Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Courtesy of Steve Rolfe Photography
Match Report by Dave Pyzer
The New Years day fixture took Cirencester to Mangotsfield United and for the second successive match they scored five goals against a Bristol side – having defeated Bristol Manor Farm on Saturday.
Examination of the league table prior to this game revealed that Mangotsfield were in 18th place (13 points) and Cirencester 5th (33 points) – both having played 19 games.
In terms of current form the ‘’6-Match Form Guide’ table had Mangotsfield in 18th place (3 points), although ‘The Mangos’ have only lost by the odd goal in 5 of their last 6 games, and Cirencester 4th (12 points).
The Cirencester starting eleven had one change from the side that defeated Bristol Manor Farm 5-0 as Ellis Dunton returned in the left centre back position due to the unavailability of Adam Connolly (working).
The home side started very positively to win a corner kick within the first 2 minutes and continued to press with several balls into the Cirencester box during the opening 5 minutes and eventually Sam Hill fired over from 25 yards.
In response to this early pressure Cirencester counter attacked to the right side edge of the home area where they too won a corner kick that was comfortably cleared but they were soon back again as Aidan Bennett chased back to regain possession and a couple of passes later Cirencester had a corner kick from their left flank - that the home side survived.
Mangotsfield responded with a neat move as Luke Spokes fed Jordan Williams in the left corner and his cross reached Louis Britton who shot from the centre edge of the Cirencester area towards the bottom left post forcing ‘keeper Mat Wieczorek to push it around his post.
Cirencester were beginning to settle and have more possession after the initial thrust from Mangotsfield and this led to a number of crosses into the home box and a couple of corner kicks and shortly after the mid-point of the half Alan Griffin headed against the left post from one of these.
As the pressure from Cirencester was building it came as no surprise when they opened the scoring following a quickly taken free kick, right channel – 35 yards out, that was slid down the channel for Ben Whitehead to collect and take to the penalty area where he directed it towards the far left post for ALAN GRIFFIN to finish from close range. 0-1.
Two minutes later Cirencester doubled their tally as Aidan Bennett delivered a well-weighted pass with the outside of his right foot into the path of BEN WHITEHEAD as he darted down the centre. The prolific striker collected the ball and advanced to the edge of the penalty area where he slipped it under the advancing ‘keeper, Kieran Hodges. 0-2.
Despite this double setback the home side pressed again leading to another Hill shot that Wieczorek pushed round his right post. The resulting corner kick was punched to the edge of the box, right channel, where Britton collected and shot towards goal - deflected for another corner kick that Wieczorek caught.
Almost immediately Mangotsfield tried again as Dan Demkiv lobbed the ball from half –way, down the right channel, to just outside the penalty area, leading to a foot race between Wieczorek and LOUIS BRITTON. They arrived together but in the challenge the ball fell to Britton and he calmly fired it into the empty net from the right front corner of the Cirencester area. 1-2.
Three minutes later Cirencester had regained their two-goal cushion as Griffin received a throw-in and slid his pass between defenders for AIDAN BENNETT to collect in the left channel of the home area. Bennett looked up and picked his spot to place his right footed curler inside the far right post. 1-3.
During the final minutes of the half both sides countered and when two home players challenged Wieczorek to bundle a Williams cross to the near post over the line it was disallowed - much to the annoyance of the home support.
On the stroke of the interval Bennett turned provider as he delivered the ball across the box to TOMMY ANDERSON, right of the penalty spot, who sidestepped his marker before scoring. 1-4.
Half Time: 1-4
With nothing to lose the home side pressed forward after the break but found the Cirencester defence in determined mood to deny them any clear access to their goal and as a result Wieczorek was only called into action a couple of times to deal with shots from distance whilst Cirencester were dangerous on the counter.
One such counter, seven minutes into the half, came about as Mike Pook slid the ball down the centre for Anderson who, with his back to goal, cleverly ‘flicked’ it with the outside of his right foot to Griffin, further down the centre, and he instantly laid it back into the path of Anderson as he turned to gallop down the right channel to the penalty area. Once there the unfortunate Anderson lost his footing as tried to square towards the penalty spot.
Just after the hour mark Pook received the ball 30 yards from his own goal, surrounded by opponents, and with great composure produced a couple of ‘spins’ to emerge clear of his would-be challengers to deliver a pass to Bennett for another attack.
By the mid-point of the half Mangotsfield had threatened as Harry Rutty and Colin Mugoya-Tabingwa had missed the target at the right post following corner kicks - in addition to the long range strikes.
As the game entered its final phase JACK FREEMAN completed the scoring – Will Christopher sent the ball down the right channel, Griffin headed it on to Whitehead who slipped it inside to Freeman to collect as he burst down the centre to carry it to the edge of the home box where he struck a ferocious left footed shot towards the top left corner. Hodges got his hand to it but not enough to delay its progress to the back of the net. 1-5.
Full Time: 1-5
A thoroughly professional performance from Cirencester with everyone contributing once again.
The home side continued to battle until the final whistle, despite the score-line, but Cirencester were just too clinical on the day.
Attendance: 171
Referee: Roger Smith (Chippenham)
MANGOTSFIELD UNITED:
1. Kieran Hodges
2. Sekani Simpson (C)
3. Matthew Tanner
4. Sam Hill
5. Harry Rutty
6. Kevin Davies
7. Luke Spokes
8. Tyrone Tucker-Dixon
9. Daniel Demkiv
10. Louis Britton 35
11. Jordan Williams
12. Ryan Gissing (Tyrone Tucker-Dixon-15mins)
14. Sonnie Low
15. Colin Mugoya-Tabingwa (Kevin Davies-56mins)
16. Joe Hall (Sam Hill-67mins)
17. Chris Lane
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Mateusz Wieczorek
2. Will Christopher
3. Louis Spalding
4. Mike Pook
5. Alex Albert
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Tommy Anderson 45+4
8. Jack Freeman 78
9. Alan Griffin (C) 28
10. Ben Whitehead 55
11. Aidan Bennett 38
12. Jordan Morris (Aidan Bennett-80mins)
14. Owen Windsor (Tommy Anderson80mins)
15. Tommy Ouldridge (Alan Griffin-79mins)
16. James Mortimer-Jones
17. Scott Rose (GK)