Cirencester Town FC
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
Cirencester Town hosted league leaders Leamington in their latest fixture at the Corinium Stadium and gave a good account of themselves to keep the result in doubt until the final whistle.
Following their success in midweek against Dorchester the home side faced league leaders Leamington with a degree of confidence but a lapse in concentration enabled the visitors to open the scoring just after the mid-point of the first half and whilst still recovering from the disappointment they conceded another to give themselves a mountain to climb – but they certainly gave it a go.
Since the mid-week victory the Cirencester Management had recruited Jack Challis (an U19’s Welsh International central defender from Bristol City) and Sindri Scheving (an U19’s Iceland International from Reading - returning for a second spell at the Club) on one month loan deals.
Matt Liddiard was suspended for this game having accumulated five Yellow Cards and Sam Hunt has been released so both the loan players were in the starting eleven.
Cirencester kicked-off proceedings playing towards the Arena end of the ground and three minutes into the game Jamie Chamberlain, who scored two goals on his debut in midweek, darted down the centre to collect a through ball. As he neared the front edge of the penalty area he fired with his right – blocked but he managed to recover it and shoot again – once again blocked but this time cleared. A good start for the home side and an early warning for Leamington.
The reply from Leamington was almost instant as Courtney Baker-Richardson broke down their right flank but he was closed down by debutant Jack Challis (on loan from Bristol City) and a throw-in to Leamington resulted.
The right flank of Leamington was prominent during the next ten minutes or so as openings were created for Ahmed Obeng and Baker-Richardson that resulted in shots that were wide of the target.
In reply Adam Connolly sent a long diagonal pass from the left side of the centre circle towards the right corner for Jamie Chamberlain to chase and collect. He laid the ball back to Will Hancox who won a corner kick that Henry Spalding sent to the area in front of the penalty spot where Tony Breeden punched it out to Kieren Diaz-Benitez. As Diaz-Benitez shaped to shoot he was fouled but the resulting free kick was defended.
Minutes later Connolly sent another 50 yard pass towards the left corner and with Chamberlain in pursuit an alert Breeden dashed out to launch the ball back up the field from near the touchline.
Cirencester recovered the ball and play switched to their right flank as Hancox fed Aidan Bennett who took it down the right side edge of the Leamington penalty area and sent a low cross from the by-line that was partially blocked enabling Breeden to pick it up.
At the mid-point of the half Cirencester was awarded a free kick on their right flank but it was sent too close to Breeden who made the catch comfortably - it was to be a feature of the match.
Minutes later Rob Thompson-Brown sent a free kick from the Leamington right flank to an unmarked JACK EDWARDS, to the left of the penalty spot, and he had the time and ability to pick his spot as he headed the ball into the top right corner of the net to open the scoring for the league leaders. 0-1.
The lapse in concentration had been severely punished and whilst Cirencester were recovering from the shock they suffered a further setback as a diagonal pass from the right channel to left of the penalty spot was collected by COURTNEY BAKER-RICHARDSON and he calmly slipped the ball under an advancing Raajan Gill to double the score. 0-2.
Almost immediately Sindri Scheving launched the ball down the left flank for Chamberlain to collect and cross but it was deflected for a corner kick. The kick was too close to Breeden and he made the catch to end the threat.
As the half hour mark approached Cirencester had a further setback as they had to replace the goal threat posed by Jamie Chamberlain, who scored two goals in midweek, due to injury.
Despite this they won a corner kick on their left flank that Diaz-Benitez sent towards the penalty spot where Ben Brown, under pressure, directed his header wide of the right post.
As the half entered the last ten minutes Leamington attacked down their right channel with the ball reaching Obeng who was forced away from goal but he back-heeled it into the path of Ryan Rowe who crossed to the left channel front edge of the Cirencester penalty area where Darren Pond volleyed high over the bar.
A minute later the action was at the other end as Connolly collected the ball and fired a left footed shot narrowly wide of the right post from the left channel front edge of the area.
Cirencester then defended another Leamington attack and countered down their right flank as Hancox played the ball to the centre front edge of the penalty area where Bennett collected it and turned into the box. As soon as he entered the box he was put under intense pressure, having his shirt tugged and being manhandled, he staggered and attempted to keep moving forward for a 1v1 with Breeden but was hauled to the ground leading to a PENALTY kick being awarded and a Yellow Card to Jamie Hood.
WILL HANCOX stepped up and confidently tucked the ball inside the left post as Breeden dived to his left to give Cirencester a lifeline before the interval. 1-2.
As the half ended Leamington had the ball and produced a series of passes involving several players as they worked the ball down their left flank.
