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
The opening league match of 2024 brought Kings Langley to The Talent Hire Stadium and after a well-contested match, between two sides in the top six of the Division, that was full of incident, numerous Yellow Cards and a Penalty Goal it ended all-square at the final whistle.
In terms of league positions and current form prior to the match – Kings Langley sat in 6th place in the league table with 29 points from 18 games played whilst Cirencester were in 4th place with 31 points from 19 games played.
Examination of the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ table reveals that both Kings Langley and Cirencester have obtained 12 points from their last 6 games with Kings Langley sitting in 5th place and Cirencester 4th place in the relevant table – both teams with a positive 6-goal difference from these matches.
The sides met in the opening fixture of the season at The Orbital Fasteners Stadium with a 1-1 scoreline the result.
Starting Eleven – Manager, John Brough, made one change to the starting eleven that secured a deserved 3-0 victory against high-flying North Leigh on Boxing Day as Nick Peare returned alongside Captain Jake Lee in the centre of the defence.
The bench included Charlie McCrae and ‘keeper Ronnie Newberry alongside Reegan Messenger, Ben Whitehead and Jonny Dennis.
The visitors kicked off proceedings by launching the ball to their right corner where Aidan Bennett returned it down the left channel for George Peare to slip to Felix Miles but as he cut inside the ball was lost, soon to be followed by a free kick to the hosts that was safely caught by visiting custodian Ronnie Sandford.
Three minutes into the game the Referee, Jake Woolley, awarded another free kick to Cirencester and after some reaction from the visitor’s dugout he awarded another to someone in the dugout. The free kick was delivered to the left channel of The Kings box where it was headed clear.
The game had started at quite a pace and was being well contested in the middle of the park and it took some neat footwork from Joe Turley to evade a couple of incoming challenges before he could supply Harry Burns who advanced down the centre to send a low shot towards the left post where Sandford safely gathered.
The keeper then launched the ball down their right channel, over the advanced home defence and as Nick Peare quickly retreated, he slid the ball clear of his incoming opponent who fell over his outstretched leg. Much to everyone’s surprise the Referee awarded a free kick and a Yellow Card to the defender. The Referee was clearly making a statement as that was three Yellow Cards in the opening six minutes.
As the visitors mounted an attack down their right flank it was intercepted by Bennett and immediately launched to the left corner for the willing Willem Pooley to collect and slip inside to George Peare who laid it off to Burns as he burst into the left channel of the visitors box to shoot – deflected for a corner kick that was defended at the back post to be recycled back to the left corner for Miles to cut along the by-line but the move ended as a free kick was awarded to the visitors.
Shortly after Temiola Akinbusoye was supplied in the right corner to send a low cross into the home box where Jake Lee intercepted and cleared and when the visitor’s returned Nick Peare was on hand to collect and send a 40-yard pass across the pitch to the right corner for Will Christopher to collect and cross towards the back post – William Bishop improvised to clear the threat as he made the required clearance with his knee. The ball was recycled to the Cirencester left flank as Miles, George Peare and Burns combined for the latter to shoot – blocked and cleared to Christopher who struck a fierce shot from 25 yards at the target – deflected for a corner kick that Lee headed over at the back post.
It had been a very positive start to the match from Cirencester but at the mid-point of the half it all changed when Akinbusoye cut inside the home box from the right corner he was tripped – resulting in a Penalty Kick being awarded. TEMIOLA AKINBUSOYE stepped up and drove his spot kick down the centre of the goal, as custodian Stuart Nelson dived to his right, to open the scoring. 0-1.
Encouraged by their breakthrough the visitors soon pressed again as they worked the ball down their left flank to be awarded a corner kick – defended and cleared but they were soon back this time on the right flank as Louie Collier’s cross was blocked for another corner kick.
On the half-hour Cirencester attacked down their left flank and ‘keeper Sandford rounded the incoming opponent to slip the ball to Bishop before falling to the ground. He required some serious attention, and at one point looked like he may require a stretcher, before he walked off the pitch to be replaced by Julusz Pazio. Hopefully the injury is not too serious.
A couple of minutes after the game re-started Kings Langley were awarded a free kick on their right flank that Sonny French delivered to the left corner for Rayan Clarke to collect and when it was cleared it was recycled to their right flank for Akinbusoye to send a low cross through the home box without contact.
The Cirencester reply was a deep cross from Miles that an under-pressure Shaun Keane headed wide at the back post to concede a corner kick that was defended and launched down the visitor’s right flank for Akinbusoye to win a throw-in.
Shortly afterwards the busy Akinbusoye cut along the right by-line to win a corner kick that Lee headed clear for Bishop to return to the right corner for a deep cross to the back post where French headed wide of the target.
