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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Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Match photos supplied by Graham Hill
Match report by Dave Pyzer
The latest visitors to The Talent Hire Stadium for an Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division fixture was former Southern League opponents SLIMBRIDGE and following an ‘end-to-end’ encounter it was the visitors that took the points with two goals in two minutes at the end of the first half.
Prior to the match Slimbridge sat in 11th place in the League table with 24 points from 17 games played, whilst their hosts were in 15th place with 14 points from the same number of games so another tough game was anticipated - as usual against ‘The Swans’.
The home side had a couple of players ‘missing’ when compared to last week’s victory with defender Dave Bampton and goal-scorer Harrison Reeves unavailable so Aidan Bennett dropped into defence with Ethan Rose returning on the flank. Jack Horrell has completed his three-match ban, following his Red Card at Westfields, and was able to return to the midfield.
Cirencester started quickly as they worked the ball down their right flank - Ross Gabriel to a supporting Lewis Thorne, forward to Finley Bell, inside to Jack Horrell, right to Thorne who was now near the front right corner of the visitor’s box where a free kick was awarded. Finley Bell slipped the kick across the front edge of the Penalty Area to Horrell who clipped his effort over the bar.
The visitors replied with some neat play as they worked the ball across the pitch before sending it down their right channel but too long for anyone to collect – goal kick.
A few minutes later they sent the ball down the centre but an alert Ronnie Newbery left his box to clear the threat.
As Slimbridge began another attack down their left flank Thorne intercepted and charged forward to the right front corner of the visitor’s box before slipping the ball to Gabriel as he darted across the box to the right of the Penalty Spot where his initial effort was blocked but he improvised to back-heel the rebound goal-wards – collected by ‘keeper Olly Phillips.
Once again Slimbridge responded with a clearance down the centre of the pitch for Callum Dark to chase and this time Newbery had to venture further out of his box to head the ball clear.
Shortly after the mid-point of the half Cirencester worked the ball forward from left to right and down the flank with several players involved but the threat was dealt with by the Slimbridge defence enabling Toby Soule to deliver a long ball to right of the Penalty Spot where Liam Harper headed wide of the right post.
Both sides were using their right flanks often and ten minutes from the scheduled interval Ethan Rose played the ball down the flank to the corner where Gabriel collected and delivered a low cross that passed through the 6-yard box to be put out at the back post for a corner kick that yielded another one from the right. Jack Freeman sent this one to the back post but it curled onto the top of the net for a goal-kick.
The reply from Slimbridge was a Jonty Welch ‘chip’ down the right channel for Clayson to chase – Newbery began to advance but decided Clayson would get there first and backed-off with the result that Clayson’s clip was wide of the far-left post to be cleared.
On the stroke of half-time as Cirencester worked the ball forward from defence Bonsa Teshome displayed some quick feet to evade a challenge but was quickly surrounded enabling Josiah McKayle to send the ball out to Dark, back to Jacob Rodgers, right to Soule, right to BOGDAN MARA who struck a thunderbolt from 30 yards, right channel, that evaded the waiting Newbery to finish in the net. 0-1.
Two minutes later, in added-time, as Cirencester pressed down their right flank to the corner the ball was lost and immediately sent forward by their visitors to reach Harper in the home box, 10-yards out right post, and his effort fell for THEO CLAYSON to provide the final touch from a couple of yards. The expected ‘offside’ flag was raised but over-ruled by the Referee and the goal stood. 0-2.
Half Time: 0-2
After the interval Cirencester pressed forward as Morris clipped the ball down the left flank for Freeman to head on to the left corner where Gabriel collected and laid it back to Freeman who took it into the visitor’s box before firing wide of the far-right post.
A few minutes later Thorne slipped the ball to Teshome who produced some trickery to ‘win’ a corner kick that was delivered to the Penalty Spot by Freeman where a scramble took place before Teshome poked it towards goal – cleared off the goal-line for another scramble before it was cleared.
Almost immediately Rose displayed some quick feet to evade an incoming challenge tight to the touchline, left flank, before charging down the flank to deliver a left-footed cross to the far-right post where Phillips punched it clear under pressure.
Shortly before the hour mark McKayle displayed some serious commitment to the Slimbridge cause when he chased after the ball to reach it just before the left post where Newbery blocked his effort but his momentum took him over the boundary fence.
This prompted a period of pressure from Slimbridge as Rhys Sarson sent a cross from the right corner towards the far-post where Newbery made the necessary catch, followed by Clayson intercepting a Cirencester pass to gallop down the right channel to shoot over the cross-bar.
At the mid-point of the half Phillips was forced into a hurried clearance that found Teshome but he recovered his ground to save at his left post.
Cirencester increased the pressure as a Bell shot from the right channel front edge of the 18-yard box was saved by Phillips but recycled for a corner kick from the left that was headed over the bar.
They were soon back again as Gabriel and Morris combined a couple of times as they worked the ball down the left flank but Morris’s cross was blocked.
Jonathan Aitkenhead, who was having a solid game at the centre of the defence, then delivered a superb 40-yard pass from the left side of the centre circle to Bell, near the right corner, and he took it to the by-line – cross blocked, collected by Teshome – cross blocked rebounding to Bell and this time the cross resulted in a corner kick that Freeman delivered into the ‘mix’ where Thorne battled and poked his shot narrowly wide of the right post from a prone position.
Five minutes from the scheduled finish Ogaga Edward embarked on a run down the left flank before slipping the ball inside to Bell who played it to Morris as he reached the left side edge of the Slimbridge box to deliver a low cross that passed through the visitors 6-yard box and past the far-right post with two incoming Centurions finishing in the net.
During the remaining few minutes Slimbridge were awarded a couple of free kicks but were unable to add to their tally due to determined defending but the damage had already been done.
Full Time: 0-2
A competitive and entertaining game with plenty of action at each end of the pitch with glimpses of quality from both sides.
Attendance: 154 Referee: James Claytor
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Lewis Thorne
3. Jordan Morris
4. Jonathan Aitkenhead
5. Aidan Bennett ©
6. Jack Horrell
7. Ethan Rose
8. Oliver Rejek
9. Ross Gabriel
10. Finley Bell
11. Jack Freeman
12. Ogaga Edward (Ross Gabriel-83mins)
14. Bonsa Teshome (Oliver Rejek-16mins)
16. James Griffiths
17. James Mortimer-Jones
18. Freddie Whitehead
SLIMBRIDGE:
1. Olly Phillips
2. Joe Hunt ©
3. Jacob Rodgers
4. Toby Soule
12. Haydn Evans
6. Bogdan Mara 45
7. Theo Clayson 45+2
8. Jonty Welch
9. Josiah McKayle
10. Liam Harper
11. Callum Dark
13. Gavin Jones (GK)
14. Sergio Mills (Callum Dark-73mins)
15. Joel Jagger (Toby Soule-79mins)
16. William Djiaha-Nsangou (Josiah McKayle-90mins)
17. Rhys Sarson (Jacob Rodgers-56mins)