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 third Pre-Season match in preparation for the 2024-25 Season took a much-changed Centurion squad to Oldends Lane - the home of STONEHOUSE TOWN – to defend the SEVERN SPORT SHIELD that they won last season.
The decision to request voluntary relegation from the Southern League at the end of last season led to the departure of many of their experienced squad and as a result the Club are in rebuild mode with a very young squad in only their third game together taking on the young professionals of FOREST GREEN ROVERS U18’s.
Forest Green kicked off proceedings on a warm evening and superb grass pitch and immediately began to pass the ball around their defence – reminiscent of England in their recent European campaign – and this prompted Cirencester to close them down quickly to prevent forward progress and it also led to a scare for the Rovers when Lewis Thorne chased a back-pass and the clearance rebounded over their crossbar.
The young Rovers stuck to their guns and continued to play in this manner and in the ninth minute Cirencester were rewarded when a mistake enabled ALEX BELL to latch onto the ball and promptly tuck it inside the left post from the edge of the Rovers box. 0-1.
Cirencester continued to press and a couple of minutes later Aidan Bennett clipped the ball to the right corner for Alex Bell to chase and win a corner kick that was delivered to the back post where Kian McNally headed over the bar.
Forest Green responded as they worked the ball to their right corner before cutting inside and laying it back to Jesse Aldridge who saw his effort diverted to ‘keeper Sam Ayres.
The Centurions pressed again as Bennett had his shot blocked near the centre front edge of the Rovers box with the rebound collected by Jordan Morris who had his cross from the left side edge of the box blocked.
The game was beginning to open up as Cirencester allowed Rovers a little more room to pick their passes and this enabled Isaac Hughes to make a determined run to the left front corner of the Cirencester box before slipping the ball out to Piotr Petrynski who delivered it to the far post where McNally dealt with the threat.
A long ball from Cirencester out of defence and down their left channel soon followed and as Jayden Stratford charged after it an alert Will Tubbs darted from his box to clear it off the pitch.
Cirencester were soon back again as Jack Freeman intercepted a pass just outside the Rovers box and fed it left to Morris but again the Rovers survived to mount a counter attack as Hughes made another strong run to the left corner and by-line before his cross, under pressure, found the side-netting.
Shortly afterwards Cirencester worked the ball from their right back position to their left corner with a series of passes as Horrell moved the ball on to Freeman, then Morris who fed Stratford but he was quickly surrounded by three green shirts to prevent further progress.
A few minutes after the mid-point of the half Rovers mounted a quick counter attack down their right flank that was initially dealt with by Harry Edwards who cleared it off the pitch but from the resultant throw-in the ball was worked left to the left channel front edge of the Centurions box where JESSE ALDRIDGE fired a shot through the legs of a defender and past an unsighted Ayres to level the score. 1-1.
A long ball down their right channel resulted in a corner kick for the Rovers from their right flank that Hughes delivered into the goalmouth for Ayres to push over his bar.
It wasn’t long before Rovers were back again as they won the ball 35 yards out before slipping it down the right channel for THOMAS CONTEH to collect inside the Cirencester box before tucking it inside the left post. 2-1.
Cirencester reacted to the setback as Bennett and Freeman worked the ball down their right channel for Alex Bell to collect and charge forward but the ball was lost near the Rovers Penalty Area and they immediately countered through Kemall Wilson who had his shot blocked as he approached a similar position at the other end of the pitch.
As the half was drawing to a close Rovers pressed and Ayres was called into action several times, including a double save, to deny them.
Half Time: 2-1
Both sides made changes during the interval but Rovers made the perfect start as they added to their score within two minutes of the re-start when a corner kick from their right flank was sent into the box and collected by SERGI ISMAIL who struck an instant shot that Ayres managed to get a hand to but couldn’t keep out. 3-1.
Following a Cirencester attack through Ed Taylor and Ethan Rose that was defended Rovers replied as Fraser Bell combined with Jose Marquez to send a cross towards the left post where Hughes arrived to head wide of the target.
A minute later ‘keeper Callum Godfrey was called into action at the other end of the pitch to deny Cirencester as he pushed the ball away under pressure for a defender to complete the clearance.
Forest Green had certainly made a lively start to the second half but as the mid-point approached Cirencester pressed when Marcel fed Taylor who crossed from the left corner towards the Penalty Spot where Bonse produced an overhead kick that cleared the bar.
Cirencester followed this up with a Finn Bell free kick to the far-right post that was defended with difficulty as it rebounded back to Godfrey.
The Rovers responded with a long-range strike from Marquez that Ayres pushed over his bar before pushing out the resulting corner kick at his back post.
The game had an end-to-end feel about it now as both sides pressed with Finn Bell supplying Taylor down the left flank for him to cross to the far-right post where Stratford was arriving, but at full stretch his effort was wide of the target.
As the game entered the final 15 minutes Cirencester reduced the arrears as they worked the ball down their right flank before feeding MARCEL who cut left before firing a superb strike into the top right corner from 20 yards. 3-2.
Encouraged by their breakthrough Cirencester pressed again as Finn Bell supplied Stratford in the right corner and he delivered a low cross that Godfrey managed to smother near his Penalty Spot.
Almost immediately Bonse produced some serious pace as he chased a cross-field pass to the left corner to cross into the Rovers box where Stratford’s effort at the back post was blocked.
With five minutes remaining Marquez fed Bonnick who delivered a low cross from the right corner to a supporting FRASER BELL who smashed it into the net from ten yards. 4-2.
The final action of the game saw Finn Bell supply Stratford who rode a couple of tackles on his way to the edge of the Rovers box, right channel, before his shot was diverted over the crossbar.
Full Time: 4-2
A good test for the young Cirencester squad on a grass pitch (after two home games) against well organised and talented opponents who have been together for some time.
FOREST GREEN ROVERS U18’s
Will Tubbs (GK), Harrison Clarke, Ciaran Walsh, Kemall Wilson, Piotr Petrynski, Jesse Aldridge, Preston Mason, Akai Bonnick, Thomas Conteh, Billy Glover, Isaac Hughes.
Substitutes:- Callum Godfrey (GK), Stephan Walsh, Sergi Ismail, Dikshant Raut, Fraser Bell, Connor Campbell, Jose Marquez.
CIRENCESTER TOWN
Sam Ayres (GK), Lewis Thorne, Kian McNally, Jack Horrell, Jesse Thompson, Harry Edwards, Alex Bell, Jayden Stratford, Aidan Bennett ©, Jack Freeman, Jordan Morris.
Substitutes:- Josh Seller, Ethan Rose, Marcel, Bonse, Finn Bell, Ed Taylor, Oli Taylor (GK).