Cirencester Town FC
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Graham Hill (left) and Becky Handley (right)
Cirencester returned to Bristol for the second time in five days and after conceding five on their first visit they scored five on their second.
Their first visit, for the GFA Senior Challenge Cup Final at GFA Headquarters on Tuesday, ended in a heavy defeat to Southern league - Premier Division Yate Town but the second was a visit to Cossham Street for a League fixture against Mangotsfield United and this time they came away with a 5-1 victory.
For this match Cirencester Manager, John Brough, made two changes from the starting eleven that lost to Willand Rovers in their last league match – one enforced due to injury to Nick Peare.
In terms of current form Mangotsfield United have obtained 4 points from their last 6 games, including narrow defeats against three of the top ten sides, whilst Cirencester have obtained 7 points from their last 6 games. In terms of league positions Cirencester are 3rd and Mangotsfield 18th.
Cirencester kicked off on a surprisingly firm, but bumpy pitch, and launched the ball towards the left corner where Jake Mawford headed on for Ben Whitehead to chase into the corner – resulting in a throw-in to the visitors as Andre Freckleton came across to cover. The throw led to a Mangotsfield clearance down their right flank that was promptly returned to the left corner but as The Centurions cut into the home box a free kick was conceded and this eased the pressure on the home side.
The visitors were soon back down their left flank and the home side responded with a counter attack down their left flank as Harry Haughton released Isaac Flynn to the left front corner of the Cirencester box but his cross towards the far post was comfortably cleared.
Moments later Mawford produced some neat footwork and awareness to evade an incoming challenge before sending the ball to the left corner where Josh Parsons chased to collect – leading to a cross into the box that was defended.
At the ten-minute mark Tommy Anderson worked hard to win the ball on the half-way line of the right flank and it broke to Joe Shepherd who sent it into the corner for an overlapping Shayne Anson to collect. As he cut along the by-line a corner kick was awarded that Mawford sent to the near post where it was cleared to a lurking Anderson and returned to Mawford. A deep cross followed that Shepherd headed back across goal for JAKE LEE to sweep inside the right post from a couple of yards. 0-1.
During the next few minutes The Mongos mounted attacks down both flanks without really penetrating and at the end of one of them Tom Handley launched the ball down the left channel to the home box where Parsons was challenged by the charging home custodian, Marko Radovanovic, with both falling to the ground and the ball being cleared by Freckleton.
A few minutes later Handley repeated the exercise but this time Whitehead collected and his cross resulted in a corner kick that Mawford sent to the back post where Anson headed over.
The reply was an exchange between Haughton and Flynn that enabled the former to cross towards the Penalty Spot where it was cleared.
During the next few minutes Whitehead was heavily involved as he exchanged passes with Parsons before firing over the bar, then crossed for the clearance to be volleyed over by Handley and finally produced a strong run to the left by-line that resulted in a corner kick.
Into the ten-minute period before the interval and Whitehead played the ball across the box to Anderson as he entered in the right channel and as he battled to retain the ball and get past his opponent he was brought to ground with the well positioned Referee pointing to the Penalty Spot. The reliable JAKE LEE stepped forward and blasted his kick into the net via the inside of the right post. 0-2.
Leading up to the break Whitehead shot wide of the far-right post and turned supplier as he slipped the ball to an incoming Anderson who saw his left footed shot from 8 yards pushed across goal by Radovanovic and cleared before a supporting Anson could get to it.
The final action of the half saw the home sides Neikell Plummer supply Haughton who released Flynn to the left by-line but his cross-cum-shot was into the side-netting.
Half Time: 0-2
From the re-start Mangotsfield attacked to the left corner and then it was re-cycled to the right front corner of the Cirencester box for a free kick to be awarded that Haughton delivered to the centre front edge of the visitor’s box where Dion Chambers headed over.
For a few minutes the game became a little scrappy as balls were launched backwards and forwards but normal service was soon resumed as a Mawford corner kick was headed clear by Mercia Ilea near the Penalty Spot and a Whitehead flick released Shepherd down the right channel and he struck a powerful shot from 25 yards that Radovanovic did well to parry.
Almost immediately Cirencester were back again as Ellis Dunton launched the ball to the right corner for Anson to collect and slip inside to Anderson who carried it to the right by-line where his cross was blocked for another corner kick that Radovanovic caught.
