Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Hertfordshire was the destination for The Centurions as they travelled to face league leaders WARE FC looking to build on last week’s first league victory and after a seven-goal thriller that kept those present on the edge of their seats until the final whistle they returned with the three points on offer.
Prior to this match the hosts sat at the top of the table with 21 points from the 9 league games they had played but they were defeated for only the second time last week by AFC Dunstable and would undoubtedly be looking to get back on track.
Cirencester sat in 19th place with 5 points from 8 games and in a ‘top v bottom’ encounter anything can happen.
The Cirencester starting eleven remained unchanged from the last match.
The visitors kicked off proceedings and immediately conceded possession with a pass that reached home custodian Frederick Burbidge enabling the home side to launch an attack down their left flank to the corner where Liam Dulson, the Division’s top goal-scorer, was able to collect a throw-in and cut right along the front edge of the visitor’s box before ‘fizzing’ a shot narrowly wide of the far-right post.
A minute later Dulson collected a 30-yard cross-field pass from Sam Chaney just outside the Cirencester box and as he tried to repeat his previous action he was quickly closed down and his effort blocked – and in the follow-up a free kick was awarded to the visitors.
Following this initial flurry from the hosts Cirencester mounted a couple of counters as first Josh Nelmes launched the ball to the home Penalty Spot where Levi Irving headed towards the right corner but the home defence dealt with this threat. Cirencester then tried the left flank as Ellis Dunton clipped the ball towards the left front corner of the home box and this time Irving headed the ball forward and chased after it to cross from near the by-line – resulting in a corner kick that produced plenty of goalmouth action. Joe Turley delivered the kick to the front edge of the 6-yard box where Irving headed towards the top right corner and Burbidge palmed it away. Joe Shepherd latched onto the loose ball – effort blocked, Reegan Messenger effort blocked, Jake Lee shot blocked and cleared down the home sides right flank.
All this action in the first 5 minutes – game on.
Back came Cirencester as they worked the ball down their right flank a couple of times to be awarded a couple of corner kicks in succession – the second of which Nelmes headed over at the near post.
After Cirencester pressed down both flanks and the home side were awarded a free kick the visitors were soon back again as Lee delivered a free kick to the right corner for Irving to chase and once again this resulted in a corner kick that was returned to the taker, Turley, who delivered it to the near post where Nelmes headed against the right post before Irving fired the rebound over the bar.
Fifteen minutes into the game Ware were awarded a corner kick that Thomas Bruno sent to the visitors Penalty Spot where Dulson miss-hit his shot wide of the left post.
Two minutes later Nelmes sent the ball to the left front corner of the home box where Irving collected and ran at the home defence before sending a low cross towards the far-right post where Adulai Sambu was waiting but he got the ball stuck under his feet before shooting and this enabled the home defence to block on the line and clear.
Three minutes later Irving reached the left by-line and sent another low cross towards the far post, past Sambu to a supporting Messenger but his shot was blocked on the line for a corner kick that was eventually sent back to visiting ‘keeper Alex Harris to punt into the home box – corner kick. This produced some pressure on both flanks before the threat was cleared.
The home side replied with Leigh Rose heading the ball on near the half-way line for Josh Williams to take forward to the right-side edge of the Cirencester box before returning it to Leigh Rose, near the Penalty Spot, but his shot was blocked and cleared.
Ware then worked the ball to the left front corner of the visitor’s box where Lee and Nelmes denied them time and space.
Cirencester were soon back again as a corner kick was headed wide of the right post by Lee and Sambu received the ball from a throw-in to turn and cut right from the left front corner of the home box to shoot at the left post – safely gathered by Burbidge.
In between the above Williams collected a clearance from Louis Rose near the right corner and sent it towards the Penalty Spot where it was cut-out and cleared.
Just after the half-hour mark the deadlock was broken as Dunton brought the ball forward he cut right looking to send the ball towards the right flank instead of down the left and was quickly closed down by two home players who robbed him of the ball enabling SAM CHANEY to advance unhindered towards the visitor’s goal and as he reached the edge of the Penalty Area he tucked his shot inside the left post. 1-0.
Despite the setback Cirencester pressed again but were denied, whilst their hosts were lifted as Jermaine Howe ‘chipped’ the ball to the right corner for Williams to send another low cross through the Penalty Area without contact.
They then mounted their best move so far as Howe, left channel - half-way, laid the ball back to Bruno who played it forward to Dulson, left touchline – 30 yards out, inside to Howe who had charged forward to the edge of the Cirencester box to shoot over the bar.
As the half was drawing to a close Irving fired over the bar from the right channel of the home box - as did Dulson for Ware from their left channel - and a long ball from Lee clipped the top of a defender’s head enabling Messenger to collect and shoot – diverted for a throw-in to the home side but recovered and worked across to the Cirencester left flank where Jordan Morris’s cross resulted in a corner kick that Burbidge caught.
