Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
The Southampton area was the mid-week destination for The Centurions to face league newcomers Lymington Town and after a hectic encounter it ended all-square - with neither side able to impose themselves on the other – despite a late thrust from the visitors.
Lymington are in a reasonable run of form having won 2, drawn 2 and lost 1 of their last five games, with a victory at AFC Totton in the League Cup and a draw against Larkhall Athletic included, and before this match sat in 12th place in the league table.
Cirencester kicked off but quickly lost the ball for the home side to win a corner kick from the right that was headed away from the penalty area leading to an ambitious strike from Harry McGrath, some 25+ yards from goal, that was wide of the right post.
In reply Cirencester worked the ball down their right flank with several players involved but the home side were quick to close down to prevent further progress.
Within minutes they tried the left flank as Levi Irving collected an Ellis Dunton pass to the corner and cut inside to ‘win’ a corner kick that was played short then delivered into the mix where it ‘bobbed about’ for a while until cleared.
Lymington responded by sending a cross-field pass from right to left for Dominic Thelen to lay the ball back to Rian Drake who played it down the line to McGrath who cut right before sending the ball back to the right flank where Cirencester conceded a free kick. As with the earlier corner kick it was headed away.
Shortly afterwards Cirencester mounted an attack down their right flank as Joe Turley fed Tommy Anderson who exchanged passes with Josh Parsons as he burst forward to collect the return near the edge of the home box, right channel. His firm strike was en-route to the top right corner until ‘keeper Ross Casey pushed it around his left post for a corner kick. Mike Pook’s kick resulted in another corner kick after Dunton had sent if back into the mix and this time Shayne Anson volleyed over the bar.
Shortly before the mid-point of the half McGrath won the ball 10 yards outside his penalty area and sent it down the left channel for Freddie Bullard to collect and gallop forward. As he approached the Cirencester penalty area he rounded an advancing Alex Harris before shooting, from the left front corner of the box, towards the vacant net but a covering Tom Handley cleared his effort from near the goal-line.
During the next 20 minutes Anderson and Joe Shepherd had shots blocked and Ben Satterley and Thelen had a shot and cross respectively caught by Harris.
Into the final 5 minutes of the half and Josh Parsons produced a sharp turn and shot that passed narrowly wide of the left post and the busy Thelen fed Callum Davies who crossed from the right corner for Harris to catch.
Half Time: 0-0
Within a few minutes of the restart Cirencester had won a corner kick and Lymington had fired wide of the right post and over the bar but generally it was still a midfield battle with both defences preventing any progress and as the hour mark approached Cirencester worked the ball down their left flank, Pook left to Irving, right to Shepherd, forward to Handley on the burst to the front corner of the home box where he shot over the bar.
At the mid-point Cirencester were awarded a free kick on the left front corner of the home box that Parsons struck with venom and Casey parried at his right post to be cleared down-field.
Five minutes later Davies released Thelen who cut left from the right flank to send his pass to Oliver Dennett, arriving at the left side edge of the Cirencester box, to cross – blocked for a corner kick that was caught by Harris.
With 15 scheduled minutes remaining Cirencester introduced Brad Gray and Aidan Bennett to the action and immediately Bennett made ground to the right corner to cross but Gray was just unable to make contact at the near post.
Shortly afterwards Handley intercepted a pass just inside the home half to feed Parsons, left to Irving who charged forward to cross – too long but recycled for Gray to shoot from the edge of the home box, right channel, pushed wide by Casey and cleared.
Cirencester were pressing forward now with serious intent as Gray fed Parsons who exchanged passes with Irving before shooting – blocked.
Just as a reminder to the visitors Adam Biss launched the ball across the pitch to Bullard who shot wide of the left post but Cirencester were finishing positively as Dunton cleared to Irving, down the line to Gray who shot from the left front corner of the home box into the grateful arms of Casey.
Almost immediately Handley crossed to the far-right post where Gray headed wide and in added-time after a fierce 30-yard effort from Handley had been parried by Casey the luckless Gray blazed the rebound over the bar from 10 yards, right channel.
Full Time: 0-0
It had been a game full of endeavour but little quality on a slick surface that made the weight of pass crucial and with no room being given and defences solid it had become ‘scrappy’ as neither side retained possession for long.
Attendance: 85 Referee: Niall Clinton
Lymington Town:
1. Ross Casey
2. Callum Davies ©
3. Rian Drake
4. Adam Biss
5. Ryan Fuller
6. Craig Stanley
7. Dominic Thelen
8. Ben Satterley
9. Craig McAllister
10. Harry McGrath
11. Freddie Bullard
12. Oliver Dennett (Craig McAllister-62mins)
14. Luke Churchill
15. Thomas Man
16. Samuel Shearer (Dominic Thelen-82mins)
20. Dylan Walker
Cirencester Town:
1. Alex Harris
2. Shayne Anson
3. Tom Handley
4. Michael Pook
5. Josh Nelmes
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Thomas Anderson
8. Joe Turley
9. Levi Irving
10. Josh Parsons
11. Joseph Shepherd ©
12. Elliott Keightley
14. Ross Gabriel (Josh Parsons-89mins)
15. Aidan Bennett (Tommy Anderson-74mins)
16. Bradley Gray (Michael Pook-74mins)
17. James Mortimer-Jones