Cirencester Town FC
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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
Cirencester entered The Emirates FA Cup at the Preliminary Round stage this season and finally had a home fixture for their first match in the competition - after five years of travelling - against Hellenic Premier Division side Windsor FC and after scoring in the first minute went on to record a solid victory.
‘The Centurions’ kicked-off towards The Arena end of the ground and made the perfect start when ALAN GRIFFIN converted a corner kick from right at the edge of the 6 yard box with his knee. 1-0.
Encouraged by their early break-through the home side pushed forward as Tommy Anderson attacked the right flank to cross from the corner but it was deflected out of the path of an incoming Henry Spalding.
Undeterred by their setback Windsor mounted an attack down their right flank to the corner where Mike Pook and Ellis Dunton cleared the danger.
Cirencester worked the ball to the right by-line as Henry Spalding supplied Anderson who crossed to Jordan Morris on the left and he sent it into the edge of the 6 yard box but a little too high for Griffin to head firmly and ‘keeper Hugo Sobte was able to gather.
A quarter of an hour in and Cirencester were moving the ball about from side to side as they strung 20+ passes together working the ball down the pitch until Morris was fouled to bring the move to an end.
At the mid-point of the half a Ben Whitehead shot was blocked and reached Henry Spalding who struck a low effort that Sobte saved at his right post.
As a result of having limited possession Windsor had to mount counter attacks and from one of these Malachi Thomas did force home ‘keeper, Matt Wieczorek, into action to save at his left post – resulting in a corner kick.
Another dangerous through ball was cut–out by Adam Connolly as he stretched to prevent Daniel Roberts latching onto it on the edge of the home area.
As the half entered the last ten minutes Louis Spalding darted forward before sending the ball down the left channel towards Whitehead as he burst into the area to collect but a covering defender managed to get his toe to the ball for a corner kick that reached Whitehead who glanced it wide of the right post with his head from just outside the 6 yard box.
It was then the turn of Henry Spalding to clip a first time pass from half-way to Morris in the left corner. The resulting cross was miss-controlled and the danger to the visitors passed.
Two minutes later the ball was worked down the right channel as Giffin and Dunton combined to supply Will Christopher who slid a precision pass into the path of BEN WHITEHEAD who collected on the front edge of the area, moved forward and rounded the advancing ‘keeper to finish into the empty net. 2-0.
Cirencester were finishing the half strongly and when Dunton sent a 40 yard pass from the centre circle to the left corner for Henry Spalding to control and cross Griffin nearly added to their tally as his header looped over the bar.
The final action was a powerful drive from Morris that fizzed just over the bar.
Half Time: 2-0
From the re-start Cirencester showed their intent as Whitehead and Morris tested Sobte in the first couple of minutes and Windsor replied as Ashley Smith played the ball from the right channel to the dangerous Roberts on the front edge of the home box but his control let him down and Christopher cleared the danger.
The first five minutes were frantic as Whitehead released Morris into the penalty area but his clipped cross was caught by Sobte at his right post.
Once again Windsor responded as Jeevan Panesar reached the right by-line to send a low cross to the front edge of the 6 yard box where Wieczorek did well to dive on the ball.
Windsor then produced a fine move as Sobte punted the ball to Jamie Di Giuseppe on the left flank, inside to Paul Coyne who sprayed the ball to the right flank where Smith collected and switched it to the left channel front edge of the home area for Roberts to shoot narrowly wide of the left post.
In the period leading up to the mid-point of the half Cirencester pressed through Morris and Whitehead resulting in a firm shot from Griffin rebounding to Anderson who struck a fierce low shot towards the right post where Sobte made the save.
Striker Whitehead was very busy causing problems for the visitors as he popped up in different positions and when he collected a ball over the Windsor back-line he drove towards the right channel of their area before unleashing a tremendous strike that struck the bottom of the far left post. He then had another effort from the left channel front edge of the area parried by Sobte.
At the mid-point of the half Windsor had the chance to pull a goal back as a Roberts strike from the edge of the box struck the cross-bar and bounced down. Smith had made a determined run to get his head to the rebound but made little contact enabling Wieczorek to collect.
A few minutes later Cirencester scored a third when AIDAN BENNETT won the ball on half-way and released Whitehead who advanced into the box, drew the ‘keeper and unselfishly slipped the ball to the right for the supporting Bennett to finish. 3-0.
The versatile Bennett was involved again a few minutes later when he showed sublime control to pull a high punt from Wieczorek out of the air on half-way before slipping the ball inside to Whitehead who in turn played a superb through ball to Anderson as he darted into the right channel of the area to finish inside the right post with his left foot. The joy was short-lived as the Assistant Referee had raised his flag indicating ‘offside’.
Cirencester were not to be denied and it was not long before they scored again as Dunton carried the ball forward from half-way and unchallenged continued his run until he was 25 yards out where he slipped a well weighted pass into the path of BEN WHITEHEAD, left of the penalty spot, for the striker to smash into the top left corner. 4-0.
During the next eight minutes Cirencester pressed the Windsor goal as Whitehead crossed through the front edge of the 6 yard box, Bennett fired wide of the right post and Anderson had an effort pushed wide.
Once again Roberts replied for the visitors as his shot from the edge of the box forced Wieczorek to concede a corner kick.
With six minutes remaining Anderson crossed from the right flank to Henry Spalding who quickly fired at the target from the edge of the box, blocked, rebounding to ANTONIO GERRISH on the edge of the ‘D’ and he immediately struck a powerful, low shot that flew into the back of the net via the inside of the left post – his first goal for The Centurions. 5-0.
To their credit Windsor continued to counter in search of a consolation goal and Matthew Woods struck the left post following a free kick that was touched to him 25 yards out, left channel and in the final minutes Paul Coyne fired wide of the right post after a corner kick.
Full Time: 5-0
A solid performance from the home side that produced an entertaining match against a game Windsor team.
Attendance: 128
Referee: Thomas Palmer
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Matt Wieczorek
2. Will Christopher
3. Louis Spalding
4. Mike Pook
5. Ellis Dunton
6. Henry Spalding
7. Tommy Anderson
8. Adam Connolly
9. Alan Griffin (C) 1
10. Ben Whitehead 40, 76
11. Jordan Morris
12. Mason Hathaway
14. Mason Lewis (Adam Connolly-85mins)
15. Antonio Gerrish (Alan Griffin-77mins) 84
16. Aidan Bennett (Jordan Morris-63mins) 70
17. James Mortimer-Jones
18. Scott Rose (GK)
WINDSOR FC:
1. Hugo Sobte (C)
2. Daniel Taylor
3. Jamie Di Giuseppe
4. Paul Coyne
5. Kieran Knight
6. Victor Ocancey
7. Ashley Smith
8. Matthew Stockill
9. Daniel Roberts
10. Jeevan Panesar
11. Malachi Thomas
12. Usman Lulustani (Ashley Smith-76mins)
13. Henry Poole
14. Joshua Masters (Victor Ocancey-71mins)
15. Gus Bowles
16. Matthew Woods (Jeevan Panesar-63mins)
17. Keaton August