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 Graham Hill
The fourth Pre-Season Friendly brought former adversaries NORTH LEIGH, who were promoted to the Southern League - Premier South Division at the end of last season, to The Corinium Stadium and it was the visitors that opened the scoring 8 minutes into the game. Cirencester equalised mid-way through the second half to tie the match.
The visitors kicked off, playing towards The Shed end of the ground, in perfect conditions for football but soon lost the ball to enable Cirencester to work the ball down their right flank as Jordan Lymn reached the corner before laying the ball back to a supporting Nick Hancock who immediately launched it into the box where it was cleared.
A few minutes later Lymn was back and a corner kick to the back post was headed back into the mix on the edge of the 6-yard box by Ellis Dunton for Sergio Mills to head into the arms of ‘keeper Adam North.
It had been a very promising start from the home side but with eight minutes on the clock North Leigh countered quickly as ROGER JAMES was allowed to collect the ball on the right flank and embark on a long run as he cut inside before unleashing a left footed shot from 25 yards that took a deflection en-route to the top left corner of the goal. 0-1.
Cirencester responded to press, particularly down their left flank, with Hancock volleying over and a Mills shot being diverted into the arms of North.
As the mid-point of the half approached James made another strong run down the ‘Millers’ right flank before his powerful shot was parried back to him by home custodian Louie Barnfather but he sent it wide of the target.
Shortly before the ‘Drinks Break’ Levi Irving and Theo Lewis fired over the bar.
Almost immediately from the re-start a long diagonal cross from the right flank resulted in a weak header from the visitors No. 10 for Barnfather to collect.
Shortly afterwards a Hancock free kick reached Lewis, near the Penalty Spot, but he headed over the bar.
With the interval looming Cirencester increased the pressure as Irving glanced a header past the left post and several home players queued up to shoot but took too long and the opportunity was gone.
In reply North Leigh’s Trialist (No. 9) had a shot parried and their No. 11 cut right from the left flank to fire over the bar.
Half Time: 0-1
During the interval Cirencester made a couple of changes to their personnel and within two minutes the home defence was tested when Owen Dore’s free kick into the box was initially cleared but resulted in another, taken by James, that was diverted for a corner kick from the left followed by one from the right as Ben Brown’s shot was blocked.
A couple of minutes later James collected a pass in the right channel of the home box but he was quickly closed down by Barnfather who blocked his initial shot and then caught his attempted ‘chip’ at the near right post.
When Cirencester responded to work the ball forward Jordan Morris’s cross was caught by North and a counter attack launched that yielded a corner kick and a back-post header that was wide of the post by Aaron McCreadie.
North Leigh then produced a ten-minute spell of pressure and a fierce shot from their Trialist (No. 9) that struck the right post and rebounded to No.17 but his effort was blocked.
At the mid-point Lymn fed Reegan Messenger as he overlapped to the right corner before crossing to the back post where Morris collected and sent it to the edge of the 6-yard box for Ross Gabriel to head against the left post – rebounding to the centre front edge of the 6-yard box where LEVI IRVING tucked it into the back of the net. 1-1.
The game became ‘end-to-end’ with few clear chances as changes in personnel ensued.
The most notable being a low shot from Wright that Barnfather safely gathered.
Full Time: 1-1
A good competitive game with both sides working the ball and having periods of possession.
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
Louie Barnfather, Reegan Messenger, Jordan Morris, Tyreece Briscoe, Jake Lee ©, Ellis Dunton (Josh Nelmes 46), Jordan Lymn, Nick Hancock (Frankie Johnson 46), L.Irving, Sergio Mills (Ross Gabriel 58), Theo Lewis.
NORTH LEIGH:
Adam North, Scott Isherwood, Owen Dore, Luke Carnell ©, Ben Brown, Aaron Heap, Aaron McCreadie, Roger James, Amer Awadh, Trialist, Jordan Alves,
Alexander, Andy Gunn, Nutt, Wright, Williams, Woodley, Trialist.