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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For their third Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division ‘away’ fixture of the season The Centurions made the journey to Worcestershire to meet SPORTING CLUB INKBERROW and produced a determined performance to bring back the 3 points despite being under severe pressure for most of the match.
Prior to the match the unbeaten hosts sat in fourth place in the table with 18 points from 8 games played whilst Cirencester had moved up two places, to 18th, with 3 points from the same number of games played, as a result of their first victory against Hereford Pegasus last week.
Manager, James Mortimer-Jones, kept faith with the starting eleven that obtained these points by naming an unchanged starting eleven for this match.
The visitors kicked off playing into a fairly strong wind on a very firm, well presented grass pitch and immediately launched the ball down their right flank to the corner but were quickly repelled as their hosts countered leading to a period of possession as ‘The Eagles’ worked the ball across the pitch, right to left, to centre, to right where it was crossed from the corner for Jonathan Aitkenhead to intercept.
A few minutes later the hosts produced a clever attack as Will Skelton slipped the ball inside from the right channel, 25 yards out, to Jay Higgins-Pugsley who cleverly flicked the ball into the path of a supporting Connor Stanley – his initial shot was blocked and his follow-up was fired over the bar.
Cirencester responded as they worked the ball down the pitch to be awarded a free kick that led to some activity in the left corner and resulted in a goal-kick.
The home side then enjoyed another period of possession as Higgins-Pugsley burst into the Cirencester box, right channel to shoot – blocked by ‘keeper Ronnie Newbery’s feet and collected by Skelton, near the centre front edge of the box, but his shot was blocked by Aidan Bennett and diverted for a corner kick from the left followed by one from the right – but no breakthrough.
Back came the hosts as Skelton’s cross from the right by-line was cut-out by Aitkenhead, soon to be followed by Max Angelides supplying Higgins-Pugsley for another effort that resulted in a corner kick.
As Cirencester worked the ball forward to ease the pressure they were awarded a free kick 15 yards inside the home half, right channel, but ‘keeper Gabriel Bajrami comfortably made the required catch.
Shortly before the mid-point of the half Bennett headed a cross out of his box to be recycled to Stanley who produced a mazy dribble to the edge of the box but Skelton was unable to collect his pass near the left byline.
At the mid-point Cirencester had to make an early substitution as Jayden Stratford (hamstring problem) was replaced by defender Dave Bampton with Aidan Bennett moving up-front to accommodate this.
Shortly after the mid-point as Inkberrow pressed Cirencester made more blocks in front of their goal to deny their hosts, before mounting a counter attack as Bennett supplied Finley Bell and charged forward to receive the ball in the left channel of the home box where he fired narrowly wide of the far-right post.
When Inkberrow replied the ball was sent down the centre for Skelton to chase and this brought Newbery out of his area to challenge - the forward managed to round the ‘keeper but his cross was cut-out by the covering defence.
Cirencester were mounting occasional attacks of their own and when Bennett and Bell combined again it resulted in another corner kick that Bajrami caught.
Shortly afterwards Newbery pulled -off a double save as he initially parried Higgins-Pugsley firm strike, after he had charged into the right channel of the Cirencester box, before blocking the follow-up header from Skelton.
Lewis Thorne who was having a busy, but effective time against his opponent, then sent the ball down his flank for Bell to collect and cross towards Bennett but it was intercepted.
A couple of minutes later Jack Freeman drove a cross-field pass to Bell, right flank – 25 yards out, and he clipped it towards Bennett as he burst into the home box - to be greeted by the onrushing ‘keeper who clattered into him - resulting in a Penalty Kick being awarded. JACK HORRELL stepped forward and calmly tucked the spot-kick inside the right post. 0-1.
Leading up to the interval Skelton fired wide of the far-left post, Stanley exchanged passes with Angelides before having a couple of efforts blocked, whilst Ethan Rose clipped the ball down the right flank for Thorne to overlap and cross into the goal-mouth where Bajrami once again made the catch.
