Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
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Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Courtesy of Steve Rolfe Photography
Cirencester produced a solid all-round team performance to secure the points against a strong Bristol Manor Farm side as two early second half goals gave them a three-goal cushion that enabled them to take the initiative to press forward.
After 3 matches unchanged there was one change to the home side’s starting eleven - Aidan Bennett was unavailable and Jonny Dennis, who scored the winner at Highworth Town, took his place.
As usual the game started at a furious pace, on the 3G surface of ‘The Corinium Stadium’, with Cirencester pressing down their flanks and the visitors mounting very swift counter attacks in response.
One such attack took ‘The Farm’ down their left flank as Joe McClennan slipped the ball inside to Ashley Kington who moved it forward to Joe Tumelty on the central front edge of the home penalty area and he had to battle to get his shot away and as a result he under-hit his shot wide of the right post.
Cirencester responded with Jonny Dennis cutting in from the left to fire narrowly over the top right corner and then produced a flowing move down the right that led to an Alan Griffin shot and a free kick that reached Shayne Anson’s head at the back post – caught by ‘keeper Andrew Collings.
A couple of minutes later Dennis darted along the left by-line and slipped the ball towards the near post as Griffin closed to be met by a defender and his effort ricocheted back to Collings.
The game was becoming ‘end-to-end’ as the visitors also sprayed the ball about to their flanks and when Tyler Ashmead crossed from the right it was met by Tumelty but his glancing header passed wide of the left post.
By the mid-point of the half there had been threats on both goals with the resulting shots either wide of the target or blocked but the deadlock was broken when a Mike Pook free kick from the left flank reached JACK FREEMAN as he burst into the left channel of the penalty area and he wasted no time in blasting it inside the left post. 1-0.
Encourage by their breakthrough Cirencester pressed forward and when Will Christopher popped up in the left channel of half–way to stop a counter by ‘The Farm’ he produced a sliding tackle that hooked the ball off his opponent to begin a move down the left that eventually reached Josh Parsons near the centre front edge of the visitors penalty area but his shot was deflected into the arms of Collings.
Cirencester continued to threaten and as the half drew to a close the visitors pressed for an equaliser but Cirencester stood firm as ‘keeper Lewis Clayton was called upon to block a fierce McClennan strike at his right post, Will Wellon made a timely interception and Freeman blocked a Tumelty shot.
Half Time: 1-0
Immediately from the re-start ‘The Farm’ took the game to their hosts with McClennan particularly prominent down their left flank but five minutes into the half Cirencester worked the ball out of defence as Griffin supplied Dennis who galloped 40 yards down the left channel before moving the ball right to JOSH PARSONS, near the right front corner of the visitors area, and he cut left to unleash a fierce left footed strike into the top left corner. 2-0.
Two minutes later a long ball from Clayton reached Griffin on the centre edge of the visitors penalty area and as he turned and battled his way into the area he was adjudged to have been fouled by the well-positioned Referee who awarded a Penalty Kick. MIKE POOK duly converted the spot kick. 3-0.
Following this further setback ‘The Farm’ made a couple of substitutions and pressed forward with their right flank often the chosen route leading to a rare battle between Will Tunnicliff and Lewis Bamford and the young fullback more than held his own – finding time for his own excursions down his flank.
With their 3-goal cushion Cirencester became more expansive and around the mid-point of the half Christopher supplied Tommy Anderson who worked his way left to exchange passes with Griffin before shooting – parried by Collings leading to a corner kick.
A few minutes later Parsons and Anderson combined to cross into the box and the recycled ball was fed to Griffin who struck a powerful shot at the target from the right channel, 15 yards out, that Collings parried to be cleared.
Cirencester were soon back again as Parsons fought for the ball inside the visitor’s area and managed to find Tunnicliff who clipped his cross towards the far post where Griffin headed wide of the right post.
As the game entered the last ten scheduled minutes Bristol Manor Farm were awarded a free kick from the left channel, 30 yards out, that Jamie Bird struck with ferocity towards the right post but Clayton was determined to keep a fourth ‘clean sheet’ on the bounce and dived left to push it wide for a corner kick.
Cirencester continued to press with Anderson sending a low cross through the visitor’s 6 yard box, Tunnicliff clipping the ball to the edge of the 6 yard box where Levi Irving headed over and Tommy Ouldridge firing over from the edge of the area whilst Bamford shot wide of the left post as the final whistle loomed.
Full Time: 3-0
Another entertaining game for the neutral as a strong Bristol Manor Farm side passed the ball with ease and denied progress for the home side but once the break-through had been made the two quick goals after the interval changed things and enabled Cirencester to secure a valuable 3 points.
The Cirencester ‘back five’ is getting stronger with every game they play together and provided a solid foundation for the team performance.
Attendance: 139
Referee: Tom Bowkett
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Lewis Clayton
2. Will Christopher
3. Will Tunnicliff
4. Mike Pook 53p
5. Shayne Anson
6. Will Wellon
7. Oliver Artwell
8. Jack Freeman 32
9. Alan Griffin (C)
10. Josh Parsons 50
11. John Dennis
12. Tommy Ouldridge (Jack Freeman-78mins)
14. Tommy Anderson (Oliver Artwell-35mins)
15. James Mortimer-Jones
16. Levi Irving (Alan Griffin-85mins)
17. Scott Rosse (GK)
BRISTOL MANOR FARM:
1. Andrew Collings
2. Tyler Ashmead
3. Mason Winter
4. Lloyd Mills
5. Steven Kingdon
6. Jamie Adams
7. Joe McClennan
8. Ashley Kington
9. Joe Tumelty
10. Jordan Metters
11. Lewis Bamford
12. Josh Nelmes
14. Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist (Jordan Metters-57mins)
15. Jordan Rogers (Joe Tumelty-57mins)
16. Jamie Bird (Joe McClennan-76mins)
17. Iain Harvey