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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The Centurions made the comparatively short journey to face former Southern League – South Division adversaries FROME TOWN in this Isuzu FA Trophy - First Round Qualifying tie and conceded a goal after 3-minutes before eventually bowing out of the Competition 3-1.
As a result of their defeat to Flackwell Heath in the Preliminary Round of The Emirates FA Cup a couple of weeks ago The Centurions had no game last week and this provided the time for a few of the injured players - Jake Lee, Charlie Johnson and Jonny Dennis - to recover for this fixture. Nick Peare and Reegan Messenger however are still on the injured list and today’s match enables Josh Nelmes to serve the last of his three-match suspension.
Cirencester kicked-off proceedings on a blisteringly hot day and after a period of possession and a couple of blocked crosses they suddenly found themselves a goal down as Frome won the ball in the centre circle and promptly fed it down the centre channel for BEN GRIFFITHS to collect, turn and charge forward unopposed to the Penalty Area where he confidently tucked it past the advancing ‘keeper Stuart Nelson. 1-0.
The visitors mounted a couple of attacks that resulted in crosses from their right flank that didn’t cause too much of a problem for the home defence and Frome countered as Ross Staley supplied James Ollis on the left flank and he crossed towards the far-right post where Jon Davies arrived to shoot – blocked by Nelson, rebounding back to Davies who headed over.
A few minutes later Staley and Ollis combined again – this time to release Griffiths into the left channel of the Penalty Area where Ellis Dunton came across to block – conceding a corner kick in the process that was defended.
Leading up to the mid-point of the half Aidan Bennett laid the ball off to Jonny Dennis who had his shot blocked and a Charlie Johnson cross from the left flank was deflected by a home defender forcing ‘keeper Kyle Phillips to push it around his right post for a corner kick that failed to trouble the home defence.
Another Johnson cross that was too long signalled the necessary and welcome DRINKS BREAK.
A few minutes after the break Dan Hill went into a strong challenge and hurt his knee and as a result almost immediately had to be replaced with Willem Pooley entering the contest.
Within minutes of the re-start Davies latched onto a loose ball and clipped the bottom of the left post with his shot.
Cirencester replied as Dunton volleyed the ball to the right channel of the home box where Dan Grieve collected and fired wide of the right post.
During the next ten minutes Cirencester pressed and kept Phillips busy as their passes/crosses proved too strong for the intended recipient although he did have to punch one off the top of Dennis’s head.
Into the final five scheduled minutes and Harry Burns slid a terrific pass down the centre, between the home centre backs, for Grieve to chase with Phillips advancing off his line to block.
In the final few minutes Jake Lee battled with Davies to keep possession before sending it down the right touchline and Griffiths fired wide of the left post.
Half Time: 1-0
The opening few minutes saw both defences heading balls out of their respective boxes but six minutes into the half Frome recycled one and delivered it from their left flank towards the far post where MATT WOOD bundled it over the line. Cirencester appealed for an ‘offside’ decision but without VAR it was awarded. 2-0.
Within minutes Joe Turley slid a pass down the centre but Phillips was quickly out to gather as Burns looked to collect and this was soon followed by a Will Chrisopher cross that Phillips punched out for a corner kick that ended on the left flank with Dunton taking a quick throw to Turley who turned and fed Dennis, right channel, and he cut back left to unleash a firm left footed strike that crashed against the cross-bar and rebounded onto the back of the diving Phillips – rebounding along the home goal-line until an alert CHARLIE McCRAE reacted quickest to poke it into the net. 2-1.
During the next ten minutes Burns fired over the bar, Christopher delivered a cross that was too long and Davies fired into the side-netting as he cut in from the home sides left flank.
DRINKS BREAK.
Almost immediately from the re-start Ollis laid the ball back to Davies who cut right to the left channel front edge of the Cirencester box before shooting - deflected for a corner kick that ended with Nelson.
Cirencester responded as Grieve had his shot blocked for a right-wing corner kick that resulted in another one from the left flank. Luca Robinson delivered the kick to the back post where Dunton headed back across goal for Grieve to lay it back to Robinson but his cross-shot was wide of the far-right post.
A minute later as Cirencester searched for an equaliser Robinson delivered a free kick from the left flank to the far post where Dunton headed back to the Penalty Spot for McCrae to challenge and turn but the ball got stuck under his feet and the threat cleared.
Cirencester pressed again and were awarded another corner kick from the left flank that Robinson delivered to the back post where once again Dunton rose to head but this time firmly and narrowly over the crossbar.
The visitors were really pressing at this stage and a few minutes later Robinson was released for a run that took him into the home box, right channel, where he fired narrowly wide of the far-left post.
As the game entered the final scheduled five minutes Thomas Duffin darted to the left corner before delivering a low cross to Davies, right channel of the Cirencester box, and he struck a fierce right-footed shot that looked destined for the back of the net until Nelson produced a terrific diving save to push it out - Duffin blazing the loose ball over the target.
Back came Cirencester as Burns volleyed a Johnson cross over the home bar and Dunton sent a searching pass towards the right channel of the home box but just too long for Robinson to collect.
On the stroke of 90-minutes Frome countered as Ollis took the ball to the left corner before slipping it inside to a supporting JAMES OLLIS as he burst into the Penalty Area to fire inside the far-right post and seal victory for his team.
Full Time: 3-1
A terrific game of cup football as both sides attacked at every opportunity with barely a bad tackle throughout in a competitive match.
The experienced back-line of the home side were able to contain the visitors threat whilst their forwards kept the Cirencester defence busy on the counter.
Plenty of effort throughout in exceptional heat must be recognised.
GOOD LUCK to FROME TOWN in the next round.
Attendance: 234 Referee: Anthony Smith
Frome Town:
1. Kyle Phillips
3. Ross Staley
4. Sam Teale ©
5. Pierce Mitchell
6. Matt Wood 51
7. Jon Davies
9. Ben Griffith 3
10. Zak Drew
12. Joe Budd
16. Will Taylor
18. James Ollis 90
8. George Rigg (Ross Staley-65mins)
11. Reece Rusher (Ben Griffith-65mins)
13. Danny Greaves
15. Tyson Pollard
19. Sam Meakes
20. Thomas Duffin (Zak Drew-82mins)
Cirencester Town:
1. Stuart Nelson
2. Will Christopher
3. Charlie Johnson
4. Joe Turley
5. Jake Lee ©
6. Ellis Dunton
7. Harry Burns
8. Dan Hill
9. Dan Grieve
10. Aidan Bennett
11. Jonny Dennis
12. Charlie McCrae (Aidan Bennett-53mins) 57
14. Luca Robinson (Jonny Dennis-67mins) 57
15. Willem Pooley (Dan Hill-28mins)
16. Josh Seller
17. Olliver Stevenson
18. Ronnie Newberry (GK)