Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
55.png){kind=logo}
32.jpg)
For their third game in 5-days Cirencester travelled for 3 hours as they made the 100+ mile journey across the country for a re-arranged, mid-week fixture against FC Romania and after a difficult match in dreadful weather conditions they returned with the 3-points.
The return journey took 3½ hours due to road closures on the M25 and they eventually reached Cirencester at 2.00am before making their own personal journeys home.
A review of current form and league positions prior to this match revealed that FC Romania were in 17th place in the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ table with 4 points and Cirencester 15th with the same number of points but a better goal difference. The home side securing their points in their last two games whilst Cirencester took four games to secure theirs. The league table reveals that FC Romania sat in 19th place and Cirencester 10th. The reverse fixture in October resulted in a 3-0 victory for Cirencester.
There were two changes to the starting eleven from the previous two matches as Andy Lewis and Nick Hancock replaced Reegan Messenger and Levi Irving who took seats on the bench.
Cirencester kicked off on a surprisingly firm pitch – taking into account the rain of the last few days – in pouring rain to work the ball down their left flank before moving inside at which point the ball was lost for a counter attack down the home sides right flank.
As the visitors mounted another attack a free kick was awarded from their right corner and this was cleared for the speedy Matthew Campbell-Mhlope to charge down their right flank but his cross was safely headed back to the grateful arms of Cirencester custodian Alex Harris.
A couple of minutes later Ellis Dunton played the ball down the left channel for Adulai Sambu to collect just outside the home box, turn, advance and slip it past the approaching home ‘keeper Charles Taylor’s left side towards the right post. The ‘keeper managed to get a touch on the ball that proved enough to divert it onto the outside of the post for a corner kick.
Almost immediately, following a home side attack Harris launched the ball down the pitch for Sambu to collect, left channel – 40 yards from goal, and he carried it forward before slipping it right to a supporting Joe Shepherd who played it out to the right corner where Will Christopher was making ground and he clipped a superb cross to the Penalty Spot for ADULAI SAMBU to collect and slip past the advancing Taylor – but this time inside the right post to open the scoring. 0-1.
The home side responded to the setback as Enoch Ekongo made a strong run down the right flank before crossing to the far-post where Zenon Stylianides collected and was quickly surrounded, 10-yards from goal, enabling the visitors to clear.
FC Romania were soon back again as they worked the ball down their left flank as Stylianides released Ebenezer Addo Kufuor for a run before switching to their right as Campbell-Mhlope and Ernold Haxhiu combined but both attacks were dealt with by the visitor’s defence.
At the mid-point of the half Romania produced another concerted effort with several players involved as they made progress before Stefan Balev’s shot was diverted for a corner kick.
Shortly afterwards Josh Nelmes intercepted a pass near the centre circle and immediately played it to Sambu on the left flank and his progress resulted in a corner kick that was cleared twice before the home side managed to counter successfully as Campbell-Mhlope reached the right channel front edge of the Cirencester box where he cut left and fired at the target. Alex Harris tipped the effort over his cross-bar – the resulting corner kick was cleared.
A few minutes later a similar action took place at the other end of the pitch as Sambu collected the ball in the centre circle, carried it forward and released Shepherd who struck a firm shot from the edge of the home box that Taylor tipped over his bar. Joe Turley delivered the resulting corner kick into the ‘mix’ near the Penalty Spot where Nelmes headed goalwards but it was cleared off the goal-line to Sambu and his follow-up shot from outside the box was caught by Taylor.
During the next few minutes Jake Lee headed a free kick to Andy Lewis and his volley was blocked, followed by Shepherd shooting over.
The home side mounted an attack down their right flank as Campbell-Mhlope, Ekongo and Haxhiu combined and this resulted in a free kick that Haxhiu fired over the bar.
A few minutes before the scheduled interval Nelmes won the ball on the left flank and withstood a couple of strong tackles as he worked his way along the touchline before passing it down the line for Shepherd to deliver to the Penalty Spot where NICK HANCOCK fired into the top right corner. 0-2.
A couple of further Cirencester attacks before the interval were ended by free-kicks to the home side.
Half Time: 0-2
FC Romania opened the second half very positively as they attacked down their left flank and when the ball was lost it was quickly recycled to Stylianides who was fouled, 30 yards from goal - left channel. He took the free kick himself and sent it towards the Penalty Spot where Germaine Dua headed goalwards for Harris to push away. It was returned to Dua who was now just outside the 6-yard box and this time Harris caught his header on the line.
