Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
55.png){kind=logo}
32.jpg)
Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Courtesy of Graham Hill
The Centurions made the short trip to Bristol to face a young Mangotsfield United side that has yet to secure any points this season and in difficult conditions were made to scrap for their victory.
The persistent rain of recent days and the morning of the match resulted in a Pitch Inspection to confirm that it would take place and combined with an inconsistent wind from one end made conditions for the players to produce any refined passing football difficult and as a result led to a ‘scrappy’ match despite their best efforts.
Cirencester made a couple of changes to the starting eleven from the mid-week match against Willand Rovers as Josh Parsons and Tommy Anderson replaced Levi Irving and Aidan Bennett.
The hosts began very positively as they attacked down their flanks in the opening minutes but the final ball into the visitor’s box did not pose any problems and as a result Cirencester were allowed the time to settle.
Initially the visitors worked the right flank to the corner and they thought they had opened their account when a cross-field pass from Joe Turley reached Tommy Anderson on the right touchline, 30 yards out, leading to a free kick that was delivered to the far post where Joe Shepherd headed to the front edge of the 6-yard box for Tom Handley to finish from close range – too close as he was adjudged to be offside.
Mangotsfield responded to this near breakthrough as Abe Noad charged to the left corner to send a low cross through the Ciren box for Andre Freckleton to collect and fire back the other way and as there was no contact it resulted in a throw-in to Cirencester.
Almost immediately as Cirencester attacked the ball was won by Mangotsfield and a quick counter followed as Harry Simons and Lewis Bull combined before Turley intervened to prevent further progress.
At the mid-point of the half Cirencester were putting the home side under immense pressure as Shepherd slipped the ball to Josh Parsons as he burst down the left channel into the penalty area where he shot narrowly wide of the left post.
A couple of minutes later Anderson received the ball in the right channel, 35 yards out, switched direction as he cut left to send a well-weighted pass into the path of Parsons as he darted down the centre into the home penalty area where he was upended – Penalty Kick. JOSH PARSONS calmly converted the spot kick. 0-1.
With the inconsistent wind behind them Cirencester continued to press forward but the final ball often failed to reach its intended target enabling Mangotsfield to counter and from one such attack they were awarded a free kick from their right flank that was headed away by Morris and recycled to Simons who shot over the bar from the right channel front edge of the Cirencester penalty area.
Encouraged Mangotsfield’s Wayne Nderemani embarked on a 30-yard run down their left flank until a firm tackle from Shayne Anson stopped his progress but the ball was collected by Simons who slipped it to Noad as he made a diagonal run to the left corner but his subsequent cross was gathered by ‘keeper Alex Harris at his right post.
Back came Cirencester as the ball was worked forward to Parsons and his shot from near the right post was partially blocked enabling a defender to clear but they were soon back again as on the stroke of half-time Anderson latched on to a defenders attempted clearance to volley the ball into the path of JOSH PARSONS as he entered the home box to tuck his shot inside the left post from near the penalty spot. 0-2.
Half Time: 0-2
Immediately from the re-start Morris chipped the ball into the left corner for Dennis to collect and cross – cut-out but recovered for Morris to cross - blocked for an early corner kick that reached Anson but was cleared for Ellis Dunton to volley back into the mix - defended again.
Following this early pressure and with the wind behind them and nothing to lose the home side enjoyed a period of possession as Jai Semenyo embarked on a couple of long runs from his right back position – the first supplied Freckleton who was ‘offside’ and the second Bull who had his shot from the right front corner of the Cirencester box part blocked for Harris to pick up.
Shortly afterwards Ciren were back on the attack as Morris and Parsons exchanged passes enabling the former to cross from the left by-line and this eventually resulted in a free kick in a central position 30 yards out that Dennis flashed narrowly wide of the right post.
As substitutions were made play became a little disjointed for a while until shortly after the mid-point of the half when Semenyo charged down the right touchline again with Levi Irving in hot pursuit, enabling Morris to make the tackle, but the ball was recycled to the left side edge of the Cirencester box where Noad crossed and Harris caught.
Cirencester immediately countered as Turley slipped the ball to Parsons who played it behind a defender for Irving to chase and cross through the front edge of the 6-yard box with Anderson rapidly closing.
During the next few minutes Irving was heavily involved as he glanced a header wide of the left post, received a Yellow Card for a challenge near the home box, followed by a second Yellow Card as he chased back to prevent a home attack reaching their right corner, and the inevitable Red Card reducing Cirencester to ten men for the final 10 minutes plus.
The resulting free kick was delivered into the mix by Harry Haughton and headed out by Anson for Nderemani to collect just outside the Ciren box but he blazed his right footed shot well over the bar.
With four minutes of ‘normal’ time remaining Morris made another run to the left by-line and delivered a high looping cross to the back post where AIDAN BENNETT was waiting to head home. 0-3.
As the game was drawing to a close Mangotsfield tested the Cirencester defence but it remained solid.
Full Time: 0-3
A match that was not for the purist but in difficult conditions Cirencester produced a solid all-round performance that was effective.
To their credit the young Mangotsfield team tested Cirencester until the final whistle.
Attendance: 230 Referee: Andrew Sheppard
MANGOTSFIELD UNITED:
1. Jakob Glover
2. Jai Semenyo
3. Wayne Nderemani
4. Ben Payne
5 Matthew Binding
6. Dion Chambers
7. Andre Freckleton ©
8. Harry Haughton
9. Harry Simons
10. Lewis Bull
11. Abe Noad
12. Mircea Ilea
14. Rob Belcher (Andre Freckleton-65mins)
15. Jonathan Invernizzi
16. Goerge Neill (Lewis Bull-76mins)
17. Marcus Kelly (Wayne Nderemani-84mins)
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Alex Harris
2. Tom Handley
3. Jordan Morris
4. Joe Turley
5. Shayne Anson
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Nick Hancock
8. Joe Shepherd
9. Tommy Anderson
10. Josh Parsons 25p, 45
11. John Dennis
12. Levi Irving (John Dennis-70mins)
14. Ross Gabriel
15. Josh Nelmes
16. Aidan Bennett (Joe Turley-82mins) 86
17. Michael Pook (Joe Shepherd-65mins)
