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 Centurions travelled the comparatively short distance to SLIMBRIDGE for this mid-week Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division fixture, (having been knocked-out of the Marsh (UHL) Challenge Cup at the weekend) and a goal mid-way into the first half was enough to secure the ‘double’ for ‘The Swans’.
Prior to the fixture Slimbridge sat in 14th place in the league table, one place above their visitors, with 36 points from 34 games whilst Cirencester had 35 points from 33 games played.
As a result the match had much significance to both sides, and the tension showed in the quality of football played on a cold evening - and a pitch that was getting harder as the game progressed - with neither side able to retain possession for long.
The home side kicked-off but soon lost possession enabling Cirencester to have the first pot at goal as Jack Horrell pulled his effort wide of the left post from 25 yards.
During the early stages Cirencester pressed and Slimbridge countered quickly to ‘win’ throw-ins from their right corner that reached the visitors box and had to be defended.
Shortly before Cirencester had a goal disallowed for ‘offside’ Harrison Reeves broke into the left channel of the home box but had his shot blocked to be recycled to the right channel for Ethan Rose to send a low cross that ‘keeper Travis Wood collected at his left post.
Slimbridge replied down their right flank to the corner for throw-ins and as Cirencester countered down the centre Reeves shirt was tugged but nothing was awarded – but when he remonstrated with the Referee he was sent to the ‘sin-bin’ for ‘dissent’ reducing Cirencester to 10-men.
The home side took full advantage of the situation a few minutes later as Hadyn Evans switched play from left to right for the ball to be delivered towards the Penalty Spot where KIEREN BENNETT managed to loop his header over the defence and inside the right post. 1-0.
A few minutes later Will Hawes chased after a ball down the right flank and was rewarded for his efforts with a corner kick that was defended in the 6-yard box.
On the 30-minute mark Kyle Pitts cleared the ball down the right flank for Bonsa Teshome to chase and cut-in along the byline where his cross was blocked for a corner kick that Wood punched out for Aidan Bennett to collect, turn sharply and shoot – but a defender stuck his head in the way on the line at the right post to concede another corner kick from the left flank that reached Reeves who dribbled into the home box and shot – saved by Wood at his right post.
As the half was drawing to a close Slimbridge mounted a couple of attacks that reached the Cirencester box but were repelled.
Half Time: 1-0
During the interval Cirencester re-organised with several positional changes – Ethan Rose to left back, Ed Scott to left centre back and Andy Lewis into midfield.
Almost immediately from the re-start Cirencester were awarded a corner kick that was cleared to Scott who sent it out to Pitts as he peeled off to the left corner (having been in the mix for the corner) and he crossed towards the back post – goal kick.
Five minutes later Cirencester took a quick free kick to Reeves, inside to Jack Freeman, back to Reeves as he burst to the edge of the home box where his strike was blocked.
Shortly afterwards Cirencester produced a multi-pass move down their left flank - involving Rose, Freeman, Reeves, Lewis and back to Reeves - but Reeves pass towards the box was intercepted on the edge and the threat ended.
Around the hour mark Callum Dark approached the left byline and from the narrowest of angles his shot went past the far-right post for a corner kick that Ronnie Newbery caught.
Within minutes Slimbridge launched the ball down their right flank, over the visitor’s defenders on that side, but an alert Ogaga Edward quickly came across to deal with the threat.
At the mid-point of the half the busy Reeves received the ball on the left channel front edge of the home box and fired towards the bottom left post where Wood made a solid save to deny him.
With substitutions and free kicks the final quarter was stop/start and tetchy as both sides battled for ascendancy and as the 90-minute mark approached Slimbridge countered quickly as Rhys Sarson released Will Tainton for a 1v1 with Newbery. The ‘keeper blocked the initial effort and when Kieran Bennett latched onto the loose ball his effort was blocked on the line by a covering defender for a corner kick. A couple of short corner kicks followed and as soon as Cirencester had the ball Pitts launched it up the pitch for Ross Gabriel to head on to a supporting Reeves but his cross was blocked by Charlie Hitchings at the near left post and it was all over.
Full Time: 1-0
A competitive game with plenty of action at each end of the pitch as neither side retained the ball for long.
Attendance: 117 Referee: Adam Bewley
SLIMBRIDGE:
1. Travis Wood
2. Bogdan Mara
3. Joe Hunt
4. Hadyn Evans
5. Nathan Dennis
6. Charlie Hitchings ©
7. Sergio Mills
8. Joe Gray
9. Will Hawes
10. Kieran Bennett 23
14. Callum Dark
11. Rhys Sarson (Callum Dark-77mins)
14. William Djiaha-Nsangou
15. Will Tainton (Will Hawes-71mins)
16. Demari Bryant
17. Harley Mulraney (Joe Gray-68mins)
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Ogaga Edward
3. Edward Scott
4. Andy Lewis
5. Kyle Pitts
6. Jack Horrell
7. Bonsa Teshome
8. Ethan Rose
9. Aidan Bennett ©
10. Jack Freeman
11. Harrison Reeves
12. Dave Bampton
14. Harley Arnold (Andy Lewis-71mins)
16. Harry Titchener (Jack Freeman-86mins)
17. Ross Gabriel (Aidan Bennett-77mins)
18. Christian Oliver (Ogaga Edward-86mins)