Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Match photos supplied by Graham Hill
For their fifth, Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division, ‘away’ fixture of the 2024-25 season Cirencester made the short trip into Wiltshire to face ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT TOWN at The Sustain Stadium and despite a much improved second half fell short by the odd goal in five against their more experienced opponents.
Prior to the match the ‘Bassetts’ sat in 13th place in the table with 13 points from 11 games played, whilst Cirencester were in 18th place with 7 points from the same number of games played.
Once again there were changes to The Centurions starting eleven both in members and positions as Jordan Morris and Jayden Stratford were injured in the match against Highworth Town and Dave Bampton is suspended for this match.
As a result, Lewis Thorne moves to left back and Ogaga Edward came in at right back, with Aidan Bennett also moving into the back line in place of Bampton. Craig Graham takes over from Bennett up-front and new signing Harrison Reeves came into the side on the left flank. The bench had two of the U18’s – Ed Taylor and Harley Arnold joining Ross Gabriel, Bonsa Teshome and Oliver Rejek.
The visitors kicked off proceedings on a cold evening and immediately lost possession, enabling their hosts to advance down their right flank to the corner a couple of times.
Cirencester countered down their right flank and Finley Bell delivered a dangerous cross towards the far-left post where ‘keeper James Foster pushed it wide enabling Harrison Reeves to collect and pass across the front edge of the Penalty Area - to be cleared.
After this initial surge from Cirencester, the hosts took control as Brad Pagliaroli made several driving runs down the right channel with Noah Coates in support outside him. There was also a powerful header from Adam Corcoran, on half-way, that was collected outside the visitor’s box and fired over the bar – so the writing was on the wall, as the home side dominated possession, that a break-through was imminent.
Twenty minutes into the contest Coates collected the ball 10-yards inside his own half and embarked on a powerful, forceful 50-yard run down the right channel – evading and powering through would-be challenges as he covered the ground – until he reached the edge of the Cirencester box where he ‘shimmied’ his way past another challenge to get into the box before squaring the ball towards the Penalty Spot for a waiting/supporting CHRIS ZEBROSKI to instantly sweep inside the left post. 1-0.
A brief response followed from the visitors as Ethan Rose cross from the right flank was headed clear from the edge of the 6-yard box and then Reeves combined with Craig Graham to make ground down the left flank but Reeves shot from just inside the home box was safely gathered by Foster.
Seven minutes after the opening goal ‘Bassett’ added another when TOMMY OULDRIDGE entered the Cirencester box, right channel, and drilled his shot inside the far-left post. 2-0.
Following this further setback The Centurions began to settle and play some of their passing football with a neat move involving several players, followed by Jack Horrell slipping the ball inside the opposing left back for Rose to collect and cross (cut out) and then Reeves combined with Jack Freeman to make ground to the left corner, passing several opponents in the process, before sending a deep cross to the back post for Rose to collect but he was quickly surrounded and the ball lost for a counter attack that reached Pagliaroli who fired into the side-netting.
Back came Cirencester – another Reeves run and cross, followed by a move initiated by Jonathan Aitkenhead that continued as Bell exchanged passes with Reeves to reach the edge of the home box where he cut right to direct a curling shot towards the far-right post – blocked at the post and cleared.
Half Time: 2-0
It had been a promising end to the first half and following their half-time ‘chat’ they came out for the second with serious conviction as they immediately gained possession and attacked to the left corner, eventually resulting in a Penalty Kick being awarded as a ball into the box left a Centurion on the ground – with the well-placed Referee pointing to the spot. JACK HORRELL stepped forward and duly drilled his kick into the bottom right corner as Foster dived in the opposite direction. 2-1.
Further attacks followed down both flanks that included a low cross from Rose – caught, and fierce shot from Reeves – blocked, and then somewhat against the run of play Bassett regained their two-goal advantage when a deep cross from their right flank reached Alfie Presley at the far-left post and he headed it into the ‘mix’ on the edge of the 6-yard box where CHRIS ZEBROSKI prodded it into the net. 3-1.
By the hour mark Cirencester had had to make two enforced substitutions as both Graham and Reeves had sustained injuries - replaced by Ed Taylor and Ross Gabriel – and on the hour Bell reached the right corner to cross caught by Foster.
A long ball out of the home defence was plucked out of the air by Zebroski and sent to the left side-edge of the visitor’s box where the threat ended due to an ‘offside’ flag.
As the game entered the final ten minutes a number of substitutions had taken place and Cirencester had pressed down their flanks and six minutes from the scheduled final whistle, they reduced the home advantage to one goal to place the result on a knife edge.
Cirencester custodian Ronnie Newbery punted the ball to Bonsa Teshome and he slipped it inside to Bell who completed an outrageous ‘dummy’ to keep possession before slipping the ball to Ed Taylor (right of centre - 35 yard out) and he looked up before delivering a well-weighted pass into the path of his U18’s team-mate, HARLEY ARNOLD, who also checked his position (to ensure he was onside) before darting forward to collect the ball. Once collected the youngster moved forward down the right channel, and as Foster advanced, he calmly slid the ball inside the right post from 25 yards with commendable composure to score his first goal for the First Team. 3-2.
A minute later as Cirencester attacked again there was a strong shout for ‘handball’ in the home box but this time the Referee was unmoved and play continued.
Shortly before the 90-minute mark Aidan Bennett found space and time to shoot from 30 yards but it was safely gathered by Foster.
In added-time Newbery saved a Pagliaroli effort form the right channel, 15 yards out, and a shot from Tom Moore from a similar distance on their left flank, after Zebroski had headed the ball on to him, whilst following a corner kick Cirencester had the ball headed away from their hosts goal at the near post.
Full Time: 3-2
A much improved second period following a disappointing start to the match.
More confidence is required from the Centurions as they are certainly capable of competing with their opponents.
Attendance: 165 Referee: Coby Woodley
ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT TOWN:
1. James Foster
20. Brad Pagliaroli
3. Noah Coates
4. Chris Taylor
5. Adam Corcoran ©
6. Oliver Case
7. Alfie Presley
18. Chris Zebroski 20, 56
9. George Peare
10. Tommy Ouldridge 27
11. Bailey Gallagher
2. Dan Hill (Adam Corcoran-66mins)
8. Ollie Pitt (Alfie Presley-74mins)
21. Chalmers Phinn (Chris Taylor-46mins)
16. Alan Griffin
17. Tom Moore (Tommy Ouldridge-74mins)
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Lewis Thorne
3. Ogaga Edward
4. Aidan Bennett ©
5. Jonathan Aitkenhead
6. Jack Horrell 47p
7. Jack freeman
8. Ethan Rose
9. Craig Graham
10. Finley Bell
11. Harrison Reeves
12. Ross Gabriel (Harrison Reeves-58mins)
14. Ed Taylor (Craig Graham-52mins)
18. Oliver Rejek (Jack Horrell-74mins)
16. Harley Arnold (Jack Freeman-78mins) 84
17. Bonsa Teshome (Ethan Rose-82mins)