Half Time: 1-0
The first half had been intense with plenty of action in the home Penalty Area but the question was had Cirencester missed their chance – conceding the late goal.
Immediately from the re-start the home side doubled their lead when they worked the ball down their left flank before sending a low cross into the Cirencester Penalty Area that was deflected to the far-right post where JOSH WILLIAMS had the simple task of tapping over the line from about a yard. 2-0.
Not the start Cirencester wanted but a familiar one in recent games.
With nothing to lose Cirencester pressed forward as Lee sent a cross-field pass to Dunton who clipped it to Sambu near the edge of the home box where it was cleared and then recycled for Shepherd to flick on to ADULAI SAMBU, right channel – 10 yards out, and he fired the ball into the ground so that it bounced over the recovering Burbidge. 2-1.
Encouraged Cirencester worked the ball down their left flank as Dunton combined with Morris and Irving to reach the left corner. A free kick followed soon after as Turley and Dunton exchanged passes before the former supplied Sambu who darted to the right by-line to send a low cross towards the far-left post where Messenger arrived and fired wide of the left post.
This was followed by Turley, Shepherd and Sambu exchanging several passes as they worked their way to the right-side edge of the home box where Sambu crossed for Messenger to head but cleared.
With 63 minutes on the clock Dunton slipped the ball through to Irving, left channel – 20 yards out, and he sent a low cross towards Sambu but Christopher Arthur managed to intercept and clear from just outside the 6-yard box.
A minute later Irving supplied Shepherd who laid the ball back to a surprised Messenger who fired over the bar from 10 yards.
Cirencester were really giving it a go at this stage and shortly after the mid-point of the half they were rewarded as Turley sent a cross-field pass to the right corner where Will Christopher collected to deliver a high cross to the back post that was initially cleared but recycled for Morris to send a low cross from the left side edge of the home box to the edge of the 6-yard box. Burbidge parried the cross but it fell to ADULAI SAMBU who calmly ‘passed’ it inside the right post. 2-2.
Two minutes later Cirencester took the lead for the first time as another Christopher delivery to the left channel of the home box was headed back by Lee to REEGAN MESSENGER on the edge of the box and he volleyed it into the roof of the net. 2-3.
The reply from Ware was immediate as a long cross from their right touchline drew Harris from his goal for JERMAINE HOWE to head into the empty net with Harris alongside him. 3-3.
During the next few minutes Daniel Rumens fired over the bar and Dulson received near the left touchline to cut inside and shoot towards the bottom left post where Harris pushed it wide to concede a corner kick that was headed over the target at the back post.
As the game entered the final scheduled 15 minutes Irving headed on to Morris who delivered a low cross from the left corner that was defended and led to a counter attack from Ware down their left flank. This was repelled by Lee who switched play back to the Cirencester left flank with the ball being fed to Irving to send a low cross from the left corner to the front edge of the home 6-yard box and once again ADULAI SAMBU was composed as he tucked the ball inside the right post to regain the lead and complete his hat-trick. 3-4.
Now the pressure was on as Cirencester had to defend their lead and Ware had to score and this brought the sight of Howe charging along the right by-line before crossing – to be defended and cleared by Shepherd.
Soon after Williams crossed from the right flank but Harris made the catch.
Cirencester were still taking the game to their hosts as Messenger sent a ‘little tickla’ down the right flank to the corner for Sambu to send a low cross towards Irving that was cut-out before he could reach it.
In ‘added-time’ the tension rose as the home side reached the left corner to win a throw-in but Cirencester dealt with it and secured the points.
Full Time: 3-4
Another tremendous team performance against the league leaders to secure ‘back-to-back’ wins with everyone playing their part.
The Centurions showed strong character and spirit, as befits their nickname, to come back from 2-0 down after missing so many chances before Ware scored.
Attendance: 166 Referee: Fadi Mansour
Ware FC:
1. Frederick Burbidge
2. Marcus Milner
3. Joel Jacobs
4. Leigh Rose
5. Louis Rose ©
6. Daniel Rumens
7. Joshua Williams 46
8. Thomas Bruno
9. Jermaine Howe 73
10. Sam Chaney 32
11. Liam Dulson
12. Freddy Moncur
14. Rechan Esprit (Sam Chaney-68mins)
15. Jack Vasey (Joshua Williams-86mins
16. Richard Bryan
19. Christopher Arthur (Joel Jacobs-61mins)
Cirencester Town:
1. Alex Harris
2. Will Christopher
3. Ellis Dunton
4. Joe Turley
5. Jake Lee ©
6. Josh Nelmes
7. Adulai Sambu 50, 70, 80
8. Reegan Messenger 72
9. Levi Irving
10. Joe Shepherd
11. Jordan Morris
12. Ross Gabriel
14. Sergio Mills
15. Nick Peare
16. Nick Hancock (Adulai Sambu-88mins)
17. Aidan Bennett