Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
Cirencester made an early start for their long journey to face Wimborne Town and found the pitch conditions difficult to adapt to and as a result their hosts capitalised to score five goals.
Prior to the game based on current form the game should have been a well balanced affair – Cirencester 8th and Wimborne 14th in the ‘6-match form guide’ table and 13th and 10th respectively in the league table - but the rain of the last few days made areas of the pitch heavy or slippery and bounce unpredictable and the home side coped better. That the match took place at all is credit to the home ground-staff as many other matches were postponed on the day.
The Cirencester starting eleven was unchanged from that which secured victory over North Leigh in mid-week.
Within minutes of the kick-off the home side attacked down their right channel as Jack Lovell won the ball and released Luke Burbidge into the penalty area where he shot wide of the far left post. This was soon followed by Matty Oldring firing wide of the same post as ‘The Magpies’ started very positively.
Cirencester’s first effort at the home goal came about after Alan Griffin challenged for the ball in the right corner and it broke to Ben Whitehead who slipped it into the path of Adam Connolly as he moved forward to send a shot wide of the left post.
Up to the mid-point of the half the home side created several scoring opportunities as Oldring headed over, Lovell headed wide and a Burbidge shot was deflected into ‘keeper Matt Wieczorek’s hands – with the only effort of note in reply a fierce strike from Whitehead that home ‘keeper Gerard Benfield parried before picking up as Whitehead closed.
Shortly after the mid-point Griffin capitalised as a defender slipped and moved the ball left to Whitehead who crossed from the left side edge of the home penalty area to the back post where Henry Spalding was closing but Loyd Cole just managed to get his head to the ball first to clear the danger.
Minutes later there was a repeat as Whitehead once again crossed from the left and Cole headed clear but this time Henry Spalding stepped back to collect the ball and slip it to Aidan Bennett, in line with the right post – back to goal, who turned sharply to move to his left and fire a powerful shot at the target that Benfield parried across his goal and away.
The home side responded to this with a few more quick breaks that led to Louis Kellaway and Burbidge shooting wide and Lovell into the arms of Wieczorek but finally after 32 minutes they opened their account as Kellaway and Burbidge combined for the latter to square the ball past an advancing Wieczorek to provided LEE FRANCIS with a simple ‘tap-in’ from a couple of yards. 1-0.
Wimborne doubled their tally six minutes later as Ben Walker blocked a Wieczorek clearance and won the race to the rebound to square it to a supporting JACK LOVELL for another 'tap-in' from a couple of yards. 2-0.
In response Henry Spalding crossed from the left to Bennett, right of the penalty spot, who turned and shot towards the right post but Benfield was alert to make the save low to his left.
Half Time: 2-0
Cirencester came out of the blocks quickly after the interval and a high lob from Alex Albert to the front edge of the home 6 yard box resulted in Griffin taking a heavy knock as Benfield caught the ball leading to a short delay as he received treatment.
A few minutes later Louis Spalding played the ball down the left flank to Griffin who switched it right to Whitehead and he in turn moved it to Bennett on the burst down the left channel. Bennett moved forward menacingly as Louis Spalding charged forward on an overlapping run to the left side edge of the home area where he received and crossed the ball towards the penalty spot. The cross was headed out but dropped to Mike Pook who lobbed it back into the box, to the edge of the 6 yard box – in line with the right post, where ALAN GRIFFIN managed to get his toe to the ball as it dropped and loop it over 'keeper Gerard Benfield into the top corner. 2-1.
Encouraged Cirencester pressed for the next ten minutes and nearly levelled as Griffin fed Bennett and he moved towards the front left front corner of the home area. Once again Louis Spalding gamely galloped forward and beyond in support but Bennett seeing the defence distracted by the fullback’s run cut right and fired a low shot at the target – striking the bottom of the left post. The ball rebounded to Louis Spalding and he crossed towards the penalty spot where it was cleared.
Minutes later Ellis Dunton limped off the pitch as he was unable to shake-off the affect of an earlier challenge from Burbidge that provided the home player with a Yellow Card and as a result Cirencester had to re-organise their defence with Adam Connolly moving alongside Albert and Tommy Ouldridge entering the contest in midfield.
Whilst Cirencester were still settling into the new line-up Wimborne attacked down their left flank as Burbidge and Francis combined enabling the former to supply LOUIS KELLAWAY who finished from a few yards. 3-1.
Eight minutes later Wimborne scored again as Burbidge collected a long clearance and worked his way into the box before slipping the ball to JACK LOVELL who fired under an advancing Wieczorek from a narrow angle. 4-1.
Despite this further setback Cirencester continued to push forward and were rewarded with a couple of corner kicks and a shot from Whitehead that flew across the front edge of the home goalmouth where Griffin stretched to get a toe to it but it passed narrowly wide of the right post.
As the game entered the final 10 minutes Burbidge cut in from the left and despite a few tackles the ball broke back into his path enabling him to send it to CHARLIE KENDALL who drove it inside the right post to complete the scoring. 5-1.
Even though the game was beyond them Cirencester continued to try to play their football as Tommy Anderson burst into the area and saw his shot blocked by the feet of Benfield and Henry Spalding had an effort tipped over the bar by Benfield.
Full Time: 5-1
A disappointing result for Cirencester who tried to play the passing game that has been successful on their 3G pitch on a natural grass surface that had been adversely affected by the recent rain whilst their hosts played the pitch conditions more effectively with a more direct style of football.
Hopefully a lesson learnt.
Attendance: 226 Referee: Martin Bloor (Lymington)
Wimborne Town:
1. Gerard Benfield
2. Stefan Penny
3. Loyd Cole
4. Matty Oldring
5. Billy Maybury (C)
6. Louis Kellaway 64
7. James Stokoe
8. Lee Francis 32
9. Ben Walker
10. Luke Burbidge
11. Jack lovell 38, 72
12. Charlie Kendall (Ben Walker-66mins) 81
13. David Walsh
15. Robinson Okumu (Luke Burbidge-83mins)
16. Aidan Shepherd (Louis Kellaway-87mins)
Cirencester Town:
1. Matt Wieczorek
2. Will Christopher
3. Louis Spalding
4. Michael Pook
5. Ellis Dunton
6. Alexandru Albert
7. Henry Spalding
8. Adam Connolly
9. Alan Griffin (C) 50
10. Ben Whitehead
11. Aidan Bennett
12. James Mortimer-Jones
14. Tommy Anderson (Louis Spalding-65mins)
15. Tommy Ouldridge (Ellis Dunton-61mins)
16. Max Lloyd
17. Mason Lewis