Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Courtesy of Steve Rolfe Photography
Match Report by Dave Pyzer
Cirencester travelled to The Forest of Dean for this mid-week league fixture to face Gloucestershire rivals Cinderford Town in conditions that were similar but calmer than in Saturday’s match against Yate Town – wind and rain.
In terms of current form and league position ‘The Foresters’ were in 11th place in the ‘6-match form guide’ table and 12th place in the West Division table whilst Cirencester were 21st and 20th respectively.
The Cirencester starting eleven included Matt Wieczorek (having served his one-match ban following his harsh Red Card at Bideford) and Adam Connolly taking a position in the back four alongside Jordan Stoddart as Matt Coupe (injured) and Mason Lewis (holiday) were not available. As a result James Mortimer-Jones came into the side in his usual position in front of the back four in a 4-1-4-1 formation. Jack Horrell and Henry Spalding occupied the central midfield positions in front of him with Tom Anderson – who slotted into the side very easily on Saturday – and Aidan Bennett the flanks. Ben Whitehead ploughed the lonely furrow up front.
The home side kicked off playing into the wind and rain and paid the price as Cirencester opened the scoring 6 minutes into the game when BEN WHITEHEAD smashed the ball home from near the penalty spot after Aidan Bennett’s first cross from the left was blocked but his determination resulted in his second reaching the striker. 0-1.
Spurred on by the early success Cirencester pressed down both flanks leading to a Matt Jones effort that passed just wide of the right post and a corner kick from the right that resulted in a corner kick from the left. Jack Horrell took this kick and clipped the outside of the near post with the ball rebounding across the face of the goal to produce a series of blocked shots and an ‘offside’ decision to bring a halt to this particular attack.
Within minutes Cirencester were back again with another corner kick from the right and this time HENRY SPALDING repeated his success of Saturday as his ‘wind assisted’ kick curled into the net at the back post. 0-2.
Almost immediately Matt Jones clipped a pass down the line to the left corner for Whitehead to chase, collect and cross to the back post where the diminutive Tom Anderson arrived to head down and inside the right post. The youngster thought he had scored but ‘keeper Cameron Clarke clawed the ball back from behind him and when the Assistant Referee declined to raise his flag to signal the goal play continued with Cinderford countering quickly and ultimately scoring.
The long clearance from the incident previously described reached the Cirencester penalty area where Matt Wieczorek lost possession of the ball on the edge of his box with it breaking to Jack Alderdice who had the presence of mind to slip it right for LEWIS BAMFORD to calmly fire into the empty net. 1-2.
During the next few minutes Bennett was prominent as he powered through three ‘would be’ tackles before slipping the ball right and crossed from the left corner but with no end product on either occasion.
Just after the mid-point of the half Cinderford were awarded a free kick, right channel – 35 yards out, that Sammie Hicks sent to the far post and whilst Alderdice was unable to collect it for a pot at goal it was slipped right to Robbie Atkinson and he sent it left along the front edge of the penalty area to James Bloom but the fullback sliced his kick wide of the target.
Cirencester responded with a driving 20 yard run from Anderson, down the right channel of the pitch, before he slipped it right to Whitehead and he cut back onto his left foot and fired wide of the left post from the right front corner of the home penalty area.
During the next five minutes or so Jones and Horrell fired wide of the home goal and as the half was entering the last ten minutes Cinderford pressed with Bamford attempting a ‘chip’ over Wieczorek that was just wide of the right post.
Shortly before the interval BEN WHITEHEAD was on hand when a defensive header dropped at his feet and he calmly placed his half-volley inside the right post from right of the penalty spot. 1-3.
Despite pressing for the last few minutes Cirencester were unable to add to their tally.
Half Time: 1-3
With the wind and rain now behind them Cinderford immediately attacked and were awarded a free kick, left channel – 30 yards out, but Declan Morley-Lyne fired his kick high over the Cirencester cross-bar.
