Fortune