Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
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Match Report by Dave Pyzer
As the end of the season looms the prospect of the ‘play-offs’ becomes more tangible and each fixture has added significance and this is particularly true of this match against fellow contenders Moneyfields.
Earlier in the season the sides drew 2-2 at Cirencester and shortly afterwards Moneyfields embarked on a run that took them to the ‘play-off’ positions where they have been for much of the season.
‘The Centurions’, and a decent number of supporters, boarded the coach to Portsmouth with much anticipation of what was ahead in this important match and upon arrival found it impossible to get the coach to the ground (due to the heavily congested nearby streets) and had to disembark a few hundred yards away and walk - over a railway footbridge to reach their destination.
The visitors kicked off on a very warm afternoon (temperatures approaching 25°C) on a rock hard, bumpy pitch and almost immediately were awarded a corner kick from the left that ‘keeper Steve Mowthorpe managed to punch away from the edge of his 6 yard box.
A positive enough start from the visitors but a couple of minutes later it all changed as Moneyfields were awarded a free kick in a central position some 30 yards out. Sam Pearce stepped up to drive the kick towards the bottom left post where ‘keeper Sam Ayres dived across his goal to block. STEVE HUTCHINGS was quickest to the rebound and managed to tuck it into the net from left of the penalty spot before any defenders could get to him. 1-0.
The home side were certainly up for the challenge and shortly afterwards peppered the Cirencester box forcing them into a number of blocks and a brave save from Ayres at the feet of Hutchings who was ruled to be ‘offside’.
In reply Cirencester worked the ball down their flanks, but they were finding it difficult to control the high bouncing ball and keep possession as they tried to penetrate the home box, and as the half hour mark loomed one such attack down their left flank was repelled for a counter attack to the right corner where Joe Briggs supplied Lewis Fennemore who shot from the edge of the Cirencester penalty area. Once again Ayres parried the initial shot but it fell to LLOYD ROWLATT who was lurking near the left post and he followed up for a ‘tap-in’. 2-0.
Cirencester reacted positively to this further setback as Owen Windsor fired wide of the left post from the right channel of the home penalty area and Alan Griffin sent a glancing header narrowly wide of the same post following a corner kick from the right.
Not to be outdone Moneyfields responded for Rob Evans to fire over the bar after a run down the right channel and Hutchings and Briggs combined for the former to head into the grateful hands of Ayres.
As the half entered its final 5 minutes Cirencester worked the ball to the left corner where Aidan Bennett ‘won’ a corner kick that was cleared off the top of Griffin’s head for another corner kick from the right. This time it was played back to Will Christopher who delivered it into the mix of the penalty area. It was partially cleared to Bennett who saw his shot blocked, rebounding to Mike Pook who sent it forward for Griffin to collect near the penalty spot before turning and shooting towards the bottom right post. Mowthorpe dived left to push it out but as Windsor darted to collect he was adjudged to be ‘offside’.
The final goal attempt came from the hosts as Rowlatt fired wide of the far right post.
Half Time: 2-0
After the interval Ayres was immediately in action as within the first minute he pushed a header over his bar and punched the resulting corner kick clear.
Soon afterwards the action switched to the other end as Owen Windsor chased the ball to the left corner and after cutting along the by-line into the home penalty area he was brought down for a penalty kick to be awarded. MIKE POOK stepped forward and confidently blasted it inside the left post to reduce the deficit. 2-1.
Encouraged Cirencester pressed forward for Ellis Dunton to send a dangerous cross to the back post where Mowthorpe managed to push it out to concede a corner kick from the right that resulted in Griffin’s header being blocked and cleared for a throw-in to Cirencester.
As is often the case when Cirencester pressed again, just before the hour mark, the home side restored their two goal cushion as STEVE HUTCHINGS collected the ball in space on the edge of the box to calmly place his shot inside the right post. 3-1.
The home side then looked to take full advantage of this success and pressed again with Briggs heading wide of the right post before they won a couple of corner kicks but Cirencester survived.
At the mid-point of the half Cirencester introduced Jordan Morris (in place of Jack Freeman) to add pace to the attack and moved Aidan Bennett alongside Mike Pook and almost immediately Morris embarked on a driving run to the corner.
After the game entered the final quarter Briggs reached the right by-line where he laid the ball back to Jake Raine, right channel front edge of the penalty area, who sent a measured right footed drive goal-wards. Sam Ayres dived right and managed to divert the shot over his cross-bar with his left boot. Sam Pearce’s glancing header from the resulting corner kick passed narrowly wide of the right post.
Another driving run from Morris enabled Dunton to cross to the far right post leading to a corner kick that was cleared but the visitors were growing in confidence and as Morris fought for the ball on the left channel front edge of the home area it was diverted into the path of Bennett who fired a fierce snap shot at the target. Mowthorpe parried the effort but it would have warmed his hands.
A minute later another Dunton cross from the left reached the back post where OWEN WINDSOR burst forward to bundle it over the line despite the attention of a couple of defenders. 3-2.
With nothing to lose Cirencester pressed forward to win a number of corner kicks and with Griffin winning his headers more regularly against his two markers the pace of Morris and Windsor was also causing concern for the home side.
As the 90 minute mark neared Bennett collected a Griffin header near the left channel front edge of the home area and fired narrowly wide of the right post.
In ‘added-time’ Cirencester pressed to win several corner kicks and when Windsor sent one from the right into the mix of the penalty spot it bobbed about before reaching the back post where BABZ JARRA leapt to nod home and secure a welcome late point that keeps Cirencester in 3rd place – much to the delight of his team-mates and the many supporters who had made the journey from Cirencester. 3-3.
Full Time: 3-3
Cirencester were certainly not at their best in this match – partly due to the conditions and the attentions of the home side who put them under severe pressure early on to put them on the back-foot – but they dug in and showed lots of character to grind out a result that keeps them in 3rd place.
Attendance: 122
Referee: Conall Bartlet
MONEYFIELDS:
1. Steve Mowthorpe
2. Rob Evans
3. Conor Bailey
4. Curtis Da Costa
5. Brett Poate
6. Sam Pearce
7. Jake Raine
8. Lewis Fennemore. (C)
9. Joseph Briggs
10. Steve Hutchings 5, 58
11. Lloyd Rowlatt 28
12. Nathan Paxton
14. Louie Martin
15. Tyler Giddings
16. Nathan Clements
17. Tom Dinsmore
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Sam Ayres
2. Will Christopher
3. Ellis Dunton
4. Mike Pook 49p
5. Baboucarr Jarra 90+3
6. Jack Freeman
7. Tommy Anderson
8. Adam Connolly
9. Alan Griffin (C)
10. Owen Windsor 80
11. Aidan Bennett
12. Jordan Morris (Jack Freeman-67mins)
14. Louis Spalding
15. James Mortimer-Jones
16. Levi Irving
17. Declan Lehmann (GK)