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 produced by Dave Pyzer
The Centurions made the short trip across the county line, into Wiltshire, to face ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT TOWN at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground for their second away fixture of the new season in the Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division and after a very competitive match they returned with a point.
A number of last season’s players left the home Club following the departure of former Manager Sam Collier and as a result new Manager, Jonathan Aitkenhead (a Cirencester Town player last season), is in the process of rebuilding the playing squad.
'Bassett' lost their opening league fixture - at Thornbury Town (2-0) - but defeated Lydney Town after a replay in The Emirates FA Cup.
Cirencester also lost their opening league fixture - at Slimbridge (3-2) - and were knocked out of the Cup after a replay by Reading City.
The visitors kicked off to launch the ball downfield but it was soon returned over their back four - resulting in some pressure on the Cirencester defence.
Play became ‘end-to-end’ as neither side could retain the ball for long, due to the strong tackling, with both Penalty Areas threatened and around the mid-point of the half Ollie Pitt took a quick free kick to supply Harrison Reeves who fired at the target from 25 yards – deflected wide for a corner kick that resulted in two strikes inside the home box that were blocked before the threat was cleared. Jack Horrell collected the clearance on the visitors left flank and promptly sent the ball towards the far-right post where ‘keeper Lewis Clark pushed it wide of his goal.
As Cirencester recycled the ball to press again the ball was cleared down the home sides right channel for BEN CLEARY to collect as he darted behind the Cirencester back line. He then moved forward to the front edge of the visitor’s box before slipping the ball past the advancing Ronnie Newbery and inside the far-left post to open the scoring. 1-0.
Cirencester responded to the setback as a Reeves effort was diverted for a corner kick that Noah Coates headed out, and shortly afterwards a long pass from Newbery was chased and crossed from the left corner by Jordan Morris to be diverted for another corner kick that was defended.
A few minutes later Bassett countered down their right flank with the resulting cross leading to a couple of corner kicks and a cross from Lewis Heywood that Kyle Pitts headed clear.
Leading up to the interval Pitts was put under pressure but calmly played the ball down the right flank for Reeves to take it along the byline where his progress was halted by Jordan Sykes for a counter attack to follow as Jonathan Peachey-Score charged to the right byline to deliver a low cross towards the Penalty Spot where Cleary was arriving – his instant shot was blocked by Newbery and cleared by Pitt to Reeves who galloped down the left channel to the home box to shoot – diverted by Clark away from his goal.
Half Time: 1-0
Cirencester came out for the second half in more determined mood and in the opening five minutes Aidan Bennett had a cross defended, and headed wide of the right post - after Pitt and Bell had combined to supply him.
The Centurions soon returned as Bell supplied Bennett, inside the home box, and he laid it back to Horrell who fired over from 25 yards.
Shortly before the hour mark Kye Williams collected a loose ball, following a pass-back to Newbery, but fired over the open goal from 22 yards.
Play then became frantic for a few minutes with rash challenges until a cross-field pass from George Peare to the right corner was collected by Price who sent a low cross towards the Penalty Spot for Reeves to collect but he was quickly surrounded and the threat ended.
Within minutes Bell delivered a deep cross from the right flank to the far-left post where Price headed down and across the goal – Clark parried the effort and Ethan Rose darted forward to bundle the rebound into the net but an ‘offside’ decision cut short his joy.
Thirty minutes into the second half (including stoppages) and following a Cirencester corner kick Peachey-Score cleared the ball for their main outlet, Cleary, to charge down the left channel to shoot – it clipped the top of the bar.
After this escape Cirencester pressed again as a Price header was caught by Clark and a Bell chip was just over the target.
The newly arrived Jack Freeman was then involved in some clever play in the left corner as his low cross was allowed to run by one team-mate to another but the home side made the clearance and countered as Peachey-Score made a long run down their left flank and into the visitor’s box where Pitts came across to challenge – a heavy touch then enabled Newbery to pounce on the ball.
A minute later the action was at the other end as HARLIE PRICE received the ball in the left channel of the home box and struck a right footed shot towards the far-right post – Clark got a hand to it but couldn’t prevent it entering his net. 1-1.
Three minutes later Jack Horrell returned to the contest following his ten minutes in the ‘sin-bin’.
Cirencester increased the pressure leading up to the final whistle as Peare’s glancing header was wide of the target and another Pitt free kick to the back post was headed back across goal by Pitts but did not finish in the back of the net.
During ‘added-time’ a number of Yellow Cards were issued – one of which was a second Yellow for a home player so the offender was dismissed.
Full Time: 1-1
A difficult match for everyone involved with numerous free kicks, cards, injury delays and substitutions – yet only nine extra minutes were played.
Attendance: 190 Referee: Coby Woodley
ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT TOWN:
23. Lewis Clark
15. Noah Coates
3. Ben Spackman
13. Henry Parry-Williams
5. Terry Francis
12. Lewis Heywood
21. Ed Taylor
22. Bonsa Teshome
20. Ben Cleary 27
24. Jonathan Peachey-Score
14. Rudi Hopkins
4. Jordan Sykes (Terry Francis-20mins)
7. Marcel Lewis (Noah Coates-58mins)
8. Miguel Alves (Ed Taylor-53mins)
11. Kye Williams (Rudi Hopkins-53mins))
19. Kassa Anderson (Ben Cleary-68mins)
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Fraser Bell
3. Jordan Morris
4. George Peare
5. Kyle Pitts
6. Jack Horrell
7. Aidan Bennett ©
8. Ollie Pitt
9. Harlie Price 86
10. Ethan Rose
11. Harrison Reeves
12. Elliott Keightley (Ethan Rose-70mins)
14. Jack Freeman (Harrison Reeves-80mins)
15. Charlie Sutton
16. Harley Arnold (Aidan Bennett-90+5mins))
17. Harry Titchener