Cirencester Town   0 – 1   Kings Langley   

Match Report by Dave Pyzer  

Following their FA Cup success last week Cirencester were back in league action against Kings Langley who were promoted to the Premier Division as Champions of the Central Division at the end of last season.

Since the last match Chris Taylor has left the Club for Highworth Town and Manager, Brian Hughes, has secured the services of Alfie Kilgour (an 18 year old central defender from Bristol Rovers on a one month loan) and Andrew Elcock (a midfielder from Bath City on dual registration).

There were a few changes to the starting eleven, when compared to last week’s, as once again Aidan Bennett stepped in at left back in place of Scott Bevan, Alfie Kilgour made his debut in place of James Coates in the centre of the back four, and Lee Smith started on the right (James Mortimer-Jones dropping to the bench to accommodate this).

The visitors started proceedings as they kicked off towards The Shed end of the ground and quickly got into their stride with some crisp passing and movement and within the first couple of minutes Ben Brown had to clear an Immanuelson Duku header off his goal-line after they had worked the ball down their left flank.

A few minutes later Ross Langworthy was released down the Cirencester right flank and managed to win a corner kick that was too close to the ‘keeper, Danny Boness, enabling him to make the catch at his left post.

With ten minutes on the clock Cirencester counter attacked as Aidan Bennett brought the ball out of defence and moved it on to Ollie Knight who made ground down the left flank before sending it on to Langworthy who won another corner kick, this time from the left, which was over-hit.  

Five minutes later Knight once again made a run down the left flank and when he neared the by-line he crossed to the front edge of the 6 yard box where Boness managed to punch the ball off the head of an incoming Charlie Griffin to clear the immediate danger. The ball was collected by Adam Connolly just outside the visitor’s penalty area and he struck a low drive from 22 yards that was bravely blocked.

Back came Cirencester as Kyle Lapham and Lee Smith exchanged passes as they worked the ball down the right flank. When the ball was returned to him Lapham struck a right footed ‘shot-cum-cross’ from 30 yards, right channel, that passed just wide of the far left post.

Kings Langley replied with a clever ball between Alfie Kilgour and Bennett that Lewis Toomey collected on the right channel front edge of the home penalty area but his right footed shot was wide of the far left post.

A minute later Brown launched a long ball towards the Kings Langley penalty spot and when it was blocked it rebounded to Langworthy who immediately fired a left footed shot at the target that was also blocked. Adam Connolly latched onto the ball but was fouled leading to a free kick from the Cirencester right flank. Ollie Knight took the kick with his left foot and curled the ball towards the far post where Boness tipped it over the bar.

Lee Smith’s corner kick from the left was returned to him for a second cross that was cleared but only to a waiting Connolly -  once again he fired a low drive at the target but it was deflected for another corner kick (this time from the right) that was successfully defended.

Within a couple of minutes Cirencester were back again as Langworthy won another corner kick on the right but it was headed clear at the back post.

Just before the half hour mark Harvey Rivers produced a huge punt downfield that resulted in the unusual sight of Boness darting from his goal to volley the ball off the park as Langworthy closed in to collect just outside the Kings Langley penalty area.

A couple of minutes later the busy Lewis Toomey collected a through ball on the front edge of the Cirencester penalty area, left channel, and as he entered the area he fired at goal but it was diverted for a corner kick on their left flank. David Hutton played the ball short to Josh Chamberlain who returned it to Hutton as he ran behind him before playing it inside to Connor Toomey. Toomey drove the ball narrowly over the bar from 25 yards.

During the next fifteen minutes Cirencester probed, crossed balls into the visitors penalty area, won corner kicks with some neat approach play but they couldn’t break through the stubborn defence and it was a counter attack from a Cirencester free kick that led to the only goal of the game.

As the interval neared Lewis Toomey broke clear and his right footed shot from the right channel was deflected for a corner kick from the right. Chamberlain moved across from left back to send the kick in with his left foot to the back post where Duku collected. After a step-over and Cryuff turn he fired a low cross towards the front edge of the Cirencester 6 yard box where LEWIS TOOMEY reacted quickest to toe poke the ball inside the left post.   0-1.

