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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Former Southern League opponents MANGOTSFIELD UNITED were the latest visitors to The Talent Hire Stadium for an Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division fixture and after a promising first half, despite the Penalty Kick, The Centurions were unable to penetrate the visitors rearguard and conceded two more enabling the visitors to take the points.
Prior to this match Mangotsfield United sat in 9th place in the Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division Table with 9 points from their 6 matches whilst Cirencester remain pointless at the bottom of the table.
For the home side Jonathan Aitkenhead and Luca Robinson were making their first starts for The Centurions this season whilst Ronnie Newberry replaced Sam Ayres between the sticks.
The bench saw the return of Jayden Stratford - following his injury in the Pre-Season friendly match against Gloucester City.
The visitors kicked off playing towards The Shed end of the ground and they immediately launched the ball to their left corner for Michael Barry to chase and following a throw-in Cirencester worked the ball to their right corner and across to their left flank.
A few minutes later Dave Bampton chipped the ball down the right channel for Finley Bell to chase but an alert Ellis Parker left his box to send it out of the ground and following the resulting throw-in the ball was worked to the left flank for Jack Freeman to cross into the box where it was headed clear.
Cirencester then produced a period of neat play as they worked the ball down their left channel to the centre front edge of the visitor’s box with some quick passing before it was headed back for Parker to collect.
A positive opening spell from the hosts but The Mangos reply proved beneficial as a cross-field pass found Barry who darted forward and into the home box where he was brought to ground and a Penalty Kick awarded. GEORGE NEILL stepped forward and smashed the kick into the bottom left corner. 0-1.
A minute later Mangotsfield mounted a break down their right flank but custodian Ronnie Newberry comfortably caught the resulting cross.
Five minutes after the visitors Penalty Kick the hosts had a strong shout for one, when Aidan Bennett was also brought to ground as he chased and collected a precise Bampton pass into the left channel of the visitor’s box - but their claim was denied by the Referee.
Moments later Bampton suffered a recurrence of his injury in the previous match and eventually had to leave the pitch to be replaced by Jayden Stratford.
Before the change Cirencester worked the ball down both flanks with Luca Robinson heavily involved in both attacks – on the right he exchanged passes with Lewis Thorne to reach the corner before crossing and then he popped up on the left to receive a cross-field pass from Freeman before returning it to Freeman who cut inside to shoot towards the top left corner but Parker leapt to tip the strike around his post.
Around the half-hour mark Robinson made a dart to the left byline before laying it back to Stratford who produced a ‘mazy’ dribble that took him into the box where he poked the ball narrowly wide of the left post.
The busy Robinson then reached the left byline again but the ball was cleared to a supporting Jordan Morris who unleashed a thunderbolt that was wide of the right post.
As the game entered the ten-minute period before the break Robinson drove down the left side edge of the visitor’s box before laying the ball back to Morris who crossed towards the far-right post where Freeman headed wide of the post.
Mangotsfield responded as they reached the left corner to move the ball inside to Joe Cattermole who had his shot blocked but it was recycled to their right channel and into the box where a firm strike was caught by Newberry.
Almost immediately Cirencester had to replace the dangerous Robinson who had suffered an injury – replaced by Marcel Anie.
A minute before the scheduled interval Bennett released Stratford for a run towards the right channel front edge of the Mangotsfield box where he struck the ball too well and over the bar.
At the 45-minute mark the visitors Jeffrey Barimah received the ball just outside the home box and decided to dart between two defenders and when he fell to ground a free kick was awarded that James White delivered towards the right post where Newberry punched it clear to be immediately fed back to Neill who headed wide of the right post from just outside the 6-yard box.
Half Time: 0-1
It had been a positive first period for the home side and supporters were hopeful that it would continue in the second but after kicking off and working the ball to their left corner via Bennett, Bell and Morris it was soon returned by the visitors who pressed to their left corner and within the opening five minutes Mangotsfield had delivered a free kick into the home box, Barry had reached the left byline and White had fired over the bar.
Cirencester were also awarded an early free kick that Bell slipped to Freeman, forward to Stratford who took it to the right by-line before sending a low cross towards the front edge of the 6-yard box but it was cut-out by Parker.
Mangotsfield countered to their left corner where White sent a free kick through the home 6-yard box but en-route it took a deflection to result in a corner kick from the right that White delivered to the area in front of the 6-yard box for MIRCEA ILEA to powerfully head into the net. 0-2.
From the re-start Cirencester worked the ball down their right flank and into the Penalty Area, via Freeman and Stratford who had his strike blocked and as it was recycled Stratford was knocked to ground enabling a counter attack from the visitors as Luke Lecrass charged forward before crossing to Barry, near the left side edge of the home box, but the threat ended there.
On the hour a deep cross from the Mangotsfield left corner was met by the head of Lecrass who directed it back towards the Penalty Spot for JOE CATTERMOLE to tuck inside the left post. 0-3.
A few minutes later Cirencester survived a series of corner kicks when a back post header was wide of the target.
At the mid-point of the half Ronnie Newberry pulled off a sensational save when a Barry cross from Mangotsfield’s left flank was deflected at the right post resulting in an instinctive, acrobatic reflex save from the young ‘keeper to keep it out.
Despite the scoreline Cirencester continued to play their football as they worked the ball forward – Jerzy Marszalek right to Stratford, right to Marcel Anie who crossed from the right flank but blocked, soon to be followed by Morris down the line to Bennett who exchanged passes with Bell and on to Stratford but defended in the visitor’s box.
Cirencester were finding it difficult to penetrate their opponents defence and swift counter attacks followed - late in the game Ben Shepherd’s shot towards the far-left post was pushed away by Newberry.
Full Time: 0-3
It had been a promising start from The Centurions but they were unable to contain their more powerful opponents.
Attendance: 111 Referee: Calum Bennett
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newberry
2. Lewis Thorne
3. Jordan Morris
4. Jonathan Aitkenhead
5. Dave Bampton
6. Jack Horrell
7. Finley Bell
8. Oliver Rejek
9. Aidan Bennett ©
10. Jack Freeman
11. Luca Robinson
12. Jerzy Marszalek (Jack Freeman-73mins)
14. Ethan Rose (Oliver Rejek-83mins)
16. Ogaga Edward (Lewis Thorne-83mins)
17. Jayden Stratford (Dave Bampton-25mins)
18. Marcel Anie (Luca Robinson-43mins)
MANGOTSFIELD UNITED:
1. Ellis Parker
15. Mircea Ilea 54
3. Jeffrey Barimah
14. Michael Barry
5. Luke Bence
6. Aaron Parsons
16. Luke Lecrass
8. Joe Porton
9. George Neill 12p
10. James White ©
11. Joe Cattermole 60
12. Jeremy Agyemang (George Neill-74mins)
2. Stuart Tovey (Aaron Parsons-74mins)
20. Dominic Anderson (James White-70mins)
19. Jack Ball (Joe Cattermole-70mins)
17. Ben Shepherd (Luke Bence-60mins)