Cirencester Town FC
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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
The final match of 2024 brought TUFFLEY ROVERS to The Talent Hire Stadium for a Hellenic League - Premier Division fixture and following an entertaining match ‘The Rovers’ returned to Gloucester with the 3-points as they took full advantage when Cirencester were reduced to ten-men 32 minutes into the contest.
Prior to this match Tuffley Rovers sat in 11th place in the league table with 35 points from their 27 games whilst Cirencester were in 16th place with 22 points from 25 games played. In the reverse fixture in October Cirencester came away with the 3 points following an unfortunate Own Goal for the home side.
‘The Rovers’ kicked off playing towards The Arena end of the ground as they attacked down the middle and immediately lost the ball, enabling Cirencester to counter down their right flank but they too lost the ball for Tuffley to try again to the left corner.
This was to prove to be a feature of the game – attack and counter attack.
Five minutes into the match however Finley Bell darted into the left channel of the visitor’s box to deliver a cross towards the Penalty Spot where Ross Gabriel was arriving to powerfully head towards goal. Visiting custodian Luke Merchant reacted to block the effort and as a scramble ensued managed to drop on the ball near his right post.
Five minutes later the action was at the other end as Lewis Thorne was called upon to clear the ball off the pitch as Tuffley attacked down their left channel to the front edge of the home box.
Cirencester responded to this as Bell and Harrison Reeves battled for possession on the edge of the centre circle, with the ball breaking loose for Jack Freeman to send it to the right flank for Aidan Bennett to deliver another cross towards the Penalty Spot where Gabriel headed over the target.
Around the 15-minute mark Reeves laid the ball back to Jordan Morris who clipped it down the left channel for Gabriel to control and lay it off to Bell who changed the point of attack to the right flank where it was defended.
The visitors replied as they pressed to win a corner kick and threatened the home box when Corey Warrington slipped the ball through for Karnell Chambers but the covering defence prevented further progress.
At the mid-point of the half Ed Scott won the ball and supplied Bell who charged down the left channel into the visitor’s box and crossed into the danger area in front of goal. It was too firm for Gabriel to reach it but Bennett was lurking at the far post but it was intercepted and cleared before he could collect.
As Tuffley countered Harley Mustoe played a firm pass down the right channel, destined for Warrington as he burst forward, but the outstretched leg of Scott intercepted enabling Morris to send it forward for Bell to charge to the corner – resulting in a corner kick that was headed over the target at the back post by Dave Bampton.
The game was certainly picking up pace and a little while later as Tuffley countered down the centre Chambers drove forward to be tripped by the last defender as he approached the home box - the culprit was awarded a straight Red Card and dismissed.
Former Centurion MARK PRITCHETT stepped forward to take the kick, from a central position 20 yards out, and drove the ball low and hard and it took a deflection of the foot of a ‘jumping wall’ to finish in the bottom right corner. 0-1.
Undeterred Cirencester responded as a couple of minutes later Reeves crossed to the Penalty Spot for Gabriel to head towards the top right corner but somehow Merchant managed to push it away from goal.
As the interval loomed home ‘keeper Ronnie Newbery was called upon to dive at the feet of an opponent to cut out a pass into his box, Morris embarked on a run down the left flank that took him past two opponents, Lewis Thorne had to defend a Kieren Alder pass towards the back post after he had been released to the right-side edge of the home box by Mustoe, and Freeman and Jack Horrell had posts at the goal – the former over the target and the latter into the waiting arms of Merchant.
Half Time: 0-1
It had certainly been an eventful and hectic first period but the question was could ten-man Cirencester hold out and get something from the game.
The answer was soon provided as the visitors started very positively with Chambers pace in the thick of the action as within two minutes of the restart he had had two attempts at goal – the first wide of the target and the second into the arms of Newbery – and slipped Bradley Bevan in for a shot that Newbery pushed wide.
Five minutes after the interval Tuffley were awarded a free kick, left channel – 20 yards out, that KIERAN ALDER clipped over the ‘wall’ and into the bottom left corner with great precision. 0-2.
With nothing to lose Cirencester continued to push forward as they produced some neat passing and as the hour approached Thorne intercepted and embarked on a run that took him past three opponents and into the visitor’s box before he came back out to supply Freeman who fired over the target.
Shortly afterwards Chambers was released a couple of times with a well-timed tackle from Scott stopping his progress and Newbery blocking his shot but his pace was proving to be a useful outlet when Cirencester pressed forward.
As the mid-point of the second period approached Reeves released Horrell who sent a cross through the visitor’s box without contact and this was soon followed by a free kick that Reeves delivered to the front edge of the 6-yard box for Merchant to punch clear – to be recycled to Bell who fired over from just outside the box.
As the game entered the scheduled final ten minutes Ethan Rose headed a Thorne cross into the arms of Merchant and Scott headed a free kick wide of the left post – it was just not happening for the home side despite their efforts.
In the closing minutes both Bevan and Chambers were released for 1v1’s with Newbery – Bevan’s passed wide of the right post and Chambers had the same result as a covering tackle came in from Scott.
In between these efforts Thorne won the ball to fire over the top right corner of the target from 22 yards.
As the game entered ‘added-time’ Chambers and Alder combined to release BRADLEY BEVAN and he tucked his shot into the net. 0-3.
Full Time: 0-3
A disappointing result for the Centurions who showed plenty of spirit but the dismissal no doubt enabled the visitors to take full advantage of the increased space so that they could exploit the pace of Chambers.
Attendance: 181 Referee: Liam Brace
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Lewis Thorne
3. Jordan Morris
4. Edward Scott
5. Dave Bampton
6. Jack Horrell
7. Finley Bell
8. Jack Freeman
9. Ross Gabriel
10. Aidan Bennett ©
11. Harrison Reeves
12. Ogaga Edward (Jordan Morris-80mins)
14. Jesse Thompson (Jack Freeman-63mins)
16. Ethan Rose (Ross Gabriel-71mins)
17. Jonathan Aitkenhead (Jack Horrell-71mins)
18. Bonsa Teshome (Harrison Reeves-80mins)
TUFFLEY ROVERS:
1. Luke Merchant ©
2. Elijah Simpson
3. Ellis Clifford
4. Mark Pritchett 32
5. Macaulay Herbert
6. Callum McGuirk
7. Corey Warrington
8. Harley Mustoe
9. Karnell Chambers
10. Kieran Alder 50
11. Brad Bevan 90+1
12. Connor Walters (Harley Mustoe-80mins)
14. Dean Turner
15. Liam Smith (Mark Pritchett-75mins)
16. Neil Mustoe