Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
Cirencester made the long journey to Cambridgeshire to meet Histon in the final league match of the 2015-16 Season.
The relegation of Histon at the end of the season has already been confirmed but they would no doubt be looking to leave the Division with a home win. Prior to the match Histon were in 21st position in the '6-Match Form Guide' whilst Cirencester were 14th.
During the ‘warm-up’ the Histon ‘keeper, Aaron Chapman, was injured and as a result he was replaced by one of their substitutes, Harry McGregor - an outfield player.
The Cirencester starting eleven saw James Mortimer-Jones at right back, Matt Bower at centre back alongside Mark Pritchett, and Aidan Bennett completing the back four. The midfield consisted of Matt Liddiard, Adam Connolly and Ollie Knight and the front three Zack Kotwica, Charlie Griffin and Alex Dinsmore. Ben Prictor and Jody Bevan took seats on the bench.
The home side kicked off in perfect conditions for football on a firm pitch and immediately lost possession enabling Cirencester to attack down their left flank as Charlie Griffin released Alex Dinsmore who made ground to the left corner where he was crowded out.
Cirencester were back again a minute later as Aidan Bennett took a throw-in to Matt Liddiard, back to Bennett, forward for Ollie Knight who reached the by-line and crossed to the far side of the penalty area where Zack Kotwica struck a right footed volley that ‘stand-in’ home 'keeper Harry McGregor stopped low down.
Shortly afterwards Cirencester were awarded a free kick, right channel - 30 yards out, that Griffin lined up but instead of the expected strike he slipped the ball to his right for Kotwica to run down the side edge of the area and send a low cross towards the near post where it was cleared.
The visitors were enjoying plenty of possession at this stage and moving the ball around the pitch well with neat passing as they probed for an opening.
During the next few minutes Josh Oyinsan was prominent for the home side as he shot wide of the left post, had a cross blocked and a 1 v 1 with Josh Langley that the 'keeper saved with his legs.
With 13 minutes on the clock Matty Allan produced a mazy run as he made ground down the left flank before cutting right - across the front edge of the area. His path was blocked a couple of times as he shaped to shoot by Matt Bower and Mark Pritchett forcing him to keep going. He eventually shot and Langley once again blocked with his legs and his defence completing the clearance.
The Cirencester response was a cross from Bennett on the left that struck the top of the crossbar - followed by a shot from Kotwica that was deflected onto the bar. McGregor caught the rebound.
Charlie Griffin brought a fine save from McGregor as he received a pass from Dinsmore with his back to goal, 25 yards out - left channel, the ball bounced up and in one move he turned and fired a right footed volley that looked destined for the bottom corner inside the left post until McGregor dived full length to save.
Histon were relying on breaks and Oyinsan chased a through ball behind the centre backs but James Mortimer-Jones had seen the danger and was there first to touch it back to Langley. The 'keeper wasn't expecting the touch and as a result he sliced the ball into the air but Mortimer-Jones completed the clearance.
After this scare Cirencester continued to press forward with Liddiard firing a shot over the bar following a corner kick, soon to be followed by Bennett driving down the left flank and playing the ball in to Griffin and when his effort was blocked it fell to Dinsmore who had his cross diverted for a another corner kick that was wasted.
Just before the half hour mark Cirencester were awarded a free kick, 10 yards inside their half, that Mark Pritchett sent to the penalty spot where Griffin and McGregor competed for the ball and it dropped to Knight, in line with the left post, who immediately volleyed it towards goal but McGregor had recovered his position and managed to parry the shot and his defence completed the clearance.
With ten minutes of the half remaining Griffin laid the ball back to Adam Connolly as he moved from left to right – the midfielder sent it to Kotwica on the right side edge of the area and he drew defenders before laying it into the path of Liddiard who struck a right footed shot that just cleared the top right corner of the goal.
The home side were beginning to play with more confidence and were retaining the ball better as the half was drawing to a close and when Rogan McGeorge sent a long ball over the Cirencester back line for Sam Ling to collect he found himself in a 1 v 1 with Langley but the ‘keeper pushed his effort wide for a corner kick that Mortimer-Jones headed out enabling Kotwica to break down the left flank.
Two minutes from the interval Histon opened the scoring.
RONAN McGEORGE drove the ball towards the penalty spot where a diving header cleared it out but the ball landed back at the feet of McGeorge, near the right front corner of the box, and without hesitation the midfielder shot with the outside of his right foot and the ball flew inside the right post. 1-0.
Half Time: 1 – 0
Immediately from the re-start Cirencester pushed forward looking for an equaliser and within the first 10 minutes they put pressure on Histon as:–
The home side survived and countered to increase their lead when the visiting defence failed to deal with a high bouncing ball around the front edge of the Cirencester penalty area enabling MATTY ALLAN to nip in and lob over the advancing Langley from the right channel front edge of the area. 2-0.
