Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
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Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Courtesy of Steve Rolfe Photography
Match Report by Dave Pyzer
For the second match in succession Cirencester scored a late goal but it was not enough to secure a point in this match between two teams at the wrong end of the Premier Division table and as a result Hayes & Yeading left The Corinium Stadium with the 3 points and moved above them in the struggle to remain at this level of the football pyramid.
The previous game between these two teams in October finished 1-1 and current form, based on the ‘6-Match Form Guide’, suggested a similar tight affair was in prospect for this match as both teams had identical records during this period with Cirencester 15th and Hayes & Yeading 16th - presumably based on the alphabet. In the Premier Division table the visitors had two points fewer than their hosts, but with two games in hand, so this match really was the proverbial ‘six-pointer’ to Cirencester.
The Cirencester starting eleven had two enforced changes from the previous match as Ben Brown had picked up an injury whilst training on Thursday and Aidan Bennett was suspended due to his dismissal in the Dunstable Town match. Kieran Diaz-Benitez took the place of Brown at right back and Ellis Dunton, on his return from a year in Australia, stepped in to replace Bennett at left back. Otherwise the team and formation was unchanged.
The visitors kicked-off playing towards the Arena end of the ground and had an early pot at goal as Dylan Kearney was released down the right flank and fired a ‘cross-cum-shot’ at the target. Glyn Garner pushed the ball away and it was collected by Graeme Montgomery on the left side edge of the home penalty area but his resulting cross was cleared.
The Cirencester response was a break down their right flank to the by-line where Dan Demkiv crossed and Matt Liddiard attempted to deflect the ball towards goal with his heel - as he darted across the front edge of the 6 yard box towards the winger - but the visitors defence cleared the danger.
During the next couple of minutes both sides produced glancing headers that were wide of the right post – Cole Brown for H & Y and Alan Griffin for Cirencester.
The game had started at a good pace with both sides showing their intent to get forward.
Gethin Jones fed Kerry Morgan on the left flank and he cut inside to run along the front edge of the penalty area before playing a clever reverse pass into the path of James Mortimer-Jones as he darted into space in the left channel of the H & Y penalty area. The midfielder reached the ball a couple of yards from the by-line and as he attempted to pull it back towards the penalty spot ‘keeper Danny Boness closed him down to cut it out.
A couple of minutes later the visitors opened the scoring when Callum Adebiyi launched a long throw from the left flank that reached DYLAN KEARNEY – in line with the penalty spot & left post. The striker was quickly closed down but turned sharply to avoid the incoming challenge and his feet slipped from under him causing him to fall backwards but as he fell he managed to chip the ball over Garner and inside the far right post. 0-1.
Cirencester nearly opened their account as Liddiard and Adam Connolly combined for the latter to slip the ball through to Demkiv who carried it to the right by-line before pulling it back towards the penalty spot where Griffin got his left foot to it but it passed wide of the right post.
Just after the mid-point of the half Griffin headed a throw from the left flank on to Liddiard who headed it on to Morgan as he cut-in from the left corner. Morgan instantly struck a right footed volley from left of the penalty spot but a well positioned Boness saved his effort.
The lively Kearney was in action soon after as he latched onto a speculative ball to the right corner and from the narrowest of angles fired in a fierce shot that Garner blocked at his left post and a minute later H & Y should have increased their lead as several players lined up just outside the home box but they dithered and Cirencester re-grouped to clear the danger.
Ten minutes before the scheduled interval Cirencester suffered a setback when Gethin Jones had to be replaced as he appeared to pull a thigh muscle in the process of sending a sublime pass from half way to the right flank. Lewis Thompson replaced him and took a position alongside Alan Griffin with Matt Liddiard dropping into the back four.
As the half was drawing to a close Cirencester were pressing on the right front corner of the visitor’s box as Connolly twisted and turned in search of an opening. Once spotted, he clipped the ball to Griffin (near the penalty spot) who got his head to it but it was blocked by a defenders arm as he challenged Griffin and cleared. The strong appeals of the home side were ignored by Referee Matthew Rushton and less than a minute later it was time for a break.
Half Time: 0 – 1
Shortly after the interval Cirencester suffered yet another setback as the busy Kerry Morgan had to be replaced (knee injury) with Henry Spalding taking his place and within a minute of his introduction he received the ball on the left flank and crossed towards the left channel of the box where Lewis Thompson headed over the bar.
