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 second Pre-Season Friendly match for the Centurions brought CARTERTON FC to The Talent Hire Stadium and investigation reveals that they finished at the top of the Oxfordshire Senior League – Premier Division last season to be promoted to the Uhlsport Hellenic League – Division One for the upcoming season.
Cirencester made the perfect start as they opened their account within two minutes when JOSH PARSONS, making his first appearance for Cirencester since April 2022, tucked the ball into the net from the near the Penalty Spot following some quick, incisive passing as Aidan Bennett laid the ball to Jess Thompson who delivered it to the right front corner of the Penalty Area for Jack Freeman to flick the ball with his head into the path of Parsons who collected and took it further into the box before finishing.
Carterton responded a few minutes later with a long distance shot that sailed over the home crossbar before JOSH PARSONS added two more by the ten-minute mark as he chased a back-pass to rob the ‘keeper before tucking it into the empty net and then he latched onto a parried effort to finish.
Shortly before the mid-point of the half Thompson sent the ball down the centre for JOSH PARSONS to collect and take forward for a 1v1 with the ‘keeper and following a ‘dummy’ movement rounded him to pass into the net.
A few minutes later Thompson brought the ball out of defence before sending a 40-yard pass to the left flank for Jordan Morris to slip inside to Parsons who fired narrowly wide of the right post.
The visitors replied as their left back carried the ball down their left channel to reach the home box where ‘keeper Sam Ayres stood tall to block his effort.
Five minutes before the interval JOSH PARSONS received the ball just outside the visitor’s box, right channel, and fired a shot inside the far-left post to complete the scoring for the first half.
Half Time: 5-0
During the interval Cirencester made about eight changes to the team and as there was no team sheet the writer is unable to provide names for the following section of this summary but hopefully the players will remember what shirt numbers they were wearing or will recognise their involvement.
In the opening few minutes No. 15 produced some neat footwork on the left touchline to evade a couple of challenges and seven minutes into the half a player wearing a shirt with no number took the ball to the left by-line before crossing for the ‘keeper to push into the path of No. 29(?) who scored from about 10 yards.
Leading up to the mid-point of the half No. 12 delivered a superb cross-field pass from right to left before producing some clever footwork, after receiving the ball from No.17, to shoot with his left foot. His effort was parried by the visitors ‘keeper (who had been changed at the interval) and rebounded to No. 17 who fired over the bar.
Around the mid-point of the half No.17 was heavily involved in the action as he sent a clever through-ball for No.15 to finish.
A few minutes later No.29 carried the ball down the left touch line and into the visitor’s Penalty Area – his shot was parried to No.17 who immediately into the top right corner.
As the game moved into the final ten minutes No.12 struck a fierce shot from the edge of the visitor’s box for their ‘keeper to push away and concede a corner kick and not long after No. 29 added two more from the edge of the area.
Within minutes of the final whistle Carterton’s efforts were rewarded with a consolation goal.
Full Time: 10-1
A valiant effort from the visitors who were severely tested by the clinical finishing in the first half and the pace and enthusiasm of the young trialists in the second half.