Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Match photos supplied by Graham Hill
Cirencester completed their run of three successive cup-ties by entertaining KIDLINGTON of the Southern League – Central Division and after a goal-less first half they scored five to progress to the next round of the competition.
The Cirencester starting eleven had a new face for the home support to welcome as Kinsly Murray, a loan signing for a month from Bristol Rovers, took to the pitch and he acquitted himself well on his debut. Welcome to The Corinium Stadium Kinsly – we hope you enjoy your stay with us.
The visitors kicked-off proceedings by attacking down their left channel through Billy Gillett who after a short run switched play to the right flank where the pass inside was cut-out by Joe Turley and when Cirencester countered they were awarded a free kick 25 yards out on their right flank. Jake Lee met the kick and his back-header reached his co-centre back Ellis Dunton at the back post but the resulting header was over the bar.
A few minutes later Kidlington pressed and James Holmes attempted a 30-yard lob – seeing Alex Harris off his line – but it sailed over the bar.
Cirencester responded to this activity as Levi Irving headed-on a long pass, from right to left, into the path of Josh Parsons as he burst into the Kidlington box but the danger was cleared as a covering defender launched the ball off the park.
As Cirencester pressed again Declan Peart, one of the Kidlington central defenders, collapsed in agony as he turned (needing treatment including a leg brace and a stretcher) to be carried off the pitch.
We hope he makes a full and speedy recovery.
After an 8-minute delay the game resumed and it wasn’t long before Ellis Dunton sent a pass to the left corner for Tom Handley to collect and take to the by-line where he supplied Parsons, on the burst towards the left post, but his shot was blocked by ‘keeper Harry Way and recycled to Irving. His cross was cleared to debutant Kinsly Murray on the Cirencester right flank and slipped inside to Josh Nelmes who delivered it to the far post for Irving to send a firm header past the right post.
At this stage Cirencester were enjoying plenty of possession and a neat move involving Nelmes, Turley, Parsons and Shayne Anson resulted in a corner kick from the right that Parsons delivered to the near post where Irving, moving away from goal, attempted an audacious back-heel flick that just cleared the bar.
A couple of minutes later Irving was on the end of another fine Cirencester move as Murray, Nelmes and Parsons combined to release him into the left channel of the visitor’s box – this time his fierce strike crashed against the top left corner of the goal-frame.
Kidlington responded as Gillett collected a sliced clearance near the edge of the home penalty area but he fired over the bar and this was soon followed by Connor Mattimore chasing a long, low pass to the right corner where he won a corner kick. The kick was headed away by Handley and as Nelmes completed the clearance he was fouled leading to free kick that Harris sent to the left corner.
As the interval loomed Handley collected another Kidlington clearance and his left footed cross towards the far post just evaded an incoming Parsons and Murray.
Moments later Parsons slipped the ball right to Murray, right channel – 25 yards out, who immediately shot towards the inside of the right post where it was parried by Way resulting in a couple of corner kicks but no goals.
Half Time: 0-0
It had been a fairly eventful first half despite the lack of goals but the goal tally soon changed.
Within minutes of the re-start Kidlington lost their Captain, Lewis Gabbidon, and a few minutes later they conceded the opening goal as pressure on their left flank resulted in a series of corner kicks and a Parsons cross from the by-line being converted by BEN WHITEHEAD at the second attempt from close range. 1-0.
The Kidlington response was clinical and immediate as Mattimore charged down their right flank to reach the front corner of the Cirencester box before delivering a low cross into the path of BILLY GILLETT who calmly tucked it inside the left post. 1-1.
Within a minute as Kidlington tried to counter attack the ball was played down the centre for Dunton to intercept and send a superbly weighted volley-pass from the centre circle to the right channel of the visitor’s box where Parsons turned to collect and drive forward and as he cut back his feet were taken from under him and a Penalty Kick awarded. Given the recent record of Cirencester from the penalty spot, missed three successive penalties, Whitehead stepped forward for the kick and as ‘keeper Way dived to his right he sent the ball in the opposite direction but clipped the outside of the right post.
Kidlington responded to press down their right flank as a Mattimore cross was caught by Harris and then they worked the ball from right to left and into the home penalty area where Holmes drove it into the side-netting.
Just before the mid-point of the half Anson played the ball down the right flank to Murray who showed quick feet as he cut inside to evade a couple of challenges before sending the ball across the pitch to Irving as he charged down the left channel. The resulting cross was blocked for a corner kick that Parsons sent on a lowish trajectory towards the front edge of the 6-yard box where BEN WHITEHEAD stepped forward to ‘hook’ the ball into net. 2-1.
Almost immediately Kidlington worked the ball down their left flank to win a corner kick that turned into a Penalty Kick for handball as a defender leapt to challenge in a heading duel. Billy Gillett stepped up and drove his spot kick low towards the right post but Harris anticipated his intention and dived across to push the effort away leading to a corner kick on the right.
Cirencester were stepping up the pressure and when Parsons struck the crossbar from the edge of the box Ross Gabriel reacted quickly to head back across goal, Way pushed it out but AIDAN BENNETT was on hand to finish from a yard. 3-1.
Four minutes later Cirencester worked the ball to the left corner and eventually it was fed back to TOM HANDLEY, left channel - 25 yards out, and on receipt he looked up to pick the destination for his cross but seeing the players in front of him part like the proverbial Red Sea he struck a sensational low shot that arrowed inside the far-right post. 4-1.
Despite being under virtually constant pressure Kidlington were still looking to break forward and Mattimore reached the left by-line to send a cross through the 6-yard box.
In the final minutes Cirencester completed the scoring when JOSH PARSONS latched onto a dropping ball to volley inside the left post from the edge of the box. 5-1.
There was still time for Irving to fire a shot at goal that struck Bennett and flew over the bar and Elliott Keightley to reach the right by-line and send a low cross through the 6-yard box.
Full Time: 5-1
A solid performance from Cirencester against opponents that tested them in the first half but had to re-organise due to injuries and suffered as a result against a fluid home side after the break.
Attendance: 177 Referee: Mark Pearson
Cirencester Town:
1. Alex Harris
2. Shayne Anson
3. Tom Handley 81
4. Josh Nelmes
5. Jake Lee ©
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Kinsly Murray
8. Joe Turley
9. Ben Whitehead 52, 65
10. Josh Parsons 86
11. Levi Irving
12. Ross Gabriel (Ben Whitehead-75mins)
14. Aidan Bennett (Kinsly Murray-70mins) 77
15. Elliott Keightley (Shayne Anson-82mins)
16. Joe Shepherd
17. Kevin Sawyer (GK)
Kidlington FC:
1. Harry Way
2. Charlie Smith
3. Daniel West
4. Lewis Gabbidon ©
5. Declan Peart
6. Luke McCormack
7. Connor Mattimore
8. Ryan Markham
9. James Holmes
10. Tom Griffiths
11. Billy Gillett 54
12. Jack Gaul (James Holmes-87mins)
14. Ellis Hercules (Declan Peart-25mins)
15. Liam Gilbert
16. Will Baker
17. Jordan Godfrey (Lewis Gabbidon-48mins)
13. Nick Lacey (GK)