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
Following three successive away matches, two of which were long mid-week journeys across the country, The Centurions returned to The Corinium Stadium and produced a solid ‘all-round’ team performance to secure their first league victory in the Central Division of the Southern League.
At this stage in the season the visitors sit in 13th place in the league table with 8 points from 8 games whilst Cirencester are languishing in 19th place with 2 points from 7 games played - despite testing their opponents in at least three of their defeats.
For this match Manager, John Brough, made a tactical change as he moved Jordan Morris forward with Ellis Dunton taking the left back position and Josh Nelmes included at centre back.
Cirencester kicked off playing towards The Arena end of the ground and immediately pressed down their left flank with Jordan Morris seeing plenty of the early ball and eight minutes in his cross from the left by-line reached Joe Shepherd at the far post where his stab towards goal was blocked, rebounding to Reegan Messenger but his effort was also blocked and cleared to a waiting Josh Nelmes, 25 yards from goal - right channel, who immediately sent it towards the left post but just too high for an incoming Levi Irving.
A minute later some neat play from Cirencester as Will Christopher combined with Shepherd to release Adulai Sambu to the right corner who delivered a low cross from the by-line to the front edge of the visitors 6-yard box – a couple more blocks and a clearance followed.
The response from The Wolves of FC Romania was a long ball from just outside their Penalty Area towards the left corner where Mitchell May chased it down to cross from the by-line but behind for a goal kick.
Encouraged the visitors worked the ball down their right flank before sending it back to ‘keeper Tommy Dixon-Hodge to start again down their left flank for Ernest Murmylo to reach the left corner before it came to a halt.
Shortly afterwards the visitors were awarded a free kick on their right flank, just inside the Cirencester half, that Panayiotis Boxer delivered towards the Penalty Spot where Nelmes powerfully headed clear for Morris to send it to the left corner and back to Joe Turley who delivered a probing ball into the visitor’s box that yielded a corner kick. The corner kick was delivered to the back post where Nelmes effort was blocked.
At the mid-point of the half Cirencester pressed again, leading to a free kick that was delivered to the far-right post, several efforts blocked, but recycled to Irving and his snap shot from near the Penalty Spot passed wide of the right post.
As the half hour mark approached FC Romania mounted a couple of attacks that resulted in shots from May – the first after a free kick reached him near the Penalty Spot to be blocked by Shepherd and the second when he collected a pass down their left channel to shoot from the edge of the home box – safely caught by custodian Alex Harris.
A few minutes later the deadlock was broken as Cirencester probed to reach the right corner where Sambu collected, shimmied and dummied to reach the by-line before sending a low cross towards the Penalty Spot where JOE SHEPHERD arrived to tuck it inside the right post. 1-0.
Four minutes later Cirencester scored again. Reegan Messenger collected the ball in the left channel, 30 yards from the visitor’s goal, and sprayed a low pass to the right flank for a supporting Christopher to collect in space before advancing and delivering a low cross from the corner towards the front edge of the visitor’s box where once again JOE SHEPHERD was arriving. His shot took a deflection that looped it up and over defenders and ‘keeper to clip the inside of the top left corner of the goal frame before dropping over the line. 2-0.
The visitors mounted a couple of attacks as the interval approached without threatening the home goal.
Half Time: 2-0
Despite the visitors kicking off the ball was soon in the possession of Cirencester leading to a free kick that Turley delivered to the near right-post where Irving headed over the target.
This was quickly followed by Sambu battling for possession so that he could supply Morris who immediately galloped towards the left by-line to cross – cleared but recycled for Turley to send in the direction of Irving but too high enabling Dixon-Hodge to catch.
Cirencester had started the half very positively and just after the hour mark Sambu sent the ball left for Sergio Mills, who had replaced the injured Jordan Morris a couple of minutes earlier, to collect and shimmy near the left front channel of the visitor’s box before shooting towards the right post – saved by Dixon-Hodge.
At the mid-point of the half Mills delivered a well-weighted pass into the path of Sambu and he crossed to the back-post where Shepherd’s effort was blocked for a corner kick.
As FC Romania attempted to work the ball forward it was intercepted by Ellis Dunton, just inside the Cirencester half, and he clipped the ball to the left front corner of the visitor’s box for Irving to collect and charge forward – resulting in a corner kick.
Within minutes Cirencester were back again as Irving cut left from the right corner to supply Mills, left channel front edge of the Penalty Area, who shot wide of the left post.
FC Romania replied with a couple of free kicks that were delivered into the home box by Boxer – the first Sambu collected and cleared and the second Manuchim Oke-William headed over the target.
As the game entered the final ten scheduled minutes the ball was played up to Irving, right of centre – 30 yards out, and he delivered a superbly weighted pass behind the visitors back line for ADULAI SAMBU to collect as he cut in from the right flank, move forward, and with great composure tuck under the advancing Dixon-Hodge. 3-0.
There was still time for Dunton to collect a pass to the left side edge of the visitor’s box and deliver a low cross towards the front edge of the 6-yard box where a back-pedalling defender cleared it over his own crossbar. Turley delivered the resulting corner kick to the far-right post where Nelmes powerful header towards the left post was blocked and the rebound sent wide.
In ‘added-time’ the visitors were awarded a free kick that was delivered to the Penalty Spot by Boxer where a couple of blocks resulted in a corner kick that Rimmel Daniel headed over the target.
Full Time: 3-0
This was a long-awaited first league victory for The Centurions with everyone playing their part in a solid team performance.
Attendance: 118 Referee: Callum Fisher
Cirencester Town:
1. Alex Harris
2. Will Christopher
3. Ellis Dunton
4. Joe Turley
5. Jake Lee ©
6. Josh Nelmes
7. Adulai Sambu
8. Reegan Messenger
9. Levi Irving
10. Joe Shepherd 33, 37
11. Jordan Morris 81
12. Ross Gabriel
14. Kenneth Mills (Jordan Morris-62mins)
15. Nick Peare
16. Nick Hancock (Adulai Sambu-83mins)
17. Aidan Bennett
FC Romania:
1. Tommy Dixon-Hodge
2. Mohammed Dabo
3. Myles John
4. Ekow Owusu-Boakye
15. Rimmel Daniel ©
6. Charne Lemba
7. Samuel Adetiba
8. Panayiotis Boxer
9. Mitchell May
10. Darnell Luke
11. Ernest Murmylo
12. Elliott Kettle (Mitchell May-82mins)
14. ManuchimOke-William (Samuel Adetiba-74mins)
17. Melos Ajvazi (Mohammed Dabo-46mins)