Cirencester Town FC
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
Cirencester made the long journey to Dorset for a mid-week fixture against Dorchester Town who have not started the new season too well having lost all 3 games to date.
Encouraged by the performance on Saturday - when his side secured the three points - Brian Hughes named an unchanged starting eleven for this match.
Dorchester kicked off on perfect conditions but soon lost the ball enabling Cirencester to attack down their left flank and win a throw-in that resulted in an Ollie Knight cross from the corner that home 'keeper Shane Murphy caught on the edge of his 6 yard box.
Cirencester started in the positive fashion they had displayed on Saturday against Biggleswade and it took 9 minutes for the home side to threaten their goal as Neil Martin collected a Cirencester clearance and crossed from the left flank to right of the penalty spot where Tony Lee headed wide of the right post.
Three minutes later Scott Bevan sent a long cross from the left flank towards Charlie Griffin, just outside the 6 yard box and the striker rose to head with the home centre backs resulting in the ball being partially cleared to the left channel of their penalty area (from a Cirencester viewpoint). Matt Liddiard was darting forward in support and as he latched onto the ball and pushed it forward to chase he was tripped - PENALTY.
CHARLIE GRIFFIN stepped up to calmly tuck the kick inside the right post as Murphy dived in the opposite direction. 0-1.
Dorchester responded with a break down their left flank that produced a throw-in in the left corner. Chris Dillon launched the ball into the Cirencester penalty area where it was promptly cleared to a lurking David Jerrard who drove it wide of the right post.
Cirencester countered with an exchange of passes between Aidan Bennett and Knight in the right corner leading to a Knight cross to the near post that Griffin headed wide of the target.
As the mid-point of the half was approaching The Centurions began to move the ball about with precision as they worked it from right side of defence, through the centre and out to the left flank.
Cirencester repeated this shortly afterwards, but from left to right, with another series of passes.
On the half hour mark Dorchester were awarded a free kick - just outside the Cirencester penalty area - that Lee struck against the cross-bar and when it fell to Jake Smeeton, 25 yards out - right channel, he immediately shot at goal. Defender NATHAN WALKER had gone up for the free kick and was to the right of the penalty spot and he diverted Jerrard's shot inside Cirencester's right post to level the score. 1-1.
A few minutes later Jake Smeeton made an over-lapping run to the left corner and crossed the ball but Harvey Rivers made the catch under his bar as Lee charged in to get on the end of it.
Shortly after the half entered the final 10 minutes James Mortimer-Jones played a 30 yard diagonal ball to the right corner front edge of the home penalty area where Griffin collected it. Without delay he cleverly slipped it into the path of Lee Smith - bursting forward down the right channel. As Smith entered the penalty area he struck a first time right footed shot at goal and Murphy did well to push it wide of his right post. When the corner kick was taken Cirencester were adjudged to have committed a foul so the danger to the home side was over for the moment.
As the half was drawing to a close Griffin flicked a header into the path of Ollie Knight as he supported on the left flank. When Knight reached the corner he crossed to the back post but the cross was just too deep for Smith to collect as he came in from the right flank.
Half Time: 1-1
Cirencester started the second half where they left off from the first – on the attack as a cross from the right flank reached Griffin at the back post. Griffin jumped with ‘keeper Murphy and the ball ran loose across the goal-line but Murphy was able to gather near his left post.
Four minutes into the half Ben Brown struck a superb 30 yard pass from right of the centre circle to Scott Bevan in an advanced position down the left flank. Bevan controlled the ball instantly and charged towards the corner but he was stopped in his tracks by a solid tackle from Matt Oldring.
Back came Cirencester as Brown started a series of passes as he played the ball to Smith on the right, back to Bennett, forward to Smith, cross from the corner towards Griffin but caught by Murphy.
Cirencester then switched the point of attack to the left corner but it was defended by the home side.
It had been a hectic start to the half and around the 10 minute mark Dorchester’s Mario Mateus latched onto a loose ball near the front left corner edge of the Cirencester penalty area and fired a shot at the top left corner. Harvey Rivers leapt to push the ball over his cross-bar - colliding with his right post in the process. The resultant corner kick was defended and the danger cleared.