Five minutes later Cirencester were pressing on the left flank but Histon countered as Oyinsan took the ball down the home side’s right flank to the corner before sending a low cross towards the near post. Matty Allan was supporting the break and darted down the right side edge of the 6 yard box to produce a right footed flick that Langley saved with his legs to concede a corner kick that was wasted.
At the mid-point of the half Cirencester created a good scoring opportunity when Kotwica took the ball down the right flank and crossed towards the front edge of the 6 yard box where Griffin darted forward to firmly head - but his effort flew past the right post.
Cirencester were cranking up the pressure in search of the elusive first goal and when Dinsmore took the ball down the left side edge of the home area he laid it back to Knight, back to Dinsmore who won a corner kick that Bennett drove into the mix, cleared out to be collected by Bennett near the left front corner – cut left, fierce left footed shot parried by McGregor fell to Liddiard shot blocked by McGregor and cleared.
Back came Cirencester as Kotwica sent a cross-field pass from right to left for Dinsmore to collect in space and drive into the penalty area and win a throw-in followed by a corner kick. When the corner kick was cleared out of the area it was quickly sent back in and there appeared to be a ‘handball’ in the block but the whistle remained silent and Histon countered down the left channel as Ling and Allan combined for Allan to be 1 v 1 with Langley but the ‘keeper saved at point blank range.
It was beginning to look as if Cirencester were having one of those days when despite plenty of effort the ball was not destined to finish in their opponents net but with ten minutes of normal time to play it all changed.
Ollie Knight received the ball in the left channel and as he entered the penalty area he produced a ‘chip-like’ shot that McGregor fumbled as one of his defenders got in his way and the ball dropped to CHARLIE GRIFFIN and he took it forward a couple of strides, to the right of centre front edge of the 6 yard box, before prodding it goal-wards as he was tackled. The ball looped up in the challenge but still had enough on it to drop into the net inside the left post. Charlie's 20th League goal of the season. 2-1.
The home reply was a run from Joe Carden down the left side edge of the Cirencester penalty area followed by a cross to the centre of the 6 yard box where Allan and Langley met in a challenge resulting in the ball flying wide of the left post.
Sam Ives sent the corner kick into the box where it was cleared for Connolly to launch the ball down the right channel in the direction of CHARLIE GRIFFIN. The striker, facing his own goal, flicked the ball to his left, turned and chased after it – heading it into his path as he drove into the right front corner of the Histon box. Once there he looked up and struck a precise, but firm, shot across the advancing McGregor that entered the net inside the far left post. 2-2.
Game on.
Back came Histon as the ball was slid through for Ives to collect in the right channel of the visitor’s penalty area – he rounded Langley but struck his shot wide of the right post.
On the stroke of full time it looked like Cirencester would be denied the point they had fought so hard to get as JOE CARDEN collected a pass on the centre front edge of the Cirencester area, turned, and tucked his shot inside the left post to regain the lead for his side. 3-2.
Cirencester had not worked so hard that they were going to accept defeat and with a final flourish, in ‘added-time’, Mortimer-Jones launched the ball to the front edge of the area where it was cleared but fell to AIDAN BENNETT on the left and spotting the ‘keeper off his line he struck a superb left footed shot that sailed over the stranded ‘keeper to drop inside the top right corner of the goal. 3-3.
A minute later Jody Bevan, who had replaced Alex Dinsmore, thought he might have added to his impressive 250+ goal tally as he crossed the ball from the left by-line to see it land on the top of the net.
Final Score: 3 - 3
An entertaining ‘end of season’ game with 4 goals in the last 13 minutes.
Cirencester enjoyed the better possession for the first 30 minutes but didn’t score whilst Histon finished the half strongly.
The second half was ‘end-to-end’ and the determination of both sets of players to get a result at the end of the match was commendable.
Attendance: 153
Referee: Mr Thomas Ramsey
Histon:
1. Aaron Chapman
2. Sam Ling
3. Pat Bexfield
4. Danny Gould
5. Harry Norman
6. Jack Humphrey
7. Lewsi Clayton
8. Rogan McGeorge (C) 43
9. Josh Oyinsan
10. San Ives
11. Matty Allan 57
12. Joe Carden (Josh Oyinsan-70mins) 90
14. Harry McGregor (Aaron Chapman-0mins)
15. Curtis Fulcher (Lewis Clayton-73mins)
Cirencester Town:
1. Josh Langley
2. James Mortimer-Jones
3. Aidan Bennett 90+3
4. Mark Pritchett
5. Matt Liddiard (C)
6. Matt Bower
7. Adam Connolly
8. Alex Dinsmore
9. Charlie Griffin 80, 84
10. Zack Kotwica
11. Ollie Knight
12. Ben Prictor
14. Jody Bevan (Alex Dinsmore-83mins)
15. Ross Langworthy
16. Shayne Anson