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
When Cirencester visited Slimbridge in August they were rather fortunate to come away with the 3 points but they fully deserved their victory in this match.
Prior to this match both sides had obtained 19 points from 18 matches played but Cirencester’s goal difference was superior resulting in the home side sitting in 16th place in the table compared to Slimbridge in 19th place. In terms of current form Cirencester were 17th in the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ table – four places above their visitors.
The Cirencester starting eleven had one change from the side that obtained the win last week against Barnstaple Town as Tommy Anderson was unavailable and as a result Henry Spalding returned (following his one match suspension) to begin a game with his brother Louis for the first time in Cirencester colours.
Slimbridge kicked off, playing towards The Shed end of the ground on an overcast, cold day and almost immediately lost the ball enabling Cirencester to attack down their right flank through Will Christopher and Henry Spalding – leading to a corner kick that produced a throw-in to Cirencester in the left corner and a counter attack from Slimbridge as Sean Lawson burst to the right corner and crossed the ball for Matt Wieczorek to make the catch near his penalty spot.
A minute or so later the busy Lawson cut left from the right channel and shot wide of the right post.
Not to be outdone Cirencester’s Ben Whitehead cut in from the right and fired a low shot at the target – bringing a solid save from ‘keeper Oliver Hall.
The game had started at a brisk pace with an early Slimbridge free kick sailing past the far left post and an Aidan Bennett header wide of the right post for the hosts.
Ten minutes into the game and Tommy Ouldridge received the ball, near the left channel front edge of the Slimbridge penalty area, looked up and picked his spot with a left footed strike that Hall just managed to push round his left post to concede a corner kick. When the kick came in the ‘keeper caught he ball above the head of Ellis Dunton to end the threat.
Cirencester were working the ball down both flanks and switching play from flank to flank to stretch the Slimbridge defence but the visitors stood firm and countered with quick breaks – one of which led to a foot race between Joe Wilton and Wieczorek as the former chased a long ball down the centre. The ball squirted out of their subsequent challenge and resulted in a throw-in to Cirencester.
Just before the mid-point of the half Cirencester worked the left flank to the corner as Louis Spalding and Michael Pook exchanged passes to release Ouldridge who once again picked his spot but with the same result as his previous effort – a corner kick from the right. Henry Spalding sent the kick towards the near post where Bennett rose to head against the cross-bar.
Shortly afterwards Cirencester produced another slick passing move - as Christopher and Pook exchanged passes as they worked their way down the right flank before moving it forward to Ouldridge who released Henry Spalding into the corner. The winger cut in along the by-line and slid the ball towards the near post for a colleague but a goal-kick was awarded.
Cirencester continued to press but couldn’t find a way through until leading scorer BEN WHITEHEAD received the ball in the left channel of the Slimbridge penalty area and fired a powerful shot that was partially blocked but had enough to get it over the line to open the scoring. 1-0.
The Slimbridge response was immediate as Lawson fired a shot from the left channel of the Cirencester area past the far right post resulting in a corner kick and a foul that let Cirencester off the hook.
This was soon followed by a Henry Birkett effort from 30 yards that was deflected high into the air for Wieczorek to catch.
Five minutes after the first goal BEN WHITEHEAD doubled his tally when Louis Spalding carried the ball down the left flank before slipping it inside to Ouldridge who in turn laid it off to Whitehead 30 yards from goal, centre line of the pitch. Without hesitating the in-form striker made a superb connection with the outside of his left foot to bend the ball into the top right corner. 2-0.
Encouraged the home side pressed as the interval loomed with Pook trying his luck with a right foot curler that passed just too high of the top right corner, Adam Connolly firing over from the edge of the box and Ouldridge seeing another effort blocked after a clever Whitehead ‘scoop’ pass released Bennett to the corner.
Half Time: 2-0
After the break Cirencester started positively as they continued to probe down the flanks whilst the defence produced some calm defending to re-start the forward progress.
Despite being under some pressure it was Slimbridge who created an opening just after the hour mark when Adam Mace crossed from the left corner for Wilton to dart forward towards the near post and head downwards forcing Wieczorek into a low save at his right post.
Slimbridge pressed again a couple of minutes later but the pass was intercepted by Henry Spalding who immediately moved it forward to BEN WHITEHEAD, in the centre circle - Cirencester half of the pitch. The striker collected the pass and pushed it towards the right flank and chased after it and started on an arcing run that took him to the flank and back towards the centre front edge of the Slimbridge penalty area, evading a couple of challenges en-route. As he entered the penalty area he rode another challenge before tucking his shot inside the right post from near the penalty spot as Hall advanced. 3-0.
To their credit Slimbridge continued to push forward at every opportunity and Birkett fired narrowly wide of the left post from 30 yards and Cirencester conceded a corner kick from another attack but the home defence coped with everything the visitors had to offer.
As the game entered the final 15 minutes a flowing move from left to right created space for an overlapping Christopher to have a pot at goal but it was wide of the right post.
Slimbridge responded with a Mace cross from the left and a deft flick at the near post from Lawson that hit the side netting.
A minute later Alexandru Albert sent a free kick up to Alan Griffin who laid it off to Ouldridge for the youngster to attempt a curler with the outside of his right foot from the centre front edge of the penalty area that passed just wide of the left post.
Cirencester scored their fourth when AIDAN BENNETT headed a Louis Spalding cross inside the left post from near the penalty spot. 4-0.
When challenging for the cross Adam Mace collided with Bennett and landed awkwardly and after some delay left the field on a stretcher which meant his side played the remaining 9 minutes with ten men. We hope he is not seriously hurt and makes a speedy recovery.
In the final moments of the game Whitehead had an effort blocked near the line and another Birkett shot was part blocked for Wieczorek to dive on the ball near the by-line.
Full Time: 4-0
An entertaining game and a solid all-round team performance from The Centurions that hopefully will give them confidence as they visit league leaders Taunton Town next week.
The central defensive partnership between Alex Albert and Ellis Dunton is getting better with each game and the energy of the two full-backs, Will Christopher and Louis Spalding, as they constantly forage down the flanks is impressive.
The mid-field keep the ball moving and Ben Whitehead is a constant threat with his work-rate and quality finishing – two sensational goals scored today.
Attendance: 123 Referee: Philip Staynings
Cirencester Town:
1. Matt Wieczorek
2. Will Christopher
3. Louis Spalding
4. Michael Pook
5. Ellis Dunton
6. Alexandru Albert
7. Tommy Ouldridge
8. Adam Connolly (C)
9. Aidan Bennett 83
10. Ben Whitehead 33, 38, 66
11. Henry Spalding
12. Alan Griffin (Michael Pook-70mins)
14. Mason Lewis (Aidan Bennett-90mins)
15. Max Lloyd (Tommy Ouldridge-90mins)
16. Scott Rose (GK)
Slimbridge:
1. Oliver Hall
2. Sam Turl
3. Adam Mace
4. Tom Hoskins
5. Alex Hoyle (C)
6. Korey Pring
7. Jack Twyman
8. Henry Birkett
9. Sean Lawson
10. Michael Bryant
11. Joe Wilton
12. Luke Payne (Jack Twyman-72mins)
14. Dean Turner (Joe Wilton-72mins)
15. Max Harper-Emerson (Alex Hoyle-45mins)
16. Kieran Squires