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
Cirencester made the long journey to Cambridgeshire to face St. Neots Town in this re-arranged mid-week fixture and it took longer than usual to get there due to heavy traffic (possibly due to accidents based on the flashing blue lights witnessed) and a road closure. As a result the team arrived at 7.30 p.m. after a four and a half hour journey so kick-off was delayed for 15 minutes.
It was not ideal preparation for a game of such importance with both teams desperate for points due to their lowly position in the League Table - Cirencester 20th and St. Neots 21st. In terms of current form there is also little to choose between them with Cirencester 19th and St. Neots 18th.
The Cirencester starting eleven had a new face in it as Dan Demkiv had been recruited on a dual registration basis with Melksham Town and was given a start on the left wing. He has recently been released from Nuneaton Town and is training with Bath City.
Sindri Scheving returned at left back (following illness) enabling Matt Liddiard to take his usual midfield berth.
The home side kicked-off on a damp, misty evening and attacked the Cirencester left flank but lost the ball enabling the visitors to counter as debutant Dan Demkiv charged towards the left corner before laying it back to James Mortimer-Jones who slid a precision pass to the left side edge of the home penalty area. MATT LIDDIARD was darting into the space to collect the pass and as he neared the by-line he clipped the ball towards the back post. Home 'keeper Alex Archer, covering his near post, leapt and got his hand to the ball but could not prevent it dropping over his head and inside the far right post. 0-1.
The perfect start for Cirencester who had little pre-match warm-up time due to their late arrival.
Six minutes later the home side were awarded a free kick just inside the Cirencester half, right channel, that Declan Rogers sent to the left of the penalty spot where Taylor Parr stretched to make slight contact with his toe for the ball to bounce up into the grateful arms of Raajan Gill.
St. Neots had reacted positively to going a goal behind and pushed forward in search of an equaliser. A long ball down the right flank was plucked out of the air near the right front corner of the Cirencester penalty area by James Hall and slipped inside to a supporting Rogers who took a touch before sending a curling left footed effort towards the inside of the left post. It looked destined for the bottom corner until Gill launched himself across his goal-line to push it round the post.
Cirencester countered as they switched play from right to left, Adam Connolly to Sindri Scheving, inside to James Mortimer-Jones and forward down the left channel of the home penalty area where Liddiard was making a similar run to the one that led to the early goal. Once again Liddiard crossed towards the back post but a little too heavy although it was collected by Will Hancox near the right corner. Hancox returned the ball in the direction of the penalty spot but it was intercepted and cleared.
A minute later the ball broke to Dan Demkiv in the left corner and he immediately cut right and shot from the left channel of the penalty area but Archer saved with his feet and the rebound was cleared.
After this brief period of pressure on the home goal St. Neots broke down their left flank enabling Jonny Hall to launch a long ball towards the penalty spot where JAMES HALL headed inside the left post to level the score. 1-1.
Encouraged by this success the home side pressed forward down their right flank and Rogers struck a fierce left footed shot at the target from just outside the Cirencester penalty area. A defender was charging towards him to block the shot and the ball was deflected at pace bringing a superb reaction save from Gill to push it over his crossbar. The resultant corner kick became a second corner kick and a series of blocks in the box until the danger was cleared.
Cirencester had survived the period of pressure and at the mid-point of the half nearly regained the lead as Alan Griffin held off a challenge and laid the ball back to Liddiard, 30 yards out – right channel. Liddiard slid a well weighted pass into the path of Demkiv as he burst into the home penalty area. As the winger collected the ball Archer advanced to close him down and blocked the resulting shot with his feet.
The visitors were encouraged and for the next five minutes or so produced some neat passing as they moved the ball down their left flank with Griffin, Liddiard and Demkiv involved. The latter showed some clever footwork in the corner. Mortimer-Jones moved the ball to the right channel where Griffin fired a right footed shot over the bar from 25 yards.
The game had become frenetic and end-to-end as the sides searched for another goal and just after the half hour mark Charlie Day dribbled the ball along the Cirencester by-line (left flank), evading challenges en-route with good skill, and slipped the ball to James Hall who had his shot partially blocked but it still looked like it might enter the net inside the right post. Once again Gill dived full length to push it out.
A minute later the action was at the other end as Griffin collected a loose pass and rounded Archer who forced him wider than he wished and the resulting shot from the right channel, 5 yards out, crashed into the side netting.
St. Neots had the chance to go in front when an unmarked James Hall, left of the penalty spot, headed a free kick wide of the left post.