Cirencester’s reply was a break down their right flank as Will Christopher fed Spalding down the line, inside to Anderson, left to Whitehead who shot from the right front corner of the home area, deflected into the air for Kyle Knott to head back to Clarke – threat over.
Just after the hour Bamford collected a pass, centre – 30 yards out, turned and fired a powerful drive at the Cirencester goal that Wieczorek parried before picking up.
A minute later it was Clarke who parried a free kick taken by Bennett and Whitehead reacted, a yard from the left post, but his contact was narrowly wide.
Shortly afterwards a Cinderford corner kick was parried by Wieczorek enabling a counter attack down the Cirencester left channel and a free kick 30 yards out. Matt Jones clipped the kick into the penalty area where Anderson crossed to Bennett on the left flank, back across to Spalding on the right side of the area and some tricky footwork to create space for a right footed shot that Clarke caught at his left post.
At the mid-point of the half Bennett carried the ball to the left corner before sending his cross along the front edge of the home 6 yard box where Whitehead darted forward to make contact but not enough to cause any concern.
From this point Cinderford began to dominate possession with Cirencester relying on counter attacks.
For the home side Bamford, Matt MacDonald, Alderdice and Hicks were prominent in a move down their right flank that ended when Hicks cross was cut-out for Spalding to counter attack.
Shortly afterwards Hicks was involved again as he fired a fierce low shot at the target that Wiecazorek could only parry. Declan Morley-Lyne latched onto the loose ball near the penalty spot but clipped the bar – but he was spared any embarrassment as his effort was ruled to be ‘offside’.
As the game entered the last fifteen minutes Bennett fed Spalding on the left flank who in turn crossed to the front edge of the 6 yard box where again Whitehead nearly made contact as he darted forward.
Into the last ten and Liam Angel sent a deep pass from half way to the right channel of the Cirencester area where Morley-Lyne headed towards the right post but Wieczorek made the save low to his left.
The home Captain, Andy Lewis, then featured in a couple of driving runs down the centre as he exchanged passes en-route to the edge of the penalty area resulting a series of blocks from the determined Cirencester defence.
The pressure from Cinderford had become relentless but Cirencester were ‘digging-in’ and ‘repelling all borders’ until finally, with a minute of normal time remaining, and following a number of blocks after a corner kick the ball was fed right to DECLAN MORLEY-LYNE who rifled a low shot inside the far left post from the right channel of the area. 2-3.
Could the home side salvage a point?
No - Cirencester held out during the added-time to bring home the much needed 3 points.
Full Time: 2-3
This match, a clash between two sides relegated from the Premier Division at the end of last season, was certainly the proverbial ‘game of two halves’ with plenty of goalmouth incident and passion on display in difficult conditions.
Attendance: 147 Referee: Ollie Williams
Cinderford Town:
1. Cameron Clarke
2. Kyle Knott
3. James Bloom
4. Liam Angel
5. Andy Lewis (C)
6. Jack Alderdice
7. Sammie Hicks
8. Matt MacDonald
9. Declan Morley-Lyne 89
10. Lewis Bamford 19
11. Robbie Atkinson
12. Dan Clarke
14. Craig Norman (Jack Alderdice-72mins)
15. Nick Humphries
16. Blaine Waugh (Kyle Knott-79mins)
17. Nick Harrhy (Robbie Atkinson-46mins)
Cirencester Town:
1. Matt Wieczorek
2. Will Christopher
3. Matt Jones
4. James Mortimer-Jones
5. Jordan Stoddart
6. Jack Horrell
7. Henry Spalding 15
8. Adam Connolly (C)
9. Aidan Bennett
10. Ben Whitehead 6, 39
11. Tom Anderson
12. Michael Pook (Jack Horrell-79mins)
14. Jordan Ricketts (Aidan Bennett-83mins)
15. Scott Rose (GK)
16. Alan Griffin