A free kick for the home side followed a couple of minutes later from left to right where Josh Iles ‘chested’ it into the path of Plummer who drove it over the target from the centre-right front edge of the Cirencester box.
The busy Radovanovic was soon involved again as Parsons burst forward to the edge of his box for a 1v1 with the ‘keeper, and as the Ciren man cut left to go around the ‘keeper an outstretched leg deflected the ball out of the striker’s stride and the danger was cleared.
A few minutes later as Mangotsfield worked the ball across the front edge of the Ciren box a firm challenge by Anson sent the ball shooting down the right channel for JOSH PARSONS to collect 15 yards inside the home half, turn and charge down the pitch, with Ilea in pursuit, until he reached the edge of the home box where he blasted it inside the right post. 0-3.
Despite the score Mangotsfield continued to push forward and a Will Ashton free kick from the right channel resulted in a corner kick from the left that Haughton delivered to the Penalty Spot for Ilea to head towards goal but Handley was in place to head it away from the goal-line.
Undeterred Mangotsfield were back again for another corner kick from the left and as Handley cleared it down the visitors left flank it was intercepted and fed to their left flank but the attack broke down when a free kick was awarded to their visitors.
Shortly after the mid-point of the half Ciren custodian Alex Harris sent a free kick to Whitehead just outside the home box, right channel, and he slipped it through for JOSH PARSONS to collect and tuck inside the far post. 0-4.
Two minutes later the home side pulled a goal back as a cross-field pass was intercepted by Wayne Nderemani and played through from the edge of the centre circle to the right channel front edge of the Ciren box where DAWID REGULA collected, took it forward, and slipped it under an advancing Harris and inside the right post. 1-4.
Encouraged the home side then pressed for the next few minutes and had a Penalty Kick appeal rejected by the Referee.
At this point the game became a little fractious with a couple of Yellow Cards being issued – one for each side – and the second one led to another goal for Cirencester. Jake Lee delivered the kick, from the right flank, half-way, to Shepherd who headed it to Mawford, near the left front corner of the home box, and he chipped it to the back post where TOMMY ANDERSON popped up to convert from a very narrow angle. 1-5.
Into the final few minutes and Mangotsfield mounted a quick counter attack that resulted in a corner kick from their left flank – Haughton delivered it to the back post where Regula’s header was blocked for another corner kick from their right flank that Cirencester defended.
At the 90-minute mark Levi Irving battled for the ball in the centre circle and his second tackle enabled him to release Aidan Bennett to the left corner and that resulted in a throw-in that the home side defended.
The final action of the game saw Parsons (left channel, 20-yards out) pass to Shepherd (right channel, 16-yards out) and his audacious back heel reached a darting Parsons who had his shot deflected to the grateful Radovanovic.
Full Time: 1-5
An entertaining game on a difficult pitch as the young home side kept going to the end but Cirencester were just too strong on the day and scored some good goals.
Good to see Josh Parsons finding some form and the partnership with Ben Whitehead looks to be going from strength to strength.
Attendance: 141 Referee: Thomas Staten
Mangotsfield United:
1. Marko Radovanovic
2. Andre Freckleton
3. Will Ashton
4. Owen Ridler
5. Mircea Ilea ©
6. Matt Binding
7. Josh Iles
8. Tabu Minzamba
9. Neikell Plummer
10. Harry Haughton
11. Isaac Flynn
12. Wayne Nderemani (Neikell Plummer-67mins)
14. Dion Chambers (Andre Freckleton-31mins)
15. Joe Beardwell
16. Dawid Regula (Tabu Minzamba-57mins) 73
17. Jakob Glover (GK)
Cirencester Town:
1. Alex Harris
2. Shayne Anson
3. Tom Handley
4. Joe Turley
5. Jake Lee © 12, 37p
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Tommy Anderson 84
8. Joe Shepherd
9. Ben Whitehead
10. Josh Parsons 61, 71
11. Jake Mawford
12. Josh Nelmes
14. Michael Pook
15. Jordan Morris
16. Aidan Bennett (Jake Mawford-84mins)
17. Levi Irving (Ben Whitehead-72mins)