Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
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The Boatmen of Sholing visited The Corinium Stadium and departed having ended the ‘4-match’ unbeaten start to the league season by scoring the first goals conceded by The Centurions in a game dominated by both defences.
The home side made one enforced change to their starting line-up as Ross Gabriel replaced Brad Gray who left the field early at Melksham due to an injury sustained there but Josh Parsons had recovered to take his place up front.
The game got off to a fairly lively start as Dan Mason latched onto a loose ball near the left channel front edge of the home box to send his right footed curling effort towards the far-right post where custodian Dan Lawrence dived to parry.
Minutes later Josh Parsons embarked on a ‘jinking’ run down the left flank to the corner where his subsequent cross was blocked at the near post.
Shortly afterwards Tom Handley sent a ‘cross-cum-shot’ narrowly wide of the far-right post from the left flank – 30 yards out.
A promising start that suggested an exciting game of attacking football was in prospect but alas it did not prove so as the defences dominated proceedings and as a result there was not much of the fluid football that has been on display in recent matches.
There were however glimpses as Cirencester attacked down their flanks, switching from one to the other, before being stopped for Sholing to counter with more direct football.
From one such counter Cirencester won the ball back for Tom Handley to release Parsons who embarked on another run to the left by-line to cross as Tommy Anderson and Jonny Dennis darted in for Dennis to get a shot away that was blocked near the front edge of the 6-yard box.
At this stage Cirencester were looking quite threatening as they worked forward but as the mid-point of the half was reached the visitors Claudio Herbert and Marvin McLean combined to reach the left corner resulting in a corner kick that Josh Nelmes cleared with an impressive diving header.
A few minutes later Cirencester carved out the best chance so far when Parsons broke down the left channel before slipping the ball inside McLean for Anderson to run onto in the right channel of the Sholing box where he sent a low shot narrowly past the far-left post.
A quick-fire exchange of passes between Gabriel, Parsons and Dennis down the left channel enabled Dennis to get into the Sholing box but his shot was comfortably saved by Gosney.
The visitors responded with a couple of moves involving Herbert and Brad Targett – on both flanks – but both came to an end as Ciren proved resolute.
As the interval approached a series of Cirencester passes, from left to right, created an opening for Gabriel but he delayed his shot and was driven wide to the by-line where his cross was dived upon by Gosney.
In the final five minutes of the half a long ball from Byron Mason was collected by Dan Mason, who shot into the side-netting from a narrow angle and another such pass from Dan Miller towards Targett in the right corner was cleared by Lawrence as he darted from his box.
On the stroke of half-time Dennis made a run down the left channel before slipping the ball forward to Parsons, in the penalty area, who fired wide of the left post.
Half Time: 0-0
The first half had started with promise and so did the second as neat play from Cirencester on their right flank eventually led to a corner kick from the left that resulted in a diving header from Ellis Dunton that passed over the bar.
Sholing countering immediately for Dan Mason to fire over the top right corner.
Cirencester continued to press as they worked the ball forward down their flanks but without success and as the mid-point of the half approached Sholing began to press more often as McLean delivered a deep cross from the left that Lawrence pushed wide for a corner kick and then McLean he sent a cross-field pass from the left flank to the right front corner of the home box for Dan Mason to chest down before unleashing a fierce strike that Lawrence finger-tipped onto his cross-bar.
This was soon followed by another long ball from Byron Mason, down the right channel, for Targett to collect and shoot over.
Shortly after a period when Sholing probed the area 20 yards from the home goal Cirencester countered and were awarded a free kick near the left front corner of the Sholing area. Jonny Dennis drove the kick towards the edge of the 6-yard box where Parsons darted forward to head and Gosney produced a tremendous reflex save to block the effort.
The save proved crucial as moments later Sholing opened the scoring as BRAD TARGETT got in behind the home defence to tuck his shot inside the far-right post. 0-1.
Cirencester responded to the setback as Dennis fired wide of the left post, Nelmes headed a corner kick over and Parsons drove his shot from the right channel of the area over the bar.
With five minutes of scheduled time remaining Sholing doubled their lead as MARVIN McLEAN sent a deep ‘cross-cum-shot’ from the left flank, 30 yards out, that drifted over Lawrence into the top right corner. 0-2.
In ‘added-time’ Joe Turley headed the ball on for substitute Felipe Dias to chase and his right footed shot from the edge of the box was deflected for a corner kick that Dunton volleyed over the bar from the edge of the box.
There was still time for one more effort as Aidan Bennett fired into the arms of Gosney.
Full Time: 0-2
A difficult match against tall opponents that promised much and certainly tested both defences with the visitors taking the points after a hard-fought match.
Attendance: 194 Referee: Graham Pearce
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Dan Lawrence
2. Archie Brennan
3. Tom Handley
4. Josh Nelmes
5. Shayne Anson ©
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Tommy Anderson
8. Joe Turley
9. Ross Gabriel
10. Josh Parsons
11. John Dennis
12. Lee Llewelyn
14. Felipe Dias (Jonny Dennis-90mins)
15. Aidan Bennett (Ross Gabriel-60mins)
16. Nick Hancock
17. James Mortimer-Jones
SHOLING:
1. Ryan Gosney
2. Joe Smith
3. Marvin McLean 85
4. Owen Roundell
5. Daniel Miller
6. Charles Wagstaffe
7. Brad Targett 80
8. Byron Mason ©
9. Daniel Mason
10. Claudio Herbert
11. Jamie Bulpitt
12. Martin Buckland
13. Luke Deacon (GK)
14. Roberto Salvati
15. Jamie Kaffo
16. Michael Kurn
