Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
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 Becky Handley
The Centurions began a run of three away fixtures with a trip to The Causeway, the home of Gloucestershire rivals Cinderford Town, and after a hard-fought contest it remained goal-less.
After making eight changes for the mid-week cup match at Slimbridge there were seven changes to the starting eleven for this match against Cinderford Town.
In terms of current form (based on the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ table) and league position The Foresters are 16th and 17th respectively and Cirencester 2nd and 1st respectively at this point in the season and therefore the result of this match – apart from County bragging rights – was important to both teams for different reasons.
The home side kicked off on a bright day - with significantly less wind than the previous five matches Cirencester have played in - and they began brightly as they immediately attacked down their left flank as Tristan Haswell combined with Harry Emmett before the ball was switched to the right flank for Dylan Jones to obtain a throw-in that enabled Toby Holland to cross – deflected for a corner kick from their left flank that Mike Pook headed away and the follow-up shot from just outside the box was easily saved by ‘keeper Alex Harris.
A minute later the action was at the other end of the pitch as Joe Shepherd crossed from the left corner for Zack Kotwica to head wide at the back post.
The match had started at a furious pace as Jones fed Holland and his shot was wide of the right post soon to be followed by Josh Parsons heading wide of the near left post at the other end and Tommy Anderson firing over the bar when played in by Kotwica.
Moments later Cirencester worked the ball down their right flank for Josh Nelmes to send a low cross along the front edge of the home box where a ‘dummy’ run allowed Shepherd to collect the ball and shoot – straight into the waiting arms of ‘keeper Nicholas Jones.
The response from the hosts was immediate as Jamie Bremner switched the ball, from the right flank to the left front corner of the Cirencester box, for Emmett to cut inside to shoot – blocked, follow-up shot – blocked.
Play continued in this fashion and around the mid-point of the half Anderson headed the ball on to Kotwica who supplied Parsons and he took it on to the left channel front edge of the home box but his shot was comfortably saved by Jones. A minute later Kotwica clipped the home cross-bar but was declared to be ‘offside’.
Shortly afterwards Marcel Mcintosh displayed some neat footwork, when tight to the touchline, to evade incoming challenges before supplying Harrison Lea who moved it on to Emmett.
As the battle for supremacy continued the sides cancelled one another out and shortly before the interval as Cinderford pressed Bremner’s shot was deflected to Emmett and his cross led to a corner kick from the left that was initially headed away by Pook but recycled to the left corner for Holland to cross – just over the head of the incoming Lewis Bamford at the far-post.
Half Time: 0-0
After the break it was more of the same.
From the re-start Cirencester attacked down their left flank to the corner where Shepherd and Kotwica combined – ultimately obtaining a throw-in and corner kick that Mitch McCann headed away then Shepherd had an effort blocked near the right front corner of the home box.
Neither side had really threatened their opponent’s goal by the mid-point of the half but just before it Cirencester worked an opening as a quickly taken throw-in by Pook released Parsons to the left side edge of the Cinderford box and he slipped the ball to his right for Kotwica to shoot – blocked and cleared.
Five minutes later Bamford received the ball on the right channel front edge of the Cirencester penalty area, turned and with ‘keeper Harris’s view obstructed, he struck a terrific, low curling shot that struck the bottom of the left post - the rebound was fired over the target.
Cirencester responded as Levi Irving carried the ball to the left corner where a free kick was awarded. Mike Pook delivered the kick to the far-post where Kotwica was unable to make contact.
During the next ten minutes both sides had a shot at goal – McCann for Cinderford and Nick Hancock for Cirencester - but neither troubled the opposing ‘keeper.
Into added-time and Ross Gabriel headed the ball on for Parsons to shoot at the near post from a few yards – blocked, rebounding to be cleared as Kotwica closed.
Cinderford then reached the right corner where Bremner delivered a free kick into the visitor’s box – headed away.
The final action of this frenetic game saw Gabriel head the ball on from ten yards inside the home half but before a team-mate could collect the observant Jones darted from his area to head away.
Full Time: 0-0
Certainly not a match of quality - there was plenty of commitment and endeavour but little footballing quality due to the pace the game was played at as neither side kept the ball for long with their opponents snapping at their heels.
Attendance: 204 Referee: Said Ouchene
Cinderford Town:
1. Nicholas Jones
2. Marcel Mcintosh
3. Tristan Haswell
4. Mitch McCann
5. Dion Molyneux ©
6. Harrison Lea
7. Dylan Jones
8. Jamie Bremner
9. Lewis Bamford
10. Toby Holland
11. Harry Emmett
12. Jack Freeman (Dylan Jones-71mins)
14. Owen Taylor
15. Ben Scotford
16. William Morford
17. Harry Warwick (Lewis Bamford-80mins)
Cirencester Town:
1. Alex Harris
2. Nick Hancock
3. Jordan Morris
4. Michael Pook
5. Jake Lee ©
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Tommy Anderson
8. Josh Nelmes
9. Zack Kotwica
10. Josh Parsons
11. Joe Shepherd
12. Ross Gabriel (Tommy Anderson-80mins)
14. Joe Turley
15. Nick Peare (Josh Nelmes-84mins)
16. Levi Irving (Joe Shepherd-64mins)
17. Shayne Anson