Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
32.jpg)
Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Match photos supplied by Graham Hill
The sixth home match of the first eight Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division fixtures so far this season brought ‘table-topping’ HEREFORD PEGASUS to The Talent Hire Stadium and The Centurions rose to the challenge by producing a superb all-round team performance that secured their first points of the season.
Prior to this match Hereford Pegasus sat at the top of the Premier Division table with 19 points from 8 games played, whilst Cirencester were bottom of the table with no points to show for their efforts in 7 games.
With Dave Bampton injured it was necessary for Manager James Mortimer-Jones to ask Aidan Bennett to drop into the back line once again, whilst also changing the formation of the team with Jayden Stratford taking on the demands of a central striker role and Finley Bell operating in a supporting role, and this worked a treat.
The change in formation and the challenge of facing top of the table Hereford Pegasus was clearly met with enthusiasm by the home team as they began with energy from the off.
The visitors set the game in motion, playing towards The Shed end of the ground, by playing the ball back to ‘keeper Jensen Kilroy who launched it to their right corner where Jordan Morris headed it back down the pitch. They were soon back again to win a throw-in on their right flank, 30 yards from goal, that Isaac Cooper launched into the home Penalty Area – eventually falling to Jordan Williamson who fired at the target from the left channel front edge of the home box where Lewis Thorne threw himself into its path to block.
As Cirencester countered a free kick was awarded that Finley Bell delivered from the left channel, 40 yard out, towards the right post where Kilroy stretched to make the catch above Aidan Bennett.
A couple of minutes later the visitors mounted an attack down their right flank as Cooper reached the side edge of the home box but his attempted crosses were blocked by Bennett.
During the next few minutes Cirencester worked the ball across the pitch – right to left and back again, no joy so they tried again, right to left but conceded possession in the corner. The ball towards Kilroy was chased by Jayden Stratford resulting in the ‘keeper launching it off the pitch.
A minute later Stratford headed down the centre, 35 yards from goal, and Bell nipped in to steal from a defender as he attempted to clear and with great awareness, spotting Kilroy on the edge of his box, he clipped the ball over the advanced ‘keeper and just over the bar.
Cirencester were moving the ball out of defence and forward, and the visitors responded in like fashion as Floriet Vucai moved it wide to Sean Powell who sent it down their left flank to Williamson where it was lost for a throw-in to Cirencester.
A feature of the game for Hereford Pegasus was the long throws of Cooper into the home box but Cirencester were dealing with them with determined blocks and countering quickly once won, as illustrated when Stratford chased the ball to the left by-line and did well under pressure to retain possession before laying it back to Jack Freeman who immediately delivered a cross towards the far-right post where Kilroy once again caught it at full stretch.
As the mid-point of the half approached, Morris played a cross-field pass to Stratford who galloped down the right channel before switching play to the left flank where Bell sent it across to the right-side edge of the visitor’s box where Ethan Rose’s cross was blocked for a corner kick that was defended at the near post.
Shortly afterwards Powell sent the ball down their left channel for Cooper to chase but an alert Ronnie Newberry had spotted the threat and quickly left his line to gather before Cooper could reach it.
The game was being played at a fair pace and when Powell dwelled on the ball Bell quickly challenged to win it on the Cirencester right flank before embarking on a driving run that took him into the visitor’s box, right channel, for Kilroy to block his resulting shot at his left post and as they attempted to work it clear Rose pressed to ‘win’ a corner kick which was once again caught at full stretch by Kilroy.
‘The Redmen’ then produced some quick passing of their own as they worked their way down their left flank, involving several players, but the ball was lost enabling Stratford to charge down the left channel before being brought to ground for a free kick to be awarded that eventually resulted in a Freeman cross that was blocked for a corner kick. Finley Bell played the ball short to Freeman, left front corner of the visitor’s box, and he delivered it into the ‘mix’ in front of the goal where it rebounded into the path of AIDAN BENNETT who swivelled and lashed it inside the far-right post. 1-0.
The visitors responded with a couple of attacks but five minutes after the goal a Morris cross was defended by Vucai at the left post and from the resulting corner kick Bell drove it low to the near post where AIDAN BENNETT managed to divert it into the net. 2-0.
