Cirencester Town FC
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
Cirencester made the long journey to Devon to face Barnstaple Town on a bitterly cold day with smatterings of snowflakes falling during the game and from their only shots of the first half scored twice to take a lead into the interval that they kept to take the points.
Prior to this match the home side sat in 20th place in the league table but recent results have seen them make progress to close the points gap on the teams above them and this is confirmed by their 5th place in the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ table. Cirencester were 11th and 2nd respectively.
The Cirencester starting eleven had a new face for the supporters to view as Will Tunnicliff, who transferred from Bishops Cleeve during the week, occupied the Left Back berth enabling Aidan Bennett to move to a more advanced role on the left of midfield. As a result Henry Spalding took a seat on the bench and the rest of the team remained unchanged from the previous match. Will is a product of the Gloucester City Youth set-up and is dual registered for them.
Despite the extremely difficult conditions - extreme cold, a swirling wind (predominately from one end), a soft bumpy pitch, and occasional snowflakes - both sides made valiant attempts to produce periods of flowing football.
Cirencester kicked-off proceedings playing into the wind and two minutes into the game Ben Whitehead collected the ball near half-way and charged down the right flank to the corner where he won a corner kick. Will Tunnicliff sent the kick to the back post for a lurking Alex Albert to head it back towards the penalty spot where the threat was cleared.
In response Barnstaple’s Archie Reay had a pot at the Cirencester goal from 20 yards, left channel, that Albert diverted wide with his head – leading to a couple of corner kicks. Matt Wieczorek’s punch from the first led to a second that Adam Connolly defended.
The opening few minutes had been fairly even but the wind began to have an impact as Cirencester found it difficult to judge where goal-kicks and clearances would land and this enabled Barnstaple to press and gain possession.
A superb pass from Nathan Cooper released Mitch Thomas down the right flank but the resulting ‘cross-cum-shot’ was into the grateful Wieczorek’s arms.
Midway into the half Tommy Anderson intercepted a pass, 10 yards inside his half, and made a 30 yard break down the centre before attempting to release Aidan Bennett to his left but the pass went astray.
Another long ball towards the right corner resulted in a foot race between Wieczorek and Thomas that the ‘keeper won to clear.
Around the half hour mark the home side pressed again as they retained possession for a couple of minutes searching for an opening but none were to be found as Cirencester dug-in.
A few minutes later the prolific BEN WHITEHEAD opened the scoring when he latched onto a terrific pass from Aidan Bennett that curled into his path as he darted forward to the left channel front edge of the home area. As ‘keeper Aaron Screech advanced Whitehead struck a left footed shot that cleared the ‘keeper and dipped under the bar. 0-1.
Shortly before the scheduled interval Tunnicliff moved the ball down the line to Bennett, on to Whitehead who carried it along the left side edge of the area before crossing towards the front edge of the 6 yard box where TOMMY ANDERSON was arriving at pace to finish inside the right post. 0-2.
Half Time: 0-0
Cirencester came out of the blocks quickly after the break as Bennett crossed for Whitehead to clip an effort into the arms of Screech at the near post.
This was soon to be followed by the striker taking on three opponents as he dribbled to the side edge of the box where his cross was blocked. Bennett tried to latch onto the loose ball in a challenge with Screech and it broke to Alan Griffin and in the resulting scramble it went out of play for the Referee to award a goal kick.
Within a minute Whitehead was back again as he received the ball on the centre front edge of the home box but as he pulled the trigger Screech advanced to block. The ball rebounded wide of Griffin who managed to send a left footed effort over the bar.
The pressure continued as Albert fed Whitehead on the right side edge of the box, inside to Griffin, cross to Bennett, head on to Tommy Ouldridge who was bundled over for a corner kick to be awarded - defended.
Minutes later Ouldridge fed Anderson who attempted a ‘chip’ from the right channel front edge of the home box that just cleared the top right corner of the goal.
Whilst Cirencester had started the half well Barnstaple still posed a threat and just after the mid-point of the half a free kick from the right reached Tallan Mitchell and he played a volley pass towards the left front corner of the 6 yard box where Billy Hopcroft darted forward to challenge Wieczorek who gathered at the second attempt.
As the game approached the final 15 scheduled minutes Anderson carried the ball forward for 10 yards before exchanging passes with Whitehead, then with Griffin as he worked his way to the left front edge of the area where the ball was lost in a determined challenge.
Barnstaple pressed as the final whistle loomed and both full backs, Sam Haynes and Jordan Walton sent crosses into the Cirencester box and Hopcroft burst forward but was forced wide by Albert and his resulting effort was gathered by Wieczorek at his left post.
In the final minute Hopcroft chased a ball over the top of the Cirencester backline but Wieczorek had seen the danger and raced out to win the challenge just outside his area.
Full Time: 2-2
The home side had the better of the possession in the first half but failed to make it pay against an organised and resolute Cirencester defence. The visitors made the most of their chances with two well taken goals.
After the interval Cirencester started quickly and created a couple of good chances but the home side survived and gradually began to work their way into the half without causing too many problems for the Cirencester defence.
Attendance: 73 Referee: Phillip Eddie
Barnstaple Town:
1. Aaron Screech
2. Sam Haynes
3. Jordan Walton
4. Niall Heeney (C)
5. Nathan Cooper
6. Tallan Mitchell (Ross Middleton-76mins)
7. Archie Reay (Tony Radford-67mins)
8. Alex Gray
9. Ollie Booth (George Nancekivell-67mins)
10. Billy Hopcroft
11. Mitch Thomas
12. George Nancekivell
14. Tony Radford
15. Ross Middleton
16. Matt Houle
17. Rob Holmes
Cirencester Town:
1. Matt Wieczorek
2. Will Christopher
3. Will Tunicliff
4. Michael Pook
5. Alex Albert
6. Tommy Ouldridge
7. Tommy Anderson 43
8. Adam Connolly
9. Alan Griffin (C)
10. Ben Whitehead 35 (James Mortimer-Jones-88mins)
11. Aidan Bennett (Henry Spalding-76mins)
12. Mason Lewis
14. James Mortimer-Jones
15. Henry Spalding
16. Scott Rose (GK)