At the 45-minute mark Cirencester attacked to their right corner as Burns won a series of challenges to retain the ball and supply Luca Robinson who delivered a low cross to the near post where George Peare arrived but was unable to make a clean contact enabling the defender and ‘keeper to smother the ball.
In added-time Collier received the ball, 10 yards inside the home half, turned and charged down the centre before shooting wide of the left post from 25 yards.
Just before the interval Clarke fired a free kick over the home bar.
Half Time: 0-1
The half-time ‘pep-talk’ needed to reignite the Cirencester troops and from the re-start Christopher supplied Robinson who slipped the ball inside to Burns, back to Robinson but the threat was cleared as The Kings sent the ball to their left corner.
Two minutes in and George Peare embarked on a run from right to left, near half-way, before slipping the ball to Miles who slid it down the left flank into the path of Peare as he continued his run to the left channel of the visitor’s box but Isaac Pedro had spotted the danger and came across to clear.
A couple of minutes later a miss-directed back-pass provided a corner kick for the visitors that Clarke delivered to the back post where it eventually was cleared to a lurking Collier, 20 yards out, who struck his right footed effort over the bar.
Within the next couple of minutes Akinbusoye delivered a couple of crosses into the home box – the second of which was deflected by Lee’s heel towards the top right corner of the goal but Nelson produced an instinctive reflex save to push it onto the bar before collecting the rebound near his goal-line.
Cirencester responded to this as Bennett galloped down their left flank before moving the ball right to Burns who slipped it into the left channel of the visitor’s box for Miles to chase but Pazio quickly advanced to collect.
As Cirencester mounted another attack down their right flank they were awarded a free kick, 10 yards inside the visitor’s half, that Miles delivered to the far post where George Peare rose to head back across the goal-mouth for brother NICK PEARE to firmly head into the back of the net from the edge of the 6-yard box. 1-1.
The home side were soon back as some neat football in midfield created room for a pass into the visitor’s box but too long to be collected.
Just after the hour Nick Peare sent the ball down the left touchline for brother George to collect and charge to the left corner before squaring it across the front edge of the Kings Langley box to a supporting Turley who slipped it towards Burns but it was intercepted.
A few minutes later Miles delivered a free kick into the visitor’s box that was cleared to Burns who shifted it right to Miles for a left footed shot that was deflected for a corner kick that was caught by Pazio.
Reegan Messenger then collected the ball in the centre circle and moved it out to Robinson who burst down the right flank where the threat ended but was soon recycled for George Peare to reach the left by-line where his cross was blocked for a corner kick that Pazio punched to a waiting Burns and his cross was deflected for another corner kick that came to nought.
Shortly after the mid-point of the half George Peare was threatening again but Pazio managed to clear the danger for Akinbusoye to counter down their right flank but when he reached the side edge of the home box Nick Peare dealt with the threat.
Undeterred the tricky Akinbusoye was soon back again and this time Nick Peare blocked his cross to concede a corner kick that was caught by Nelson.
The game was now very open as Turley immediately slid the ball into the left channel of the visitor’s box for Ben Whitehead to collect and deliver a low cross that passed through the front edge of the 6-yard box and out for a throw-in to Cirencester on their right flank.
Into the final 15 minutes and Akinbusoye cut right to shoot wide of the far-left post from the right channel of the home box and five minutes later Messenger shot wide of the right post from 25 yards
As added-time loomed both sides had shots at the target and Cirencester a couple of free kicks and another corner kick but the score-line remained unchanged.
Full Time: 1-1
A well-contested match with neither side doing enough to secure the victory as the defences came out on top and given the form and records of the sides before the match a predictable result – despite the effort displayed.
Attendance: 182 Referee: Jake Woolley
Cirencester Town:
1. Stuart Nelson
2. Will Christopher
3. Aidan Bennett
4. Joe Turley
5. Jake Lee ©
6. Nick Peare 57
7. Luca Robinson
8. Harry Burns
9. George Peare
10. Willem Pooley
11. Felix Miles
12. Reegan Messenger (Willem Pooley-55mins)
14. Ben Whitehead (Felix Miles-72mins)
15. Charlie McCrae
16. John Dennis (George Peare-85mins)
17. Ronnie Newberry (GK)
KINGS LANGLEY:
1. Ronnie Sandford
2. Shaun Keane
3. William Bishop
4. Isaac Pedro
5. Hugo Odogwu-Atkinson
6. Anthony Ball
7. Louie Collier
8. Sonny French ©
9. Jermaine Howe
10. Temiola Akinbusoye 23p
11. Rayan Clarke
12. Michael Gabblah (Rayan Clarke-69mins)
13. Juliusz Pazio (GK) (Ronnie Sandford-35mins)
14. Kieran Patterson
15. Lorenzo Johnson
16. Harrison Crawford (Louie Collier-79mins)