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
Match photos supplied by Graham Hill
Wantage Town of the Central Division were the visitors to The Corinium Stadium for this Southern League Challenge Cup Second Round fixture and whilst their hosts dominated possession for much of the game it was the visitors that opened the scoring and added a 90th minute winner to go through to the next round of the competition.
Following their two long journeys to Plymouth, that resulted in successive 1-0 defeats, Manager John Brough took the opportunity to make eight changes to the Cirencester starting eleven to give players returning from long term injury a game and cast his eye over the latest loanee from Bristol Rovers, Niall Lovelock. Reegan Messenger from the Development Team was also making his first start for the First Team.
Within a minute of kick-off Cirencester were on the attack as Aidan Bennett drove down the right flank, towards The Arena end of the ground, to reach the visitors penalty area where he laid the ball back to Tommy Anderson who saw his shot diverted for a corner kick.
The Wantage reply was a cross-field pass, from right to left, followed by a ball down the line from Hayden Price that was quickly covered by Shayne Anson who started a counter attack.
A few minutes later after a Cirencester attack had delivered the ball to ‘keeper Kacper Kowalczyk the Wantage midfield slipped the ball through for Tony Logongo to collect near the left front corner of the home box where he cut right to shoot straight into the arms of Kevin Sawyer.
Following these early attacks from the visitors Cirencester pressed forward on a regular basis as Joe Shepherd shot wide of the left post and a couple of minutes later Bennett and Anderson combined on the edge of the Wantage box to set up Ross Gabriel who was upended for a free kick to be awarded just outside the box - although he looked to be inside at the time of the challenge. Tommy Anderson sent the kick narrowly wide of the left post.
Cirencester were dominating possession with Bennett heavily involved as he laid the ball to Anderson, then headed a Gabriel cross for Kowalczyk to catch (but offside anyway), followed by a fierce strike that the ‘keeper blocked.
At the mid-point of the half and against the run of play Wantage opened the scoring when Tyriq Hunte, near the left front corner of the home box, clipped the ball towards the far post where a heavy touch from a home defender delivered it to TONY LOGONGO who promptly drove it inside the left post from 10 yards, in line with the right post. 0-1.
Almost immediately the visitors nearly took advantage of another piece of miss-control from Cirencester on the edge of the home box but conceded a free kick to let their hosts off.
After the let-off Cirencester continued to press as Bennett slid the ball down the right channel for Shepherd to burst into the box on a diagonal run. Kowalczyk advanced and forced him wider than he would have wished and he struck his shot into the side netting.
Shortly after a Cirencester attack Shaquille Ishmael collected a loose ball on the edge of the home box to shoot – Sawyer made the save and Anson started a counter attack.
During the final stages of the half Anson headed a corner kick wide of the right post and Anderson fired over the bar before Ellis Dunton supplied Bennett, right channel – 35 yards out, and he turned and charged to the by-line to drive the ball into the 6-yard box where ROSS GABRIEL bundled it over the line from a few yards. 1-1.
Encouraged the home side pressed again as Shepherd’s low shot was diverted past the far-right post by Kowalczyk’s outstretched leg and then the ‘keeper produced a superb save to tip Bennett’s curling left footed shot, destined for the top left corner, around his right post.
In added time Cirencester thought they had taken the lead as Anderson fired a shot from 22 yards that bounced down from the underside of the cross-bar and over the line, in the opinion of home supporters nearby, but neither the Referee or his Assistant were in a position to judge and play continued.
Half Time: 1-1
From the re-start it was clear that Wantage had returned to the pitch with a different mind-set as they countered and threatened the home box much more often as Price fired a couple of efforts into the home penalty area and Hunte shot wide of the left post.
Cirencester worked their left flank for Keightley to supply Levi Irving who made ground into the visitor’s box to shoot over the bar. They then tried the right flank as Bennett, Anderson and Anson combined but once again with no end product.
Around the hour mark Wantage mounted a couple of attacks as Hunte, Ishmael and Mark Francis combined to create room for a low shot from Ishmael that passed wide of the far-right post. Ishmael then embarked on a run down the left channel to be marshalled by Niall Lovelock so that Sawyer was able to collect the ball.
During this busy period for Wantage they also cut-out a back pass to ‘win’ a corner kick that Sawyer punched away from his goal.
The home side responded to work the ball down their right flank to the corner as Shepherd, Bennett and Brad Gray (making his first appearance of the season from the bench) combined for the latter to cross to the near post where Gabriel just failed to make contact.
At the mid-point Cirencester had another scare as Sawyer saved and Keightley blocked a Francis follow-up with the ball ricocheting onto Dunton and up towards goal for Sawyer to complete a remarkable reflex save as he pushed it wide of his goal.
As the game entered the final 15 scheduled minutes Gray clipped a ball from the left channel towards the penalty spot as Bennett darted across the box to collect with his right instep and attempt a left footed volley as it dropped but it didn’t drop fast enough and he sent it over the bar.
A minute later Anson sent a cross-field pass, from right to left, for Keightley to feed Irving who immediately darted into the box to strike the left post and this was soon followed by further pressure leading to a corner kick that resulted in a Lovelock header at the back post and his follow-up shot being blocked.
Ten minutes to go and Hunte tried a snap shot from 35 yards that required Sawyer to dive to his left to keep it out. The same player then headed wide of the right post.
With a penalty shoot-out looming Cirencester pushed forward in earnest as Dunton intercepted in his own box to charge down the centre before passing to Irving who sprinted into the Wantage box and fired over the bar.
Ross Gabriel then chested the ball back to Joe Turley who passed left to Keightley and after an exchange with Irving he darted to the left corner to cross – caught by Kowalczyk.
It was a hectic finish to the game and in the 90th minute the ball was supplied to SHAQUILLE ISHMAEL near the left front corner of the home box and he fired across goal and inside the far-right post to score. 1-2.
There was still time for a three more Cirencester attacks but Wantage held on to secure victory and passage into the next round.
Full Time: 1-2
Cirencester dominated possession in the first half but didn’t take advantage of that possession whilst after the break Wantage threatened more often with their pace on the counter as Cirencester pressed forward.
Good Luck to Wantage Town in the next round and for the rest of the competition.
Attendance: 75 Referee: Thomas Staten
Cirencester Town:
1. Kevin Sawyer
2. Shayne Anson
3. Elliott Keightley
4. Reegan Messenger
5. Niall Lovelock
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Thomas Anderson
8. Joe Shepherd ©
9. Ross Gabriel 39
10. Aidan Bennett
11. Levi Irving
12. Bradley Gray (Tommy Anderson-60mins)
14. Josh Nelmes
15. Joe Turley (Joe Shepherd-72mins)
16. James Mortimer-Jones
17. Jake Lee
Wantage Town:
1. Kacper Kowalczyk
2. Hayden Price
3. Jake Pemberton
4. Jack Alexander ©
5. Sam Hartley
6. Harvey Scholes
7. Mark Francis
8. Lewis Crosbie
9. Tyriq Hunte
10. Tony Logongo 21
17. Shaquille Ishmael 90
12. Aleksandar Novakovic (Mark Francis-70mins)
14. Jack Badger (Tony Logongo-55mins)
15. Alex Henshall
16. Ben Lodge
G. Jack Wells