Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Match photos supplied by Graham Hill
Match report by Dave Pyzer
Cirencester took their squad to The Flying Monk Ground, the home of near neighbours Malmesbury Victoria, for their latest Pre-Season Friendly match and following an entertaining match came away with a 4-0 victory.
The Cirencester squad included a face from the past for their supporters to welcome back as goal-keeper Stuart Nelson signed forms earlier in the day to return to the Club following a 20-year career in the Football League.
The visitors kicked-off proceedings in damp conditions, due to intermittent rain that persisted throughout the game, and immediately Josh Nelmes launched the ball to the right corner where Zac Berry headed out of play and after this initial thrust ‘keeper Stuart Nelson collected a through ball from the home side and instigated another attack down the Cirencester right flank as he quickly threw the ball to Will Christopher who charged forward before moving the ball on to Jonny Dennis who delivered a dangerous cross that home ‘keeper Josh Langley parried. As he did so he was challenged and the Referee awarded a free kick.
Malmesbury replied as they countered to their left corner to win a throw-in that reached Danny Gudger who cut right towards the centre front edge of the box before shooting. His effort was narrowly wide of the left post but Nelson had it covered.
A lively start to the match.
Cirencester continued to press down both flanks and 13 minutes into the match Christopher switched the point of attack as he sent a 50-yard cross-field pass from his flank to Charlie McCrae who turned and ran down the left flank to the corner of the home box where his shot was blocked - rebounding to a supporting Joe Turley who immediately fired at the target – Langley making the catch.
The home side replied as the ball was worked down their left flank to Gudger who sent it out to the right corner for Matty Jones to cross – cut out and a counter attack launched.
A couple of minutes later Cirencester opened the scoring as another long ball from Nelmes was headed out of play by Berry for Christopher to throw to Dennis, take the return and send a superb, deep cross to the far post where HARRY BURNS was arriving to place his firm header inside the far-right post. 0-1.
Malmesbury countered with a long ball down their left channel for Kyle Will to chase but Nelson was alert to the threat and quickly out to the edge of his box to clear.
At the mid-point of the half Burns intercepted a Malmesbury pass and a quick exchange provided room for Dan Grieve to shoot from 25 yards, left of centre, but it was deflected wide of the right post for a corner kick that resulted in a free kick to Malmesbury.
Shortly afterwards Gudger combined with Harvey Scholes to release Jones to the right corner but his cross was cut-out by Nelmes to be recycled to Gudger who had his shot collected by Nelson.
Leading up to the half-hour mark Burns played a clever ball inside the right back for McCrae to collect and cross, Dennis played a delicate ‘chip’ pass to Burns before collecting the return and shooting narrowly wide of the left post and Grieve fired over the bar.
At the 30-minute mark Cirencester produced some intricate one-touch football as they worked their way down the right flank with Christopher and Dennis in the thick of it.
This was soon followed by a Burns shot that led to a corner kick followed by another corner and a goal-line clearance of a Grieve volley.
Five minutes before the scheduled interval Malmesbury worked the ball to the right corner and the resulting cross produced a corner kick and a header from Kyle Pitts that found the back of the net but a flag was raised for an offence and the ‘goal’ disallowed.
Encouraged the home side pressed again as Pitts chested the ball to Berry who moved it on to Scholes, right to Andy Baker and on to Matty Fusco – cross blocked.
Within minutes Scholes sent a long pass from the right-side edge of the centre circle towards the left corner for Berry to chase, collect and cross – cut-out by Josh Seller with the resulting throw-in worked across the front edge of the visitor’s box for Biag Mazzota to shoot – blocked.
The final action of the half involved Gudger and Lewis Toop and produced a corner kick that was powerfully headed clear by Nelmes for Dennis to embark on a run down the left channel but an ‘offside’ flag was raised.
Half Time: 0-1
Cirencester made five substitutions during the interval and Malmesbury just the one but when play resumed it followed a similar pattern to the first period – Cirencester pressing and Malmesbury countering.
From the re-start Malmesbury worked the ball down their left flank to the corner where a throw-in was fed to Mazzota, on to Toop and he produced a ‘flick’ towards George Evatt but Nelson was quickly out to gather at his feet.
As Malmesbury mounted another attack Ellis Dunton won the ball and fed Aidan Bennett who turned and shot from 30-yards towards the left post where Langley made the save.
A couple of minutes later the same combination supplied Nick Peare, left channel - 25 yards out, and he produced some clever footwork to evade incoming challenges before shooting – caught by Langley.
Leading up to the hour mark Reegan Messenger played the ball up to Dennis for a run down the right flank and his cross passed through the home box to reach McCrae but he was quickly closed down and the danger averted.
Malmesbury responded as Mazzota reached the right corner before slipping the ball to a supporting Joe Ward who reached the by-line but was delayed by Dunton for Nelson to collect the ball.
At the hour-mark Messenger rode two challenges to clip the ball to Peare who controlled it on his thigh before shooting over with his right foot.
Almost immediately Aaron Stevens supplied Gudger who made ground down the right flank before laying the ball inside to the right channel front edge of the visitor’s box where Evatt’s instant shot passed over the bar.
Cirencester responded as the ball was fed to McCrae who made ground to reach the left by-line before sending a low cross into the 6-yard box where LUCA ROBINSON arrived to force it home from close range. 0-2.
A few minutes later Robinson burst into the home box and was tripped and a Penalty Kick awarded. JAKE LEE stepped forward and promptly drove the ball inside the right post. 0-3.
Another period of pressure followed as Turley, Bennett and Messenger combined to be awarded a corner kick that Peare headed over at the near post and this was soon followed by a mazy run inside the Malmesbury box from Turley that resulted in a corner kick – caught by Langley above Peare.
Within minutes Langley was involved again as he brought down AIDAN BENNETT on the edge of his box but the striker regained his feet to plant the ball into the empty net. 0-4.
Undeterred Malmesbury responded as Ward reached the right by-line to deliver a low cross towards the near post where Will attempted to force the ball into the net but ‘keeper Ronnie Newberry blocked and dropped on the ball.
In the final minutes Ward was involved again as he supported Gudger, who had darted to the right corner and squared the ball, but the full-back fired his instant shot over the bar from the edge of the box.
Full Time: 0-4.
Another match full of endeavour as the players try to improve their fitness in the lead-up to the new season.
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
Stuart Nelson (Ronnie Newberry 61), Will Christopher, Charlie Johnson, Joe Turley, Josh Nelmes © (Jake Lee 46), Josh Seller (Ellis Dunton 46), Jonny Dennis (Luca Robinson 61), Harry Burns (Nick Peare 46), Dan Grieve (Aidan Bennett 46), Willem Pooley (Reegan Messenger 46), Charlie McCrae.
MALMESBURY VICTORIA:
Josh Langley, Matty Fusco (Joe Ward 55), Zac Berry, Biag Mazzota, Kyle Pitts, Andy Baker, Matty Jones (George Evatt 46), Harvey Scholes, Danny Gudger, Lewis Toop (Aaron Stevens 55), Kyle Will.