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
The final team to visit The Talent Hire Stadium for a Season 2024-25 Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division fixture was LONGLEVENS AFC and after a disappointing performance from The Centurions the visitors returned to Gloucester with the 3-points.
Prior to the match Longlevens sat in 17th place in the league table with 25 points from 34 games played whilst The Centurions were two places above them with 35 points from the same number of games.
With only 4 games to play (including this one) a positive result was essential to both sides so a competitive match was anticipated.
The match started at a brisk pace as Cirencester kicked-off towards the Arena end of the ground and made progress down their left flank to be awarded an early free kick that eventually resulted in a goal kick.
The visitors responded as Shaun O’Connor made a driving run down the left channel into the home half before slipping the ball right to Jack Holmes who appeared to shoot from 30-yards but the ball was collected by Shiyak Sutherland who turned and shot from the right channel front edge of the home box – blocked and cleared.
Both sides produced some neat passing football leading up to the 15-minute mark but the visitors tested custodian Ronnie Newbery as Jack Beardsell collected a loose ball near the front edge of the home box, turned, shot, saved.
During the next few minutes Sutherland was involved a couple of times as he tested Newbery – first carrying the ball down the centre before shooting and then unleashing a fierce strike from the right-side edge of the box that Newbery parried.
At the mid-point of the half some intricate footwork from Sutherland near the centre circle enabled him to release Myles Corson down the left flank and his cross into the box yielded a corner kick.
A few minutes later another deflected effort from Sutherland was saved by Newbery at his right post and leading up to the 30-minute mark Longlevens increased the pressure on their hosts who survived a series of corner kicks as Dave Bampton, Ross Gabriel and Ed Scott made important headers to clear the danger.
Shortly afterwards Gabriel headed the ball on to Aidan Bennett, who collected near the left side edge of the visitors box, cut right and unloaded a fierce strike that cannoned off the top right corner of the crossbar - to be recycled to Bonsa Teshome and he in turn produced some trickery as he cut along the right byline and shot – blocked for a corner kick that Jack Horrell delivered to the far-left post where it bobbed about before being cleared.
Cirencester were soon back again as Newbery launched the ball downfield but visiting ‘keeper Kane Winman spotted the danger and advanced to the edge of his box to collect as a fast-closing Bennett arrived.
A neat period of play from Cirencester followed with Harley Arnold, Teshome, Ethan Rose combining to reach the right corner where the resulting cross was blocked.
Five minutes before the scheduled interval SHIYAK SUTHERLAND received the ball 30-yards from goal, right of centre, and unexpectedly unleashed a fierce strike that nestled in the bottom left corner – despite Newbery getting a hand to it. 0-1.
In the remaining minutes Horrell supplied Teshome who slipped the ball down the line to a supporting Rose – goal kick and then Horrell delivered a free kick to the far-left post where Gabriel headed over the target.
Half Time: 0-1.
During the first half Cirencester had seen plenty of the ball without really testing their opponents whilst Longlevens had countered to good effect to be rewarded with the lead.
Within minutes of the re-start Longlevens added a second when Winman punted the ball down the right channel for JACK BEARDSELL to collect and burst forward, and as he reached the home box he shot towards the far-left post where a desperately covering Ogaga Edward attempting to block couldn’t prevent the ball entering the net. 0-2.
With the two-goal cushion the visitors continued their game plan as they countered quickly when Cirencester worked the ball forward and lost the ball with miss-placed passes, blocks or caught by Winman.
Following a Cirencester attack down their right flank the ball was cleared to Sam Kelly near half-way and he began a run and exchange of passes with Byard and Holmes that enabled him to reach the left byline where he pulled the ball back to a supporting JACK BYARD who drove it into the net from 12-yards. 0-3.
A minute later Cirencester were reduced to ten men when Bennett was sent to the ‘sin bin’ for ten minutes due to protesting too strongly to the Referee regarding a tackle.
As the game was drawing to a close Harry Titchener won the ball and managed to poke it to JACK FREEMAN and he wasted no time in shooting from 25-yards, right of centre, into the bottom right corner to reduce the arrears. 1-3.
As the 90-minute mark approached the ball was worked to the right corner where Finley Bell took it along the byline and ‘won’ a corner kick that Freeman delivered into the ‘mix’ for a scramble to follow and when the ball was cleared it was collected by ALEX KNIGHT who embarked on a run down the left channel that took him from half-way to the home box where he tucked it inside the far-right post. 1-4.
Full Time: 1-4
The visitors came with a game-plan and determination, having lost to Lydney Town in mid-week, and it worked whilst Cirencester had plenty of possession but no goal threat in the first half and lost their shape in the second.
Attendance: 102 Referee: Emmanuel Adeeko
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery (GK)
2. Ogaga Edward
3. Edward Scott
4. Dave Bampton
5. Kyle Pitts
6. Jack Horrell
7. Harley Arnold
8. Ethan Rose
9. Aidan Bennett ©
10. Ross Gabriel
12. Bonsa Teshome
14. Jack Freeman (Harley Arnold-58mins) 87
16. Christian Oliver (Aidan Bennett-86mins)
17. Finley Bell (Bonsa Teshome-67mins)
18. Harry Titchener (Ogaga Edward-52mins)
LONGLEVENS AFC:
1. Kane Winman (GK)
2. James Barnett
3. Jack Byard 73
4. Ollie Long ©
5. Ryan Williams
6. Jack Holmes
7. Cam Williams
8. Shaun O’Connor
9. Jack Beardsell 48
10. Myles Corson
11. Shiyak Sutherland 40
12. Fisayo Adeogun (Jack Byard-90mins)
14. Sam Kelly (Myles Corson-59mins)
15. Jurek Marszalek (Ryan Williams-90+4mins)
16. Alex Knight (Shiyak Sutherland-83mins) 90+2
17. Monty New (Jack Beardsell-86mins)