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 Centurions returned to The Talent Hire Stadium after three successive trips to Bedfordshire and secured victory against a much-changed Barton Rovers side.
In terms of league positions and current form prior to the match – Barton Rovers sat in 14th place in the league table with 41 points from 32 games played whilst Cirencester were in 7th place with 48 points from 33 games played.
Examination of the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ table reveals that ‘The Rovers’ have secured 9 points from their last 6 games whilst ‘The Centurions’ have obtained 8 points to sit in 9th and 12th places respectively in the relevant table.
The reverse fixture in November resulted in a 3-1 victory for The Centurions but the visitors have secured a number of impressive results recently – victories over AFC Dunstable (3-0) and Leighton Town (2-0), draws against Waltham Abbey and Hertford Town (both 0-0) and Biggleswade (2-2), and a narrow away defeat to Welwyn Garden City (3-2).
Starting Eleven – There were two changes to the starting eleven that faced Biggleswade FC in the previous match as Joe Turley and Felix Miles replaced Willem Pooley and Josh Keyes respectively.
Joe missed the match as he was supporting his partner who gave birth to their daughter over the week-end – CONGRATULATIONS to you all.
Willem and Josh join Aidan Bennett, Jordan Morris and George Peare on the bench.
BARTON ROVERS kicked-off playing towards The Shed end of the ground in dry, fairly warm conditions, but with a slight wind present, and immediately took the game to their hosts as they worked the ball to the right corner where Jaden Brown crossed into the home box for Jake Lee to head clear.
During the opening few minutes The Rovers were awarded a couple of free kicks from their right flank but neither really troubled the home defence.
It took ten minutes for Cirencester to threaten the visitors goal as Charlie Johnson overlapped to the left corner to send a dangerous cross into the visitors 6-yard box but they too survived the threat.
Almost immediately Cirencester were back as Joe Turley slipped the ball to an advancing Nick Peare and he delivered a cross-field pass to the far-right post where Harry Burns sent a low cross through the 6-yard box where Ben Whitehead was just short of connecting with it as he darted forward.
A minute later Luca Robinson delivered a low cross from the right corner for a supporting Reegan Messenger to flick at the near post with the ball looping up for ‘keeper Sam Archer to stretch and catch.
The visitors responded as a long ball to their left corner resulted in a corner kick that Lucas Kirkpatrick delivered to an unmarked Jesse Armoo at the back post where his downward header bounced over the goal.
Around the mid-point of the half Cirencester pressed as Robinson’s persistence yielded a corner kick, Whitehead fired narrowly wide of the right post and Messenger sent a glancing header wide of the far-left post.
As the half-hour approached Turley and Miles combined to release Peare for a short run down the left channel before unleashing a fierce strike that passed just over the top left corner of the Barton goal.
Cirencester were getting closer as Burns crossed from the left flank and Whitehead controlled for Messenger to shoot – bringing a fine diving save from Archer as he conceded a corner kick. Felix Miles’s kick reached Robinson on the left flank and he returned it into the edge of the 6-yard box where Whitehead stooped to head upwards and backwards enabling an incoming JAKE LEE to leap and head inside the right post. 1-0.
As the half drew to a close Cirencester were working both flanks as they pressed their visitors but without further success.
Half Time: 1-0
From the re-start Peare launched the ball to the right corner where the visitors where awarded a throw-in that enabled them to counter to their left corner for John Shamalo to cross – intercepted by the ever-alert Lee but it wasn’t long before The Rovers were back as Ryan Neufville sent a cross-cum-shot, from the right front corner of the home box, over the bar.
Cirencester replied as Johnson sent the ball to the left corner for Miles to collect, cut back and deliver a pin-point cross to the front edge of the 6-yard box where an unmarked REEGAN MESSENGER arrived to firmly head inside the left post. 2-0.
A couple of minutes later following some neat passing football from the hosts to retain the ball on their right flank Peare clipped the ball to the other flank for Johnson to send down the left channel for Whitehead to collect and cross – goal-kick.
As the hour approached Barton mounted a couple of attacks – Shamalo crossed from the left corner again but this time Peare intercepted and cleared the danger, then a corner kick was cleared by Turley at the near post before being recycled for Anthony Manacchio to fire over the bar before a Kirkpatrick cross from the left byline followed by a corner kick was claimed by custodian Stuart Nelson.
The visitors were making a concerted effort to get on the score sheet as Messenger and Johnson headed the ball away from the home box following free kicks.
As the game moved into the final quarter Kirkpatrick fired another free kick from near the left front corner of the home box towards the left post where Nelson dived to push it away and be recycled to their right flank for Neufville to deliver a cross to the back post where two Rovers got in one another’s way and the chance went begging.
The latter stages of the match had Cirencester pressing and Barton mounting quick counter attacks and one of these resulted in a clever pass down their right channel for a darting Brown to miss-kick his shot as he entered the home box at an angle and attempted to shoot across his body towards the left post.
As is often the case a miss at one end results in a goal at the other and following an attack to the right corner Cirencester were awarded a corner kick that Josh Keyes delivered to the back post for an incoming Burns to dive and head into the 6-yard box where NICK PEARE instantly volleyed it into the net. 3-0.
Within a minute of scoring Peare collected the ball on half-way, left channel, and embarked on a run towards the visitor’s box, weaving his way past would-be challenges until he reached the box, a step-over followed as he advanced into the box, a heavy touch took him to the by-line where exhausted he fired into the side netting as Archer closed in on him.
Back came Cirencester as Jordan Morris exchanged passes with Messenger before crossing into the box but a diving header from a defender prevented it from reaching Messenger as he dived forward to connect.
The visitors were not done yet either as they gamely attacked their hosts for Josh Adeyileka to scuff his shot to Nelson.
A few more corner kicks from the hosts came to nothing and then there was the sight of Archer advancing out of his box some 20-yards to head a long ball down the centre as Aidan Bennett chased after it.
A corner kick for Cirencester and a free kick for Barton yielded no end product and it was all over.
Full Time: 3-0
After the disappointing draw against Biggleswade FC last week, following two successes in the previous matches, it was a valuable three points for The Centurions against hard working opponents who never stopped trying to get on the score sheet.
Attendance: 180 Referee: Thomas Durno
Cirencester Town:
1. Stuart Nelson
2. Cameron Walters
3. Charlie Johnson
4. Reegan Messenger 51
5. Jake Lee © 35
6. Nick Peare 82
7. Luca Robinson
8. Joseph Turley
9. Harry Burns
10. Ben Whitehead
11. Felix Miles
12. Joshua Keyes (Luca Robinson-67mins)
14. Willem Pooley
15. Aidan Bennett (Ben Whitehead-72mins)
16. Jordan Morris (Felix Miles-78mins)
17. George Peare
BARTON ROVERS:
1. Samuel Archer
2. Ryan Neufville
3. Cameron Hyde
4. Ashton Grant
5. Jesse Armoo
6. Charlie Wells
7. Alfie Warman
8. Lucas Kirkpatrick ©
9. John Shamalo
10. Anthony Manocchio
11. Jaden Brown
12. Serhan Dogruer (Anthony Manocchio-63mins)
14. Martel Powell
15. CiaranMaher (Ashton Grant-77mins)
16. Joshua Adeyileka (Alfie Warman-63mins)
17. Jack Moriaty