A couple of minutes later Dorchester were back again as Lee shot at goal from the front left corner edge of the visitors area and this was partially blocked – deflecting into the grateful arms of Rivers.
Dorchester were enjoying a purple patch and just before the hour it led to a goal as they worked the ball down their right flank to the corner and then played it across the front edge of the penalty area. DAVID JERRARD moved forward to collect and place a low right footed shot inside the left post. 2-1.
A couple of minutes later a defensive header near the left side edge of the Cirencester area landed to the right of the penalty spot where Liam Sayers missed his kick enabling Rivers to collect.
ROSS LANGWORTHY replaced Charlie Griffin 18 minutes into the half and two minutes later he had levelled the score when a ball was played down the right channel of the home penalty area and his neat turn created space for a right footed shot that entered the home net inside the left post. 2-2.
Scott Bevan then overlapped to the left corner and pulled the ball back to Knight who was tackled – the ball broke to Mortimer-Jones who fired a shot over the bar.
Dorchester attacked with a move down their left flank and crossed to the far post but Bevan was on hand to take the ball off the toe of Sayers as he was lining up his shot.
As the half hour point of the second half approached Langworthy carried the ball to the by-line on the right and pulled it back towards the penalty spot where the home defence eventually cleared it.
Cirencester were pressing again and Knight crossed from the left by-line to the back post for Griffin to collect – Griffin side-stepped the closing Murphy and shot at goal, blocked - out to the left, crossed to the back post where Mark Jermyn showed fantastic composure to ‘chest’ the ball to Murphy.
As the game entered the final ten minutes Bennett crossed from the right to Griffin at the far post and under pressure he headed wide of the left post.
Langworthy then burst down the right to the by-line and laid the ball back towards Griffin who stepped over it, thinking Knight was closer than he actually was, and the defence managed to clear.
With time running out Dorchester increased the pressure on the Cirencester defence – Lee crossed from the right to the penalty spot and Rivers bravely dived at the feet of Mateus to concede a corner kick and then caught Walker’s header at the back post from the resulting kick.
Four minutes from normal time Dorchester struck the top right corner of the Cirencester cross-bar when Jerrard latched onto a loose ball 25 yards out, right of centre, and struck a fierce right footed shot that cannoned off the bar and was cleared.
Harvey Rivers was at this time the busier of the ‘keepers and he was called into action again following a free kick that was headed straight into his waiting arms.
On the stroke of normal full time Langworthy charged down the right flank to the corner and played the ball inside to Chris Taylor who in turn fed it out to an over-lapping Bennett. Bennett took it towards the by-line and cut left before unleashing a powerful left footed shot which was blocked.
Final Score: 2-2.
A very entertaining match with plenty of incident, endeavour and flowing football.
Cirencester played some superb one-touch football, particularly in the first half, from back to front and defended well when put under pressure in the closing stages.
The team looks to have a better balance and be more organised from that which started the season at Leamington.
Attendance: 301
Referee: Iain Parsons
Dorchester Town:
1. Shane Murphy
2. Matt Oldring
3. Jake Smeeton (C)
4. Mark Jermyn
5. Nathan Walker 30
6. Chris Dillon
7. David Jerrard 59
8. Neil Martin
9. Tony Lee
10. Mario Mateus
11. Liam Sayers
12. Dory Yates (Chris Dillon-77mins)
13. Nick Swann
14. Ben Walker
15. Solomon Ayunga
16. Jason Brookes
Cirencester Town:
1. Harvey Rivers
2. Aidan Bennett
3. Scott Bevan
4. James Coates
5. Matt Liddiard (C)
6. Ben Brown
7. Chris Taylor
8. James Mortimer-Jones
9. Charlie Griffin 13p
10. Lee Smith
11. Ollie Knight
12. Ross Langworthy (Lee Smith-63mins) 65
14. Adam Connolly (Ollie Knight-90+1mins)
15. Kyle Lapham (Charlie Griffin-88mins)
16. Jon Else
17. Kalum Youngsam