Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
32.jpg)
Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Courtesy of Steve Rolfe Photography
Match Report by Dave Pyzer
For the second successive week 'The Centurions' were on the road as they travelled to Somerset and despite taking an early lead it was their hosts, 'The Cobblers' of Street, who mounted a late rally to take the 3 points.
Prior to this match the league positions of the sides were Cirencester 5th and Street 12th with the points obtained being 27 and 22 respectively although Street had played one game less than the 16 played by Cirencester.
Review of the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ table reveals that Cirencester were 10th with 8 points and Street 16th with 5 points.
The home side kicked off and started positively as Steve Murray received an early pass down the centre but as he shaped to shoot Babz Jarra stepped in to take it off his toe and this was soon followed by a looping header from Harry Foster that ‘keeper Luke Merchant easily caught under his bar.
When Street worked the ball forward again they were awarded a corner kick that led to a swift Cirencester counter attack down their right flank as Will Christopher and Tommy Anderson combined to make ground to the corner where it ended.
Cirencester then tried the left flank as Louis Spalding launched the ball into the home box and when it was headed clear Ben Whitehead collected, 25 yards out - left channel, to immediately fire a low shot towards the far right post where ‘keeper Liam Kingston saved.
The visitors were gradually increasing the pressure on the home defence and another Whitehead shot was blocked for a corner kick that Mike Pook sent into the mix for Kingston to punch clear. The ball dropped on the edge of the box and as Craig Herrod tried to control it as it dropped AIDAN BENNETT nipped in and struck a well placed shot into the top right corner. 0-1.
‘The Cobblers’ responded to this setback to mount a number of forays into the Cirencester half leading up to the mid-point of the half but were unable to break through a stubborn Cirencester defence. The nearest they came was a 30 yard effort from Murray that was wide of the left post.
Shortly afterwards Jack Freeman began a charging run down the left touchline that was brought to an abrupt end and a free kick to Cirencester. Mike Pook sent the kick towards the penalty spot where Alan Griffin managed to get his head to it. Tommy Anderson nipped in behind him to collect at the right post and square across the 6 yard box for Whitehead to drive into the net – but it was all for nothing as the Assistant Referee had his flag raised for ‘offside’ earlier in the move.
Cirencester were now looking very dangerous and as they worked to the left corner and back another free kick was conceded by their hosts and this led to a Whitehead shot that was blocked and looped to the back post where Griffin tried an overhead volley that was wide of the right post.
The home side responded with another 35 yard effort from Matt Hurley that Merchant gathered safely.
Once again Cirencester pressed as Freeman, Griffin and Bennett combined to earn a corner kick that was headed clear for Freeman to recycle to Pook who crossed to Griffin, near the penalty spot, but his header was wide of the right post.
During the last ten minutes of the half Cirencester threatened the home goal as Pook sent a free kick narrowly wide of the right post and Griffin two headers but going to the break they still only led by their solitary goal.
Half Time: 0-1
Cirencester came out for the second half and immediately attacked the home goal and within three minutes Whitehead nearly doubled the score as he cut in from the right flank and unleashed a fierce strike towards the right post that resulted in a corner kick that was launched downfield by the Street defence.
Five minutes later Whitehead tried his luck on the left as he moved right to the left channel front edge of the area, once there he delivered a pass towards the far post where Anderson was arriving at pace but fractionally too late to divert the ball into the net.
The visitors were searching for the ‘killer’ second goal in earnest now as they dominated play with Anderson feeding Freeman on the burst and Whitehead retaining the ball, despite several challenges, as he drove into the area to shoot wide of the far right post but it just would not come.
The reply from their hosts was another long range effort from Hurley that was wide of the left post and just after the hour mark Murray fed Lewis Waldy who over-ran the ball in the box enabling Merchant to dive at his feet to stop further progress.
Before the mid-point of the half Cirencester mounted another attack down their right flank as good work from Griffin released Christopher who drove into the home area to shoot leading to a corner kick – followed by a couple more – but no second goal.
‘The Cobblers’, sensing that they could get something out of the game (and encouraged by their ‘dugout’), began to grow in confidence and retain the ball longer enabling them to probe the Cirencester defence but the visitors were still dangerous and one particularly well-timed tackle from Josh Bennett kept them in the game as Whitehead burst through and shaped to shoot the full-back produced a sensational block to deny him.
A couple of minutes later Anderson, on half-way, released Christopher down the right and supported to receive his cross resulting in yet another corner kick that Freeman sent into the goalmouth where it was cleared off the goal-line.
This was soon followed by Jordan Morris charging to the left corner to cross towards the near post as Whitehead darted forward to collect – another corner kick.
As is often the case after being under pressure Street sent the ball forward to Hurley who slipped it down the right channel for STEVE MURRAY to collect on the front edge of the Cirencester box, right channel, and he produced a sharp turn to evade a challenge before despatching his shot into the bottom left corner. 1-1.
Back came Cirencester as Griffin sent a low cross from the right corner to the front edge of the 6 yard box where Freeman bravely tried to convert and got injured for his effort to be replaced by Adam Connolly.
As the game entered the final five scheduled minutes Street pressed forward as David O’Hare switched play from right to left and when Waldy delivered the ball to the back post a Street player managed to head it back across goal, despite the attentions of Spalding and Merchant, for DAVID O'HARE to finish from a yard out. 2-1.
Street negotiated the remaining few minutes to secure their victory and take the 3 points on offer.
Full Time: 2-1
A tough result to take after creating so many opportunities but Street stuck to their task and ground out their result.
Attendance: 148 Referee: Lee Roberts
STREET F.C.:
1. Liam Kingston
2. Josh Bennett
3. Lewis Waldy
4. Ben Amghar. (C)
5. Ross McErlain
6. Matt Hurley
7. Aidan Chainey
8. Jamie Short
9. Steve Murray 83
10. Harry Foster
11. Craig Herrod
12. Oscar Latas (Harry Foster-69mins)
14. George Morris-Edwards (Aidan Chainey-77mins)
15. David O'Hare (Craig Herrod-46mins) 87
16. Ed Butcher
17. Tom Punchard
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Luke Merchant
2. Will Christopher
3. Louis Spalding
4. Mike Pook
5. Alex Albert
6. Baboucarr Jarra
7. Tommy Anderson
8. Jack Freeman
9. Alan Griffin (C)
10. Ben Whitehead
11. Aidan Bennett 14
12. Adam Connolly (Jack Freeman-86mins)
14. Tommy Ouldridge
15. Owen Windsor (Louis Spalding-89mins)
16. James Mortimer-Jones
17. Jordan Morris (Aidan Bennett-77mins)