Half Time:       0 – 1

Cirencester came out for the second half in positive fashion as almost immediately from the re-start Langworthy received the ball on the left front corner of the Kings Langley penalty area where he produced a sharp turn to lose his marker and laid the ball back to Connolly who struck a fierce right footed shot from 25 yards that skimmed the top of the bar.

Two minutes later Smith sent the ball from the right flank, midway into the Kings Langley half, to Langworthy near the front edge of the penalty area, right channel, and he flicked it over his shoulder to Griffin further into the box. As the ball dropped Griffin, facing towards the right touchline, volleyed it over his shoulder and just wide of the left post.

Kings Langley won a corner kick from the right a couple of minutes later that Chamberlain managed to flick wide of the left post from left of the penalty spot as he charged in.

Back came Cirencester and a series of passes involving several players worked the ball down the left flank but the resulting cross was once again blocked by the resolute visitors defence.

Bennett then fed Griffin but as he shaped to shoot the ball was nicked off his toe for a corner kick that was again defended.

Bennett then tried himself as he cut in from the left to fire just wide of the left post from 35 yards.

After this flurry of activity from Cirencester the visitors responded with a couple of efforts of their own as Lewis Toomey fired over the bar form a narrow angle, left flank, and Hutton ‘scooped’ the ball over the home backline and into the path of Chamberlain as he entered the right channel of the Cirencester penalty area. The fullback also fired over the bar.

It was then the turn of Connor Toomey who struck a powerful drive at goal but Brown bravely blocked his effort with the ball being collected by Hutton who saw his volley caught by Rivers at his left post.

Just after the mid-point of the half Cirencester produced some neat approach play as they worked the ball down their left flank – Bennett to Griffin, back to Connolly, out to Knight, cross cleared downfield for Alfie Kilgour to win the header on half way and send it back to Bennett. Good footwork and on to Langworthy, right corner front edge of the visitors penalty area – cross through the area and out the other side without contact.

A few minutes later there was a huge shout for a penalty kick from Langworthy as he crossed the ball from the right – ignored by the officials – but a corner kick was awarded. Before the kick was taken the referee, Nicholas MacKenzie, held a Yellow Card aloft in the direction of Langworthy for his protestations.

With five minutes of normal time remaining Lewis Toomey ‘pinched’ the ball of Brown as he looked to clear and shot at goal forcing Rivers to push it wide of his left post for a corner kick from the right. Adam Connolly bravely stuck his head in the way to defend the kick at the near post to clear and start a counter attack.

Deep into added time Lewis Toomey latched onto a ball that had been deflected high into the air and as it dropped near the right front corner edge of the 6 yard box he struck a firm right footed shot that Rivers did very well to block from such close range.

Final Score:     0 - 1

This was a very disappointing result - given that Kings Langley were only three places above their hosts before the game.

Cirencester certainly had plenty of possession - resulting in crosses and corner kicks but failed to convert any into the all important goals.

Attendance:     87

Referee:          Nicholas MacKenzie

Cirencester Town:

1.    Harvey Rivers
2.    Kyle Lapham
3.    Aidan Bennett
4.    Alfie Kilgour                                 
5.    Matt Liddiard     (C)                                 
6.    Ben Brown                
7.    Adam Connolly               
8.    Lee Smith                         
9.    Charlie Griffin                                                                             
10.   Ross Langworthy  
11.   Ollie Knight                      

12.   James Mortimer-Jones                (Aidan Bennett-77mins)
14.   James Coates                               
15.   Andrew Elcock                             
16.   Kalum Youngsam                        (Lee Smith-66mins)

Kings Langley:

1.    Danny Boness
2.    Steven Ward
3.    Josh Chamberlain
4.    Jorell Johnson
5.    Kyle Anthony
6.    Callum Adebiyi
7.    Dean Hitchcock
8.    Connor Toomey     (C)
9.    Lewis Toomey                                            45
10.   David Hutton
11.   Immanuelson Duku

12.   Sean Coughlin
13.   Xavi Comas                                   
14.   Oren Swales                                  (Steven Ward-83mins)
15.   Gary Connolly                                (David Hutton-65mins)
16.  Ryan Plowright                               (Callum Adebiyi-58mins)