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 travelled to Eastleigh for this FA Cup First Round Qualifying match and after a professional performance came away with a 7-0 victory.
AFC Stoneham play their football in Wessex League Division One – two levels below Cirencester - but they have already beaten two sides from a higher level than themselves to get to this stage of the competition and consequently were treated with the respect due to them.
The Cirencester starting eleven saw a couple of changes from the previous match against Moneyfields FC with Antonio Gerrish making way for the returning Mike Pook at the centre of the midfield and Jordan Morris replacing the unavailable Aidan Bennett in a wide left berth.
The home side got the match underway in overcast but dry conditions and almost immediately were a goal down as Ellis Dunton broke up an attack to feed Henry Spalding who slipped the ball into the path of TOMMY ANDERSON as he burst forward down the right channel to collect 10 yards inside the home half. The pace of Anderson took him past the back line and to the edge of the box where he calmly tucked his shot inside the far left post to give his side the perfect start – a goal inside 2 minutes. 0-1.
‘The Purples’ reacted to this setback as Captain Alex Welch fired a shot wide of the left post and shortly afterwards he supplied Will Harris as he cut across the Cirencester penalty area to produce a flick with the outside of his left foot that also passed wide of the left post.
A terrific pass from Henry Spalding, from the centre circle, looked to have picked out another darting run down the right channel by Anderson but as he tried to get control of the ball Merl Wright managed to toe it back to ‘keeper Scott Williams to clear but he miss-hit the kick and sent it straight back to Anderson who attempted an instant left footed volley that was wide of the right post.
A couple of minutes later TOMMY ANDERSON was in the action again as he was in position at the back post to collect a low cross from Ben Whitehead, near the left by-line, for a ‘tap-in’ from a couple of yards. 0-2.
Not to be outdone Jordan Morris made a strong run down the left flank to be pulled back by his marker leading to a free kick and a corner kick from the left. Mike Pook sent the kick to the far post for Dunton to head back towards the centre of the 6 yard box where Whitehead thought he had bundled it over the line but nothing given and the danger was cleared.
Cirencester were not to be denied however and at the mid-point of the half the busy Anderson turned provider as he received the ball 10 yards inside his own half and charged into the Stoneham half where he slipped it into the path of ALAN GRIFFIN. As the striker approached the right channel front edge of the area Williams advanced but he couldn’t prevent Griffin from calmly slipping the ball under him and into the net. 0-3.
Around the half hour mark Stoneham mounted a number of counter attacks as a Jack Brady effort was caught by ‘keeper Matt Wieczorek who also gathered a shot from Sergio Caballero and darted outside his penalty area to clear and consequently prevent any progress of another attack.
As the interval approached Stoneham worked the right flank to be awarded a free kick that Matt Bainbridge sent to the far post where Matt Palmer headed wide of the left post.
The final action of a busy half was a 40 yard pass from Henry Spalding, right channel – 15 yards inside his own half, towards the left corner for Whitehead and Williams to enter a race that the ‘keeper won to fire it into touch.
Half Time: 0-3
Almost immediately from the re-start Cirencester broke up a Stoneham attack to counter down their right channel for Whitehead to cut in and shape to shoot from the front corner of the area but instead he laid the ball into the path of Griffin who sent a controlled, side-foot shot towards the bottom left corner where Williams pushed it out for a corner kick. When this was partially blocked near the penalty spot Dunton attempted to get to it first but a desperate lunge from a defender meant he was unable to keep it under the crossbar.
Five minutes into the half Morris made another strong run down the left flank to the corner where he pulled the ball back to BEN WHITEHEAD as he cut left of the penalty spot to collect, swivel and drive inside the right post. 0-4.
Shell-shocked the home side conceded two more goals in the space of two minutes as Dunton fed Will Christopher on the right touchline – leading to a throw and deep cross towards the penalty spot by Henry Spalding that ALAN GRIFFIN gratefully converted with one of his trade mark headers inside the right post. 0-5.
Almost immediately Henry Spalding sent a measured pass down the centre of the pitch for BEN WHITEHEAD to collect 15 yards inside the home half as he darted forward. He was chased all the way to the penalty area but managed to retain possession and round the advancing Williams before firing into the empty net. 0-6.
Despite the score-line the home side continued to push forward in search of a consolation goal and tested Wieczorek as Matt Stupple cut-in from the right to shoot, Josh Clark fired at the target and Chris Manning struck a fierce half volley following a free kick – all of which were caught by Wieczorek,
During the final 15 minutes Antonio Gerrish and Jack Freeman combined well in the middle of the park with quick passing to release Anderson but the resulting cross and shot did not yield any result for the visitors.
With 6 minutes remaining BEN WHITEHEAD completed his hat-trick when Griffin played a deft pass into the right channel of the home area for him to collect and drive home with his right foot. 0-7.
With nothing to lose Stoneham produced a fine piece of inter-passing across the front edge of the Cirencester penalty area, left to right and back again, leading to a corner kick that Wieczorek punched clear.
Right up to the final whistle they were searching for the goal and the last action of the match was a cross from Manning that was caught by Wieczorek.
Full Time: 0-7
A valiant effort from AFC Stoneham who were totally committed to their cause until the final whistle but Cirencester were too strong and on the day particularly clinical in front of goal.
Attendance: ??? Referee: Barrie Small
AFC STONEHAM:
1. Scott Williams
2. Matt Stupple
3. Merl Wright
4. Matt Bainbridge
5. Matt Palmer
6. Ben Clarke
7. Joe Sutherden
8. Alex Welch (C)
9. Sergio Caballero
10. Jack Brady
11. Will Harris
12. Eduardo Jiminez (Will Harris-61mins)
14. Chris Manning (Matt Bainbridge-61mins)
15. Josh Clark (Sergio Caballero-61mins)
16. Marcel Laptas
17. Ben Scorey
18. Adam Pattison
19. Tom Cottilard
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Matt Wieczorek
2. Will Christopher
3. Louis Spalding
4. Mike Pook
5. Ellis Dunton
6. Henry Spalding
7. Tommy Anderson 2, 16
8. Adam Connolly
9. Alan Griffin (C) 22, 54
10. Ben Whitehead 50,56,84
11. Jordan Morris
12. Mason Lewis (Adam Connolly-65mins)
14. Jack Freeman (Jordan Morris-73mins)
15. Antonio Gerrish (Mike Pook-73mins)
16. Owen Windsor
17. James Mortimer-Jones