Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
For the last time this season The Centurions made the long journey across the country for a league match and despite being put under significant pressure by their hosts, Hertford Town, returned with the 3 points on offer.
In terms of league positions and current form prior to the match – Hertford Town sat in 15th place in the league table and in 17th place in the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ table with 41 points from 33 games played and 2 points from their last 6 games respectively, whilst Cirencester were in 7th place in the league table with 51 points from 34 games played and 9th place in the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ table with 11 points.
The reverse fixture in early October resulted in a 3-1 victory for The Centurions after a game full of action and ‘quick-passing’ football.
Starting Eleven – Cirencester Manager, John Brough, made no changes to the starting eleven that faced Barton Rovers in the previous match and the only change to the squad was on the bench as Ronnie Newberry replaced Josh Keyes (who has returned to Swindon Town).
Cirencester kicked-off and immediately worked the ball to their left corner where the home side gained possession and with some neat football worked it across their backline to their left flank before launching it back across the pitch to mount an attack that reached the corner. Once there it was sent into the visitors Penalty Area for Wilson Palomeque-Bernal to collect near the Penalty Spot and he drew the defence before slipping it left to an unmarked Sudayisi Sendege who shot towards the far-right post where covering defender Jake Lee made the block and cleared it from near the goal-line.
The home side continued to press as Kurainashe Musanhi carried the ball into the visitor’s box to have his shot part blocked for ‘keeper Stuart Nelson to collect before Sendege struck an effort wide of the left post and Cirencester responded with a free kick that Harry Burns headed over the home bar.
Ten minutes into the game Musanhi won the ball just outside the Cirencester box, left channel, and moved forward into the area before slipping it right to Bernal who cut left and fired a firm shot that rebounded off the left post to be cleared.
As Cirencester worked the ball forward it was intercepted and a counter attack followed that yielded a corner kick for the hosts that Bernal headed and Nick Peare cleared to Felix Miles who quickly shipped it across the pitch for Luca Robinson to charge to the right by-line where his resulting cross was defended.
At last, there were signs of Cirencester getting involved as up to this point the quick passing and movement of their hosts had been the main feature of the game but at the 16-minute mark Cirencester showed they could play too as they worked the ball across their backline and down the left flank via Burns and an overlapping Charlie Johnson to Miles who reached the by-line before he was crowded out.
By the mid-point the game was beginning to open up and it was the visitors that opened the scoring when the home side tried to play their way out of their defensive left corner the clearance was part blocked and looped into their Penalty Area for an incoming REEGAN MESSENGER to instantly volley from the right channel, 12-yards out, into the net. 0-1.
Shortly afterwards Johnson won a battle with Sonny Coughlin-Brown and sent the ball up to Ben Whitehead who moved it right for Robinson to charge to the right corner – defended.
Two further Cirencester attacks were brought to a halt by ‘offside’ decisions before Musanhi started a weaving run from 10-yards inside the Cirencester half that took him to the edge of the Penalty Area where he fired narrowly wide of the right post.
Cirencester responded as Lee intercepted, fed Messenger, left to Burns, forward to Miles who crossed from the left corner for ‘keeper William Kiers to collect at the second attempt near the edge of his area.
Leading up to the interval Cirencester pressed their hosts who defended and worked the ball forward for Coughlin-Brown to collect near the centre front edge of the visitor’s box. He took stock before slipping the ball right to the busy BRIAN GARZON and he cut left before striking a fierce shot that flew into the top left corner despite Nelson getting a hand to it. 1-1.
Half Time: 1-1
The hosts came out of the traps very quickly for the second half and immediately pressed their visitors as Garzon displayed some clever footwork to create space for a shot from the edge of the Cirencester box that Nelson saved comfortably.
This was soon followed by another Musanhi run and pass to Sendege who saw his shot deflected for a corner kick that eventually led to a shot from Garzon that Nelson caught.
A couple of minutes later Cirencester were awarded a free kick that Miles delivered to the far-right post where it was cleared to be recycled for Robinson to clip into the home box – corner kick that was defended inside the 6-yard box.
Leading up to the hour mark both sides created chances as Burns headed a corner-kick over the bar and Whitehead had a shot blocked for Cirencester, whilst Garzon fired wide of the left post for the home side.
Moments later Hertford took the lead when Coughlin-Brown delivered a low cross from the right corner to WILSON PALOMEQUE-BERNAL who collected in the right channel, 15-yards from goal, to be faced by two opponents but he cleverly fired his shot under their challenges and into the bottom left corner past an unsighted Nelson. 2-1.
Cirencester immediately made a couple of substitutions and almost immediately Cameron Walters delivered a cross to the Penalty Spot from his right flank that Aidan Bennett headed goalwards to be caught by Kiers.
By the mid-point of the half both sides were attacking at every opportunity – a cross from Bennett to the back post that was defended and Sendege to Musanhi on the overlap to the left byline for a cross through the visitors 6-yard box.
Shortly after Cirencester worked the ball down the centre, back to Joe Turley, clipped to the right corner for Walters to cross from the by-line into the 6-yard box where AIDAN BENNETT arrived to divert into the net from close range. 2-2.
Cirencester pressed for the next couple of minutes and the hosts responded as Coughlin-Brown slipped the ball to an overlapping Morgan Mahoney who delivered a low cross from the corner to Bernal on the edge of the 6-yard box but his strike was saved by Nelson near the goal-line.
Back came Cirencester as Robinson fed Johnson who sent the ball towards the near left post where Bennett was arriving at pace but couldn’t make contact with the ball enabling Kiers to collect.
A few minutes later Cirencester made ground down their left flank again before working it right for FELIX MILES to collect, 20-yards out - right channel, and drive inside the right post. 2-3.
From this point onwards Hertford threw everything at The Centurions defence who refused to be breached, despite some clever play from their hosts, and relied on quick counter attacks to ease the pressure and with dogged determination they held on to take the 3-points.
Full Time: 2-3
Another entertaining match for the neutral, full of flowing, quick passing football (especially from the hosts who are one of the best footballing sides in the Division), committed tackles, work-rate and narrow misses.
Attendance: 339 Referee: Teddy Osborn
Hertford Town:
1. William Kears
2. Morgan Mahoney
3. Kurainashe Musanhi
4. Joseph Bennett ©
5. James Doherty
6. Benjamin Herd
7. Sonny Coughlin-Brown
8. Billy Mardell-Smith
9. Wilson Palomeque-Bernal 59
10. Brian Garson 45+2
11. Sudayisi Sendege
12. Deimar Cardosa Queni (Sudayisi Sendege-80mins)
14. Lanrewaju Balogun
15. George Andreou
16. Archie O’Brien
17. Louie Carr (James Doherty-72mins)
Cirencester Town:
1. Stuart Nelson
2. Cameron Walters
3. Charlie Johnson
4. Reegan Messenger 24
5. Jake Lee ©
6. Nick Peare
7. Luca Robinson
8. Joseph Turley
9. Harry Burns
10. Ben Whitehead
11. Felix Miles 82
12. Aidan Bennett (Ben Whitehead -59mins) 71
14. Willem Pooley (Reegan Messenger -70mins)
15. Jordan Morris (Luca Robinson-78mins)
16. George Peare
17. Ronnie Newberry (GK)