The final action of the half saw Angelides strike a firm, low free kick (from their right channel – 30 yards out) towards the bottom left corner of the goal but the agile Newbery dived to push it wide.
Half Time: 0-1
Almost immediately from the re-start Bell was released into the home box, right channel, but his shot was wide of the far-left post.
The reply from Inkberrow was instant as Skelton latched onto an intended back-pass to drive into the right channel of the Cirencester box but as he neared the goal Newbery stood tall and blocked his fierce strike from 10 yards and diverted his rebound effort across the goal to be cleared.
The action then moved to the other end of the pitch as Bell fired wide of the left post from 30 yards.
Back came the hosts for Thorne to make a well-timed tackle on Higgins-Pugsley before heading clear and making a block to deny them but Inkberrow finally made the breakthrough when Jack Tolley sent a cross-field pass from their right flank to Stanley in the left corner, and he darted along the left byline before laying the ball back to JAY HIGGINS-PUGSLEY who drove it inside the far-right post, aided by a deflection. 1-1.
Cirencester responded to the setback as Bennett fired over the bar before heading a free kick towards goal to be cleared.
This was soon followed by Bell slipping the ball to Bennett who delivered a low cross to Horrell who controlled the ball and shot in one motion – blocked by Bajrami and rebounding to Bennett who saw his header caught by the ‘keeper.
When the game entered the final quarter the home side pressed forward constantly as Higgins-Pugsley drew another diving save from Newbery at his right post. A minute later the ‘keeper was injured whilst making another save.
With fifteen scheduled minutes remaining Raheem Spencer and Aaron Brown combined to break through but Jordan Morris was quick to recover to prevent further progress.
Jake Waterfield then had two efforts blocked by the determined visitors defence before Horrell supplied Ogaga Edward for a counter that took them down their left flank and resulted in a corner kick that Dave Bampton headed over the target.
Immediately the action was back at the other end of the pitch as Higgins-Pugsley latched onto a loose ball to shoot – blocked by Newbery for a corner kick.
During the next few minutes, the Cirencester defence bravely blocked a number of efforts as their hosts pressed in earnest but as is often the case Cirencester quickly countered with a long ball towards their left corner for Bell to collect and slip inside to Bennett as he darted down the left channel of the home box before delivering a low ball into the 6-yard box where JERZY MARSZALEK arrived to poke it under the ‘keeper and into the net. 1-2.
During the final nine minutes Inkberrow pressed and fired shots wide of the target or had them blocked as Cirencester hung on to claim the three points.
Full Time: 1-2
Another battling performance from The Centurions as they battled for all they were worth, with many a courageous block thrown in, as they denied their high-flying hosts.
Attendance: ??? Referee: James West
SPORTING CLUB INKBERROW:
1. Gabriel Bajrami
2. Jack Tolley
3. Max Angelides
4. Gregor Guy
5. Luke Bastable
6. Billy Couglin ©
7. Tom Emblem
8. Jake Waterfield
9. Will Skelton
10. Jay Higgins-Pugsley 56
11. Connor Stanley
12. Will Moore
14. Robert Guy
15. Raheem Spencer (Will Skelton-74mins)
16. Aaron Brown (Tom Emblem-62mins)
17. Alex Quaynor (Luke Bastable-90mins)
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Lewis Thorne
3. Jordan Morris
4. Oliver Rejek
5. Jonathan Aitkenhead
6. Jack Horrell 37p
7. Finley Bell
8. Ethan Rose
9. Aidan Bennett ©
10. Jack Freeman
11. Jayden Stratford
12. Jerzy Marszalek (Oliver Rejek-77mins) 85
14. Ogaga Edward (Jack Freeman-64mins)
15. Bonsa Teshome
16. Craig Graham (Dave Bampton-88mins)
17. Dave Bampton (Jayden Stratford-22mins)