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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Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Courtesy of Steve Rolfe Photography
Match Report by Dave Pyzer
The Corinium Stadium was the place to be on Saturday as Winchester City came to town to play their part in a 7-goal thriller of a league match that had everything – a two goal lead for the visitors, a penalty call rejected, a Red Card for the home side, a hat-trick, and two goals in ‘added-time’.
Following the departure of Manager Charlie Griffin in mid-week the long serving James Mortimer-Jones took the reins as Caretaker Manager for this game against a team in a good run of form that based on their last six games places them 3rd in the relevant table and fifth in the league table. Cirencester were 15th and 12th respectively.
The visitors kicked off and immediately showed their intent as they attacked down the right flank to send the ball through the front edge of the home 6-yard box and Cirencester responded to be awarded a free kick from their left flank that was delivered towards the penalty spot where Alan Griffin headed over.
This was within the opening two minutes so spectators knew they were in for a game of ‘cut & thrust’ - and so it proved.
During the next ten minutes Cirencester worked the ball forward to win the first corner kick of the match and Babz Jarra headed another one from near the front edge of the 6-yard box down to see it bounce back up and over the bar whilst Winchester threatened for Ik Hill to see his shot from the edge of the box tipped over the bar by Lewis Clayton.
At this stage of the game Hill was seeing plenty of the ball laying a cross from the left by-line back to Robert Carr who fired over and then embarking on a driving run into the right channel of the home penalty area with Shayne Anson in hot pursuit to produce a block.
In the lead-up to the mid-point of the half Toumani Sidibe crossed from the right by-line through the penalty area for Jonny Dennis to collect on the far side where he cut right to shoot, blocked, recovered, leading to a free kick that was fired over the bar. This action was quickly followed by several moves down both flanks that reached the visitors penalty area but failed to test their ‘keeper.
On the half hour Dennis cut right from the left flank to the front corner of the Winchester box and unleashed a fierce low strike that crashed off the far right post to be cleared.
The visitors responded to this period of pressure as Oliver Bailey entered the home box to strike a firm shot at the target that Clayton pushed round his left post for a corner kick that led to the opening goal of the game when JOE HAYWARD hooked the ball into the roof of the net from the edge of the 6-yard box. 0-1.
In the run up to the interval Sidibe fired wide of the right post and Ashley Harper sent a dangerous cross from the right flank that was headed out.
Half Time: 0-1
Within minutes of the re-start Jack Freeman had a pot at goal from the edge of the Winchester box bringing a fine save from Ryan Pryce as he pushed it wide for a corner kick that was sliced wide of the left post.
Winchester countered as Carr sent a cross-field pass from the right channel to Hill near the left front corner of the home area and he in turn attempted to lay into the path of a team-mate but it was intercepted.
A couple of minutes later Hill supplied Dan King as he over-lapped to the left corner to send a low cross through the front edge of the 6-yard box where it passed the incoming Simba Mlambo to reach Carr who stretched to send it wide of the right post.
Almost immediately Mlambo was in action again as he was released into the right channel of the home box to fire a fierce shot that Clayton parried and he then headed wide of the right post.
Winchester had been pressing for the last few minutes and eventually it resulted in them doubling their lead as Cirencester failed to clear and the ball broke to ROBERT CARR who tucked it inside the right post. 0-2.
Two minutes later Cirencester reduced the arrears when a Dennis cross from the right flank reached TOUMANI SIDIBE at the far post and he headed the ball across goal to drop inside the far right post. 1-2.
As the mid-point of the half approached Liam Gilbert and Hill had shots at goal for Winchester and Jay Malshanskyj threatened a couple of times for Cirencester but it was the Dennis/Sidibe combination that produced the equaliser when Dennis once again delivered a cross from the right flank to the edge of the 6-yard box where TOUMANI SIDIBE arrived to finish. 2-2.
Encouraged by their success Cirencester pressed again as Malshanskyj latched onto a ‘head-on’ from Griffin inside the right channel of the visitors box to cut left, weaving past a couple of challenges and just as he shaped to shoot he was knocked to the ground but the Referee refused shouts for a penalty kick.
During the next few minutes both sides created chances as Freeman’s effort was parried, Max Smith fired wide and Carr headed wide.
Cirencester were then reduced to ten men when Mike Pook was shown a straight Red Card for a challenge on Gilbert.
Winchester immediately pressed their advantage with Carr prominent as he sent balls into the box and as the game entered the final scheduled ten minutes OLIVER GRIGGS collected a pass on the centre edge of the home area and under pressure he managed to shoot into the top right corner to regain the lead for Winchester. 2-3.
Buoyed by their breakthrough Winchester pushed forward for Hill to see his effort pushed over and Oliver Balmer striking the bar from 25 yards but Cirencester were not done yet as Levi Irving and Freeman had efforts parried by Pryce and then Will Tunnicliff clipped the ball over from close range.
In ‘added-time’ Dennis moved the ball on to Tunnicliff who delivered it towards the penalty spot where Irving produced a looping header towards the far right post that was bundled into the net, via the inside of the post, by TOUMANI SIDIBE as he darted forward. 3-3.
A couple of minutes later Winchester were awarded a free kick 5 yards outside the box and OLIVER BALMER stepped up to accurately place his kick into the top right corner – securing victory for his side. 3-4.
Full Time: 3-4
A thrilling ‘end-to-end’ game with plenty of action and the result in doubt until the final whistle with seven goals (two in ‘added-time’), goalmouth incidents, a Red Card and a hat-trick – everything you could want from a game of football except perhaps victory for your team.
Attendance: 180
Referee: Luis Martin
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Lewis Clayton
2. Shayne Anson (Ashley Harper-44mins)
3. Will Tunnicliff
4. Michael Pook
5. Baboucarr Jarra
6. Will Wellon
7. John Dennis
8. Jack Freeman
9. Alan Griffin (C)
10. Jay Malshankyj (Levi Irving-84mins)
11. Toumani Sidibe 58, 65, 90+3
12. Ashley Harper
14. Sam Farr
15. Scott Rose16. Tommy Anderson
17. Levi Irving
WINCHESTER CITY:
1. Ryan Pryce
2. Daniel Williamson
3. Daniel King
4. Liam Gilbert
5. Keith Emmerson
6. Joe Hayward 32
7. Max Smith
8. Oliver Bailey
9. Simba Mlambo
10. Ik Hill
11. Robert Carr 56
12. Kieran Douglas (Robert Carr-83mins)
13. Harry Birchnall (GK)
14. Oliver Balmer (Liam Gilbert-80mins) 90+5
15. Domenico Panesar-Dower
16. Oliver Griggs (Oliver Bailey-37mins) 82