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
Following their success in the Isuzu FA Vase competition on Saturday Cirencester returned to The Talent Hire Stadium for an Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division Bank Holiday fixture against near neighbours FAIRFORD TOWN and following an entertaining and competitive match the visitors secured victory.
Before the match there was a presentation by Steve Abbley (Club Chairman) to AIDAN BENNETT (Club Captain) to recognise his achievement of reaching 500 appearances for the First Team over the weekend - at Oldland Abbotonians in the Isuzu FA Vase.
Prior to this match FAIRFORD TOWN sat in 12th place in the League table with 5 points from 5 games played whilst Cirencester were in 17th place with 2 points from the same number of games.
Last season today’s visitors defeated The Centurions 3-0 at The Talent Hire Stadium and drew 2-2 in the reverse fixture in the League, and also recorded a 7-0 victory over the newly formed Centurion side, in their second competitive match of the season, in The FA Cup at the Acorn Property Group Stadium.
Cirencester kicked-off to attack down their left flank, playing towards The Arena end of the ground, to reach the corner and deliver a cross into the visitor’ box – cut-out and cleared.
A few minutes later The Centurions worked the ball from left to right before Kyle Pitts launched it to the right corner for Ollie Pitt to collect as he darted forward – eventually resulting in a free kick to the visitors but Cirencester were soon back as a low, well-timed challenge from Jack Horrell won the ball, just inside his half, and he released Theo Jeremy for a run down the right flank again.
Fairford replied as they launched the ball out of defence to Sol Pryce who turned and charged forward, down their left channel, to reach the Penalty Area where Pitts challenged and the ball deflected off him for a corner kick – Adam Mace delivered the kick to the back post where Joah Hall headed onto the net.
Almost immediately the ball was launched over the Cirencester defence to Fairford’s right corner where Alfie Presley gave chase to pressure Ed Scott – the young defender withstood the challenge and eventually was awarded a free kick.
It had certainly been a busy opening ten minutes to the match and shortly afterwards the visitors had to make a substitution as former Centurion Tommy Ouldridge aggravated an injury in a challenge and had to be replaced.
Leading up to the mid-point of the half Cirencester continued to probe as the ball was worked from right to left and back again before they tried the centre as Pitt exchanged passes with George Peare before he supplied Fraser Bell as he darted into the box to shoot to ‘keeper Connor Johns – in the process of shooting he was knocked to ground and weak shouts for a Penalty Kick were ignored by a well-placed Referee.
A couple of minutes later Fraser Bell turned supplier as he crossed from the left corner to the back post for Jeremy’s header to be diverted to Johns.
After Mace had overlapped to send a cross through the front edge of the 6-yard box without contact, from the left side edge of the home box, a DRINKS BREAK was taken.
Upon the re-start Cirencester worked the ball down their right flank as Jeremy made ground but as the ball was switched towards the left it was intercepted by Presley who immediately released Tino Shumba down their left channel and he cut inside before sending the ball to their right flank where it was lost.
Moments later Harrison Edwards intercepted a pass and drove down the centre to the home box to meet an advancing ‘keeper, Ronnie Newbery, in a 1v1 – the Fairford man struck his shot towards the right post and Newbery stuck out a leg to divert it away from his goal but it was recycled, leading to a corner kick that Henry Birkett delivered to the far-right post to be cleared for Hall to fire over the home bar.
By now the game was very open - when Cirencester worked the ball forward Fairford quickly transferred it to their mobile forwards Pryce, Shumba and Presley who stretched