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
As last year THAME UNITED were the first to visit The Corinium Stadium for a Southern League Division 1 Central match - but this year the result was different as after a hard fought, entertaining contest it was the home side that finished victors after scoring three goals in the first half.
The starting eleven for Cirencester had a more familiar look about it as Josh Nelmes returned to the centre of the defence, following his absence due to his brother’s wedding, alongside Ellis Dunton and Charles Johnson moved to left back (Dan Hill taking a seat on the bench to accommodate this). Otherwise the team was unchanged from that which secured a point in the opening fixture of the season. Jake Lee is still unavailable due to the injury he sustained in the Pre-Season Friendly match against Sholing.
The home side kick-off proceedings, playing towards The Shed end of the ground, and opened with a neat move involving several players down their right flank but as the cross came into the Thame box a free kick was awarded to the visitors ending progress.
The visitors immediately responded as they mounted a quick break down the right channel with the resulting shot diverted for a corner kick from their left flank. The initial kick was defended but recycled back into the home box where their eager striker was caught offside.
As the visitors worked the ball forward they lost possession enabling Luca Robinson to embark on a strong run to the right corner (the first of many) but upon reaching the by-line he delayed his cross with Jonny Dennis waiting at the back post resulting in a goal-kick.
A couple of minutes later Cirencester were awarded a free kick just inside their half and when it was delivered to the far-left post the attempted clearance was collected by Cirencester and fed back across the pitch where it was intercepted and supplied to Benjamin Kakembo who charged to the edge of the home box for a 1v1 with an advancing Stuart Nelson before shooting wide of the left post.
Another Cirencester free kick was punched clear by ‘keeper Fred Chapman, under pressure from Josh Nelmes, and quickly fed to Eitel Moumi Goueth who crossed from the right flank to reach Harry Williams, centre front edge of the home box, but he mis-hit his shot wide of the left post.
Almost immediately Joe Turley won the ball, 10 yards inside the Thame half – left channel, and slipped it right to Harry Burns who supplied it to Robinson, right side edge of the Thame box, and his cross looped off a defender to land inside the 6-yard box where JONNY DENNIS was on hand to bundle it over the line from a few yards. 1-0.
Thame responded as they collected a clearance and worked the ball to the left corner for Oscar Lucey to cross – blocked by Nelmes for a corner kick that reached Harry Williams at the back post to be fed right to Alfie Anderson but his possession was short lived as Ellis Dunton won the challenge to clear downfield.
When it reached Burns he played a clever ‘chip’ from just outside the Thame box to Robinson, as he cut in from his flank, and he headed it on to Reegan Messenger who swivelled to shoot from right of the Penalty Spot for Chapman to collect.
It wasn’t long before Cirencester were back again as Dennis received the ball on half-way, left flank and slid the ball down the line for an overlapping Charles Johnson to collect and carry to the corner and as he neared the by-line he fired his cross towards the front edge of the Thame 6-yard box where AIDAN BENNETT was arriving to guide it inside the far-right post. 2-0.
Thame’s response was immediate as Moumi Goueth, centre circle, passed to Anderson who slipped it to the right-side edge of the home box for Moumi Goueth to collect and shoot – blocked but recycled to Williams who struck a low shot towards the bottom left post where Nelson diverted it for a corner kick that eventually reached Pierce McNamara and his effort curled wide of the left post.
Shortly after the mid-point of the half Will Christopher sent the ball down his flank to Robinson who charged to the by-line to cross to the back post where Bennett’s powerful header was blocked on the line and cleared. Joe Turley then won the ball and played it up to Bennett, back to goal, who slipped it wider for Burns to shoot over the bar from 25 yards.
Despite Cirencester enjoying a dynamic spell Thame were still dangerous and following a corner kick Finlay Murray headed wide of the right post.
As the interval approached Turley supplied Burns in the right corner and an attempted block of his low cross was diverted into the net for an OWN GOAL. 3-0.
During the final few minutes of the half Thame pressed and Kakembo slipped the ball left to Wikto Makowski, near the Penalty Spot, but his shot was saved by Nelson.
Half Time: 3-0
Whilst Cirencester had been the more clinical in front of goal the visitors had shown that they were very capable, with good individual skills and lots of pass-and-move football, so the game was far from over and as expected they started the second period very positively as the ball was played inside to Makowski to shoot – deflected into the air for Nelson to catch.
Two minutes into the half Makowski displayed his skill to release Lucey down the left flank who also displayed neat skill to reach the by-line before sending a low cross that was diverted to the far-post where Anderson struck the side netting.
Another multi-player move followed as Thame were awarded a corner kick from the right – Dunton headed it clear to be recycled and defended again.
Thame were dominating possession, as Cirencester appeared to have relinquished the initiative, but after numerous passes when they attempted to go forward they were finding the home defence in determined mood and as a result Makowski had a couple of pots at goal from range without testing Nelson.
Around the hour mark Nelson clipped the ball up to Bennett and he laid it back to Burns to cross towards the left post where Oluwapelumi Maxwell headed clear as Charlie McCrae closed.
Shortly afterwards Nelson sent the ball up to Burns who headed on to Robinson before taking the return pass and crossing towards the Penalty Spot where Chapman caught as Bennett closed.
At the mid-point of the half Robinson struck a low shot from a narrow angle towards the near post that Chapman blocked to be cleared before Bennett could reach the loose ball.
Luca Robinson embarked on another run to the right by-line after being released by Bennett but his cross was defended and cleared leading to a counter attack as Kakembo was played through for a 1v1 with Nelson. The ‘keeper parried his effort and it was cleared by a team-mate.
In this end-to-end match the ball was soon at the other end as Cirencester were awarded a corner kick from their left flank – Turley delivered it to the far post where Nelmes headed and Bennett bundled over the line but play was called back for a free kick to Thame.
During the next few minutes Robinson sent a curling cross through the front edge of the Thame 6-yard box without contact and Dan Grieve headed a Burns cross over the bar from a similar position.
Entering the last few scheduled minutes Thame were still trying to open their account but the Cirencester defence refused to be breached.
Full Time: 3-0
A terrific match with lots to enjoy as both sides went ‘toe-to-toe’ – full of commitment, passing football, goalmouth incident and a superb second goal.
Thame certainly had a go and on another night who knows but as they nicked it last year with their 2-1 victory honours are even.
Attendance: 158 Referee: Daniel Lamport
Cirencester Town:
Own Goal 37
1. Stuart Nelson
2. Will Christopher
3. Charles Johnson
4. Joe Turley
5. Josh Nelmes
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Luca Robinson
8. Reegan Messenger
9. Aidan Bennett 20
10. Harry Burns
11. Jonny Dennis 10
12. Daniel Grieve (Luca Robinson-77mins)
14. Daniel Hill
15. Nick Peare (Harry Burns-88mins)
16. Charlie McCrae (Jonny Dennis-46mins)
17. Ronnie Newberry (GK)
Thame United:
1. Fred Chapman
2. Eric Mafuta
3. Oscar Lucey
4. Finlay Murray
5. Pierce McNamara
6. Harry Williams
7. Oliver Hogg ©
8. Wikto Makowski
9. Benjamin Kakembo
10. Eitel Moumi Goueth
11. Alfie Anderson
12. Harry Alexander (Alfie Anderson-65mins)
13. Henry Woodcock (GK)
14. Ezra Anthonio-Forde
15. Theo Ransby (Benjamin Kakembo-76mins)
16. Oluwapelumi Maxwell (Oliver Hogg-36mins)