The Cirencester response was immediate as Aidan Bennett held off a couple of challenges on half-way to release Sambu for a run to the edge of the home box but his shot was wide of the right post.
Ten minutes into the half Sambu battled to retain the ball near the left post before laying it back to Dunton, right to Turley, centre front edge of the home box, who had his shot at goal deflected for a corner kick that was headed clear.
A couple of minutes later Sambu embarked on another run down the left touchline before slipping the ball right to Bennett who cut left to strike a low shot towards the left post where Taylor made the save.
On the hour Romania produced an intricate move involving several players down their left flank that resulted in a shot from Haxhiu being caught by Harris.
Ten minutes later the home side worked the ball inside from their right flank to Balev who was fouled in a central position just outside the visitor’s box – Haxhiu drove the kick into the wall and Stylianides follow-up was blocked and cleared for a counter attack that ended with an ‘offside’ flag.
A few minutes later ERNOLD HAXHIU received the ball in the centre, 35 yards from goal, and struck a fierce swerving shot at the target that Harris parried but couldn’t prevent from entering his net. 1-2.
This encouraged the home side and they immediately pressed forward to be awarded a free kick just outside the Cirencester box, right channel, that was headed clear for Sambu to collect on halfway and drive down the centre before supplying Levi Irving who cut left to shoot narrowly wide of the right post.
Within minutes Irving was released again into the left channel of the home box where his shot was parried by Taylor to Sergio Mills, left of the Penalty Spot, and his shot was also saved by Taylor.
Back came Cirencester as Christopher sent the ball to the right corner for Mills to chase, collect and cut along the right by-line – resulting in a corner kick, a counter attack and a Cirencester goal kick.
As the final whistle loomed Irving charged into the Penalty Area, left channel, and 10 yards from goal slipped the ball right to Mills, left of the Penalty Spot, who slipped it back left to Sambu and his shot was blocked.
Cirencester were then awarded a free kick on half-way as Lee was clattered whilst in mid-air and this was sent to Sambu, back to Nick Peare, right to Mills who crossed from the right channel for Taylor to catch at his right post.
In added-time Romania countered down the centre and were awarded a free kick, 30 yards from goal, that Sergiu Maximov drove over the bar.
Full Time: 1-2
A difficult game on a firm pitch, in heavy rain at times, that made the ball skid against quick, lively opponents who threatened more than they delivered whilst causing Cirencester some problems.
A determined performance from Cirencester who stuck to the task and could have added to their score in the final few minutes.
NB – The players should be complimented for their commitment as after doing their normal jobs they travelled for 3 hours to play football before having to endure a 3½ hour long return journey (due to road closures), with some sleeping on the floor in the aisle of the coach, to arrive back at Cirencester at 2.00 am and then having to travel home, catch a bit of sleep and return to their normal jobs later in the morning. The life of a non-league footballer at this level typified in one match.
Attendance: ?? Referee: ???
FC Romania:
1. Charles Taylor
2. Enoch Ekongo
3. Ebenezer Addo Kufuor
4. Luc Achermann-Stanfield
5. Germaine Dua
6. Johan Becka
7. Matthew Campbell-Mhlope
8. Ernold Haxhiu © 73
9. Stefan Balev
10. Zenon Stylianides
18. Dan Gustiuc
14. Elliott Kettle
15. Lorenzo Saponara
16. Miles Baiden (Luc Achermann-Stanfield-55mins)
17. Sergiu Maximov (Kendall Gyamfi-58mins)
20. Kendall Gyamfi (Matthew Campbell-Mhlope-46mins)
Cirencester Town:
1. Alex Harris
2. Will Christopher
3. Ellis Dunton
4. Joe Turley
5. Jake Lee ©
6. Josh Nelmes
7. Adulai Sambu 11
8. Andrew Lewis
9. Aidan Bennett
10. Joe Shepherd
11. Nick Hancock 43
12. Kenneth Mills (Joe Shepherd-61mins)
14. Nick Peare (Joe Turley-61mins)
15. Levi Irving (Aidan Bennett-61mins)
16. Reegan Messenger
17. James Mortimer-Jones