Into the last ten minutes of the half and Cirencester produced a series of passes that took them from right to left and a deflected cross that reached the head of Griffin, near the left side edge of the 6 yard box, but went over the bar.
Three minutes to go and Pete Clark produced some fast feet to get past 3 opponents on the right flank before crossing but the ball was intercepted and the danger cleared.
On the stroke of 45 minutes Kieren Diaz-Benitez sent a low pass down the right flank that reached Griffin on the front corner of the home area and he produced a sharp turn and shot that struck the side netting.
The final action of the half came in added time as a quick break led to a left footed shot from Rogers, near the right front corner of the Cirencester penalty area, that cleared the bar.
Half Time: 1-1
After the interval St. Neots started very positively, particularly on the left flank, as Day played the ball down the line to James Hall who crossed to the right of the penalty spot where Jack Challis cleared.
Within minutes they were back again as Jonny Hall charged forward but his cross was too long and went out of play.
It took nine minutes for Cirencester to get their first opportunity as they were awarded a free kick on the left touchline that Connolly sent to the penalty spot. Ben Brown got his head to it and it was heading towards the right post as Liddiard darted in but Archer got there first to collect.
Cirencester then worked the ball down the left flank and across to the right with several players involved but the path to the goal was closed.
They were soon back again as Demkiv won a throw-in in the right corner that Challis launched towards the near post. Archer caught the ball above the head of Liddiard. A minute later the ball broke to Connolly outside the penalty area, left channel, and he immediately sent a left footed shot wide of the right post.
Just after the hour mark a Cirencester clearance header fell to Rogan McGeorge, right channel – 22 yards out, and he wasted no time in getting his shot away but it was high over the bar.
Cirencester then made a substitution as Henry Spalding replaced Jack Challis resulting in Matt Liddiard dropping into the backline. A couple of minutes later Liddiard powered a header from halfway to Demkiv who collected and drove down the right flank to the corner where he played the ball inside to Connolly. The resultant shot was blocked for a corner kick that was eventually returned to Spalding and sent out of play.
Ten minutes later St. Neots worked the ball down their left flank through Day and Jonny Hall but the latter’s cross was too long and went off the pitch.
The home side won a corner kick on the right and when it landed in the Cirencester penalty area there was a scramble followed by a shot that a well placed Scheving cleared off his goal-line inside the left post.
The Day/Jonny Hall combination was evident again as Hall’s shot resulted in a corner kick that Cirencester defended before counter attacking. St. Neots broke up the attack and sent the ball down their right flank to James Hall who cut left and sent a fierce shot that Gill initially parried at the right post before collecting.
Pete Clark, on the right, then tried his luck and crossed to Rogers who’s shot from the near the penalty spot was blocked – leading to a counter attack as Demkiv cut into the penalty area from the left before clipping the ball to Griffin. The resulting header was wide of the right post.
In added time Cirencester nearly took the three points as Sindri Scheving crossed from the left to the penalty spot where Henry Spalding darted forward to produce a firm volley that flew over the bar - a lesser connection may have had a different result.
Final Score: 1-1.
The game was certainly frantic and as a result lacked quality but there was plenty of endeavour on display.
After such a long journey Cirencester would be pleased with a point whilst St. Neots would be disappointed given the number of chances they created.
It was a determined defensive effort from Cirencester with glimpses of their ability going forward.
Dan Demkiv showed plenty of potential with his pace and willingness to track back.
Attendance: 97
Referee: Wayne Porter
St. Neots Town:
1. Alex Archer
2. Miles Smith
3. Jonny Hall
4. Michael Hyem (C)
5. Tom Wood
6. Taylor Parr
7. Pete Clark
8. Rogan McGeorge
9. James Hall 17
10. Declan Rogers
11. Charlie Day
12. Dan Gleeson (Rogan McGeorge-68mins)
14. Jackson Clement-McNee
15. Jack Eldridge
16. Erhan Nurettin
17. Josh Coldicott-Stevens
Cirencester Town:
1. Raajan Gill
2. Kieran Diaz-Benitez
3. Sindri Scheving
4. Jack Challis
5. Ben Brown
6. Matt Liddiard (C) 2
7. James Mortimer-Jones
8. Adam Connolly
9. Alan Griffin
10. Dan Demkiv
11. Will Hancox
12. Max Lloyd
14. Aidan Bennett (Will Hancox-71mins)
15. Robbie James
16. Henry Spalding (Jack Challis-62mins)
17. Ka’lum Youngsam