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
Following their successful FA Cup exploits in mid-week The Centurions returned to league action with a home fixture against WELWYN GARDEN CITY and after missing several good chances the home side finally opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time but the visitors responded to score two goals in three minutes to take the three points on offer.
Prior to the match the visitors sat in 20th place in the league table having been unsuccessful in their opening two matches whilst Cirencester were in 14th place with 1 point from the same number of games – but it is early days and The Citizens finished in 5th place at the end of last season so should not be underestimated.
With a number of recognised strikers unavailable due to injury it has been a difficult start for The Centurions and the cup matches have added two more players to that list and as a result the squad named for this match had somewhat of a ‘threadbare’ appearance about it.
The Citizens kicked off, playing towards The Shed end of the ground, to attack down their left flank and after the initial foray had been repelled they recycled the ball to the left by-line – but the resulting cross was too deep.
A few minutes later Archie Sayer had a pot at goal from the right channel front edge of the home box but a well-positioned Alex Harris patted the ball down before picking it up.
Cirencester responded as Ross Gabriel tried a snap-shot from the edge of the Penalty Area that flew over the bar.
Ellis Dunton then carried the ball out of defence before switching play from the left flank to the right as he delivered a cross-field pass to Jordan Lymn who slipped it into the right channel of the visitor’s box for Levi Irving to collect as he burst through to fire over the top right corner of the goal-frame.
A minute later Dunton sent another well-weighted pass to the left corner for Jordan Morris to collect and cross towards the centre front edge of the Welwyn 6-yard box where Gabriel headed wide of the right post.
Within minutes Cirencester were back again as Jake Lee delivered a cross-field pass to the left flank for Irving and Gabriel to exchange headers as they worked their way towards the left corner but once the ball was fed back for a cross into the box it was caught by ‘keeper Charlie Crowley.
As the 15-minute mark arrived it was the visitors turn to mount a couple of attacks as Cheyce Grant reached the left by-line and crossed into the ‘mix’ – resulting in a corner kick from the right that Joe Turley headed clear.
A free kick for the visitors was delivered from the right channel, 30 yards out, to the left of the home Penalty Spot where Ryan Doherty headed wide of the left post.
Jake Lee then started a move off for Cirencester as he supplied Lymn who slipped the ball through for Reegan Messenger as he burst into the right channel of the visitor’s box – resulting in a corner kick from that side. Nick Hancock sent the kick to the back post and it was cleared to a lurking Dunton who immediately struck a low volley towards goal bringing a superb save from Crowley as he dived to push it around his right post. The resulting corner kick passed through the 6-yard box - although Josh Nelmes was fairly close to making contact.
Shortly before the mid-point of the half Cirencester pressed down their left channel as Irving, Gabriel and Hancock combined - resulting in a corner kick that Josh Hutchinson headed away for Turley to return it – caught by Crowley.
A Drinks Break followed before a deep cross from the left flank by Callum Taylor was headed clear by Messenger.
A few minutes later a low Hancock free kick from the right resulted in a corner kick from the same flank and this reached the back post before being sent towards the right post where Irving’s effort struck the bar before being cleared.
Back came Cirencester as Gabriel battled for the ball in the corner to cross towards the near post where Messenger arrived to head wide of the far-left post from the edge of the 6-yard box.
Welwyn replied as Karl Kayembe worked his way forward from their right flank to supply Grant as he cut in from the left to fire a right footed shot from 25 yards that Harris saved at his right post.
As the half was drawing to a close Morris intercepted a pass and embarked on a run and fierce ‘cross-cum-shot’ that struck the side netting, soon to be followed by some neat football as they worked from right to left.
Finally on the stroke of half-time Cirencester opened the scoring as Hancock exchanged passes with Lymn before sending a deep cross to the far-left post where LEVI IRVING rose to head the ball inside the right post.
Half Time: 1-0
During the interval the visitors made a change and it enabled them to start the second half on the front foot as despite Cirencester having the kick-off, and working the ball to their left flank, once the initial thrust was cleared they were able to counter quickly for substitute Lewis Franklin to cross to the far left post, towards Hutchinson, leading to a cross from that flank and a Franklin header at the right post that Harris caught.
Almost immediately Harris was in action again as he caught a near post header from Grant following a free kick delivered by Njie to the left post.
Cirencester responded as Morris sent the ball down the left flank to be collected by Irving who sent a low cross from the corner to the right channel of the Welwyn box where Messenger was arriving quickly – right footed shot blocked and cleared but Messenger was soon back as he was involved in a fierce tackle in the right corner with the ball rebounding to be cleared.
With ten minutes gone Franklin tried an ambitious strike from 40 yards that was wide of the left post.
Jake Lee replied with a low cross-field pass from inside his half to the left corner for Irving to chase and lay back to a supporting Morris but the cross was blocked and a goal-kick awarded.
Welwyn made another substitution just before the hour mark and it proved to be inspired as a few minutes later substitute Coskun Grantham delivered a pass from their right channel, 30 yards out, to the left channel front edge of the Cirencester box where CHEYCE GRANT collected and struck a right footed shot that clipped the inside of the far-right post on its way into the net. 1-1.
Three minutes later Welwyn doubled their tally as Grant embarked on a run to the left channel of the home box to strike a fierce, low, left footed shot at the target. Alex Harris parried his effort but it rebounded across the face of the goal where two Citizens were supporting with MAX JESSOP completing the task from a couple of yards. 1-2.
Cirencester reacted as Morris crossed for Crowley to make the catch and then an Irving run to the left corner produced a cross to the front post that yielded a corner kick, a couple of headers from Irving that were defended and cleared to the right corner for a throw-in but no end product.
Jordan Morris then charged to the left by-line and crossed towards an incoming Lymn but as Crowley stooped a defender nipped in to clear the danger - eventually resulting in another corner kick that Nelmes headed wide of the left post.
Shortly after Irving, Sergio Mills and Frankie Johnson combined for the latter to cross from the left flank towards the right channel of the visitor’s box where Lymn headed towards the Penalty Spot but a fast-arriving Messenger was unable to strike the ball cleanly – enabling Crowley to collect.
Into the last ten minutes and Johnson played the ball to the left corner for Irving to send a low cross towards the Penalty Spot – Lymn’s shot was blocked, then Mills effort was blocked for Crowley to gather the ball.
In the closing minutes Welwyn mounted a couple of attacks on the home goal but the defence stood firm.
Full Time: 1-2
Cirencester played well in the first period but failed to convert the many chances created and The Citizens made them pay with a much improved second half to leave with the 3 points.
Attendance: 147 Referee: George Lynch
Cirencester Town:
1. Alex Harris
2. Josh Nelmes
3. Jordan Morris
4. Joe Turley
5. Jake Lee ©
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Jordan Lymn
8. Reegan Messenger
9. Ross Gabriel
10. Levi Irving 45
11. Nick Hancock
12. Kenneth Mills (Ross Gabriel-63mins)
14. Frankie Johnson (Joe Turley-73mins)
15. Louie Barnfather (GK)
Welwyn Garden City:
1. Charlie Crowley
2. Gavin Hinds-Cadette
3. Callum Taylor
4. Karl Kayembe
5. Alieu Njie
6. Ryan Doherty
7. Cheyce Grant 61
8. Max Jessop 64
9. Archie Sayer
10. Joshua Hutchinson
11. William Hawley-Murphy
12. Jaedon Phillips (Gavin Hinds-Cadette-63mins)
14. Gil Barunda Fal
15. Daniel Ezeigwe Udanoh
16. Lewis Franklin (William Hawley-Murphy-46mins)
17. Coskun Grantham (Archie Sayer-58mins)