In the remaining period to the interval the visitor’s mounted an attack down their right flank that resulted in a free kick and play being switched to the left but the pass down the left channel ended with an ‘offside’ decision, and a free kick towards the right post was headed clear by Jonathan Aitkenhead.
In reply Thorne made ground to the right corner for his cross to be caught by Kilroy.
Half Time: 2-0
Needless to say, the home support was delighted with the performance so far, but worried as to how the visitors would react after the break – could The Centurions hang on?
Although it was Cirencester that kicked-off proceedings for the second period they were soon having to defend a free kick towards the right post – headed clear by Bennett for the home side to counter to the right corner for Rose to cross – goal-kick.
A minute later Cirencester had the ball in their left corner and as it was worked inside Jack Horrell flashed a strike narrowly wide of the left post from a central position, 20 yards out.
A few minutes later Hereford worked the ball down their left flank before slipping it inside to Williamson but as he approached the Cirencester box, with Newberry advancing, a heavy touch resulted in a goal-kick.
Ten minutes into the half Bell punted the ball down the right flank and the willing Stratford gave chase resulting in the ball being cleared for a throw-in that eventually led to a cross from Thorne that was deflected for a corner kick. Jack Freeman delivered the kick to the Penalty Spot where Moreira headed clear for Morris to collect and shoot – blocked.
Around the hour mark the visitors mounted a couple of attacks but both were defended and in between Horrell released Morris for a run down the left flank but the resulting cross was caught by Kilroy.
Shortly afterwards the visitors reached their left corner and Rose did well to defend and ‘win’ a throw-in for his team in a tight situation.
At the mid-point a firm strike from Harrison Iddles was deflected wide of the right post and when the corner kick was sent towards the near post Ollie Rejek headed it away from the danger area.
The partnership of Stratford and Bell had been working well all match and a little later when Newberry launched the ball down the home sides right channel Stratford headed it on for Bell to chase and this resulted in a throw-in to the home side in the right corner and eventually a goal kick.
Pegasus replied as Jamie Price fired a low left footed volley wide of the right post from a central position, 20 yards out, and Iddles also fired wide of the same post from the left channel of the home box.
As the game approached the final scheduled ten minutes Stratford headed on again for Bell to collect and, noticing Kilroy off his line, he attempted to lob the ‘keeper but it just cleared the bar.
When the visitors mounted a counter attack it yielded a free kick, 40 yards from goal, that Price delivered to the left post where Mike Burgess’ glancing header was wide of the post.
Minutes later Newberry launched another ball down the pitch and this time Bell headed on for Stratford to charge to the left channel front edge of the visitor’s box where he cut right to shoot – blocked and cleared.
With five minutes to go Bell slipped the ball to Horrell and he sent it forward for Stratford to win a corner kick in the right corner. Jack Freeman played it short to Bell and after a further exchange it was delivered to the right post where Stratford’s header was just wide of the post.
With time running out the visitors pressed hard – Cooper launched a throw into the box, Rory Thompson delivered a cross to the left channel of the home box and a Williamson free kick rebounded off the ‘wall’ before being recycled and fired over the target – but Cirencester held firm.
Full Time: 2-0
A competitive game with plenty of action at each end of the pitch.
A superb all-round team effort from Cirencester with everyone playing their part to secure their first points of the season – WELL DONE LADS.
Attendance: 101 Referee: Luke Rees
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newberry
2. Lewis Thorne
3. Jordan Morris
4. Oliver Rejek
5. Jonathan Aitkenhead
6. Jack Horrell
7. Finley Bell
8. Ethan Rose
9. Aidan Bennett © 32, 37
10. Jack Freeman
11. Jayden Stratford
12. Jerzy Marszalek
14. Marcel Anie
16. Edward Taylor
17. Ogaga Edward
18. Harley Arnold (Jayden Stratford-90+2mins)
HEREFORD PEGASUS:
1. Jensen Kilroy
2. Rory Thompson
3. Sean Powell
4. Jamie Cuthbertson
5. Floriet Vucai
6. Tyreece Briscoe
7. Harrison Iddles
8. Mike Burgess ©
9. Isaac Cooper
10. Jordan Williamson
11. Carlos Moreira
12. Jamie Price (Tyreece Briscoe-52mins)
14. Luke Bufton (Mike Burgess-81mins)
15. Lucas Hipwell (Carlos Moreira-89mins)
16. Ollie Guinane
17. Matt Gwynne