Hayes & Yeading responded as Solomon Sambou slipped the ball to Kearney, on the front edge of the Cirencester penalty area - right channel, and he drove the ball towards the bottom right corner where Garner produced a superb diving save to push the ball away.
A couple of minutes later Cole Brown intercepted a home pass down their right flank and sped to the corner before crossing for DYLAN KEARNEY (left of the penalty spot) to head wide of Garner and inside the right post to double their tally. 0-2.
With nothing to lose Cirencester pressed forward and when Kieran Diaz-Benitez sent a dangerous ball from the right channel into the visitor’s penalty area it was deflected over the bar for a corner kick. This was to be the last involvement for the young fullback as he was replaced by Manager Charlie Griffin a minute later in an effort to add more firepower to the cause. Cirencester then changed to a fluid 3-5-2 formation.
As the half hour mark of the half was approaching Montgomery found space 25 yards out and shot at goal but Garner produced another diving, finger-tip save to push his effort over the bar.
Three minutes later Cirencester worked the ball down their left flank as Ellis Dunton and Mortimer-Jones combined with Connolly to feed Alan Griffin. The striker struck a fierce drive from the centre front edge of the area that Boness parried into the air. It looked to be dropping under the bar, top right corner, until Boness recovered to tip it wide for a corner kick. When the corner kick was sent into the box several blocks took place to prevent Cirencester opening their account and the visitors survived intact.
Approaching the last ten minutes Liddiard crossed from the right flank to the far post where Charlie Griffin headed wide of the left post.
Cirencester were really pressing at this stage and with three minutes of normal time remaining Spalding received the ball from Mortimer-Jones near the right corner of the H & Y area and moved left along the front edge before unleashing a fierce left footed drive that cannoned off the chest of Boness but as Alan Griffin darted forward to latch onto it the ‘keeper managed to drop on the ball.
Almost immediately Alan Griffin was in the action again as he received the ball from Dunton on the left side edge of the 6 yard box, turned and shot but Boness caught his effort and stepped off the pitch making the save at the near post - resulting in a corner kick that was defended.
On the stroke of 90 minutes CHARLIE GRIFFIN did finally open the Cirencester account as he headed a clipped Spalding cross, from the right by-line, home at the back post to give his side some hope of a point. 1-2.
In ‘added-time’ as they pressed in search of an equaliser the dangerous Kearney received the ball in the right channel and struck a low 25 yard shot at the target. Once again the alert Garner dived left to push the ball round his post and keep the hopes of a draw alive.
A minute later after the resulting corner had been defended the final whistle blew and the game was lost enabling Hayes & Yeading to take the 3 points on offer and move above Cirencester in the battle for survival in the Premier Division.
Final Score: 1 - 2
This was not a game full of quality due to what was at stake and the downpour of rain just before the interval but there were a few glimpses of passing football and a few goal-scoring opportunities.
It was certainly full of endeavour and commitment.
Not the result Cirencester wanted but they must dust themselves down and focus on the next challenge at Hitchin Town on Monday.
Attendance: 136
Referee: Matthew Rushton
Cirencester Town:
1. Glyn Garner
2. Kieran Diaz-Benitez
3. Ellis Dunton
4. James Mortimer-Jones
5. Gethin Jones
6. Matt Coupe
7. Matt Liddiard (C)
8. Adam Connolly
9. Alan Griffin
10. Dan Demkiv
11. Kerry Morgan
12. Henry Spalding (Kerry Morgan-49mins)
14. Lewis Thompson (Gethin Jones-38mins)
15. Ryan Elliott
16. Charlie Griffin (Kieran Diaz-Benitez-65mins) 90
17. Scott Rose (GK)
Hayes & Yeading United:
1. Danny Boness
2. Frankie Jones
3. Callum Adebiyi
4. Solomon Sambou
5. Tom Broadbent (C)
6. Jack Smith
7. Anthony Edgar
8. Connor Toomey
9. Dylan Kearney 15, 56
10. Cole Brown
11. Graeme Montgomery
12. Karl Stevenson (Cole Brown-77mins)
13. Chris Benton
14. Mahlondo Martin
15. Ryan Hope
16. Darren Locke (Connor Toomey-88mins)