Half Time: 1 – 2
Cirencester opened the second half positively as Diaz-Benitez played the ball up to the right corner for Kalum Youngsam to collect, back to Spalding, out to Hancox, into the corner – corner kick for Spalding who played it short and when it was returned to him his cross was once again caught by Breeden.
The home side were back again two minutes later as Spalding crossed from the left to the far right side edge of the visitor’s area where Hancox won a corner kick that was defended for a counter attack that came to an end when Diaz-Benitez was fouled.
A couple of minutes later Leamington worked the ball down their right flank as Obeng fed Rowe near the corner, inside to Edwards, left to Baker-Richardson who shot from the left side edge of the 6 yard box. Raajan Gill blocked the effort at his right post to concede a corner kick that sailed through the area and out wide of the right post.
During the next ten minutes Leamington increased the pressure on the home side with Rowe instinctively shooting wide of the left post, Thompson-Brown shooting over the bar, and Rowe another effort blocked by Gill.
Cirencester weathered the storm and countered as Spalding slipped the ball inside from the left flank to Connolly and he played a very astute through ball from half way to the right channel of the Leamington penalty area for Hancox to collect. Jamie Hood recovered to move across and block challenge the youngster as he shaped to shoot and the danger was cleared.
Ben Brown then launched a 50 yard pass down the right channel to the right corner for Youngsam to chase but the alert Breeden sprinted from his area to clear the ball of the pitch.
During the next few minutes Brown and his partner in central defence, debutant Jack Challis, were involved in defensive mode as Challis bravely blocked Rowe’s shot and Brown cut out a dangerous cross from Baker-Richardson.
As the game entered the final fifteen minutes of normal time Leamington pressed again as they probed the front edge of the Cirencester area - Obeng shot over the bar and Thompson-Brown and Obeng had shots blocked by Gill.
After these efforts Ross Langworthy replaced Sindri Scheving to provide more of a goal threat and he was immediately involved in the action as he sent a free kick into the box – but as with the previous kicks too close to Breeden who made the catch.
A couple of minutes later Cirencester worked the ball down their right flank to the corner, lost it, recovered it, switched play to the left for Langworthy to drive to the left front corner of the Leamington area. Once there he cut right and unleashed a fierce right footed shot towards the right post but en-route it struck his team-mate, Aidan Bennett, who was moving across the box in anticipation of a through ball behind the visitors backline and was cleared.
Leamington had another couple of efforts wide of the target before Langworthy played a measured pass down the left flank to Connolly who slipped it inside to Bennett and he was fouled leading to a free kick just outside the front left corner of the area. Ross Langworthy sent the kick towards the far post where Hancox was darting forward but as he met the ball he was challenged resulting in a corner kick.
As the game entered ‘added’ time Spalding sent a superb cross from the left corner through the penalty spot leading to a corner kick from the right. When the kick came in it was cleared to a lurking James Mortimer-Jones who immediately fired a left footed shot at goal – blocked to rebound to Spalding, left channel of the area, left footed shot blocked again.
Cirencester were giving it all they had and pressing Leamington who were defending with determination and as the clock ticked down Leamington broke out for Baker-Richardson to have a last effort to put the game beyond Cirencester but Gill pulled off a superb save to deny him.
Almost immediately the final whistle blew and Leamington had the three points secured.
Final Score: 1 - 2
Another entertaining game but not the result Cirencester wanted.
Leamington showed why they are at the top of the table with some crisp passing and movement going forward whilst their defence is uncompromising with the solid ‘keeper patrolling behind it.
Cirencester had a momentary lapse in concentration and paid the price but they did not wilt or give up - fighting their way back into the game and putting their ‘high-flying’ visitors under pressure at the end.
Attendance: 192
Referee: Matthew Rushton
Cirencester Town:
1. Raajan Gill
2. Kieran Diaz-Benitez
3. Sindri Scheving
4. Henry Spalding
5. Jack Challis
6. Ben Brown
7. James Mortimer-Jones (C)
8. Adam Connolly
9. Aidan Bennett
10. Jamie Chamberlain
11. Will Hancocks 41p
12. Max Lloyd
14. Robbie James
15. Ross Langworthy (Sindri Scheving-75mins)
16. Kalum Youngsam (Jamie Chamberlain-29mins)
Leamington:
1. Tony Breedon (C)
2. Richard Taundry
3. Connor Gudger
4. Darren Pond
5. Jamie Hood
6. James Mace
7. Courtney Baker-Richardson 25
8. Jack Edwards 24
9. Ryan Rowe
10. Rob Thompson-Brown
11. Ahmed Obeng
12. Callum Gittings (Ryan Rowe-68mins)
14. Joe Magunda
15. Ben George (Richard Taundry-42mins)
16. Tom James (Rob Thompson-Brown-89mins)
17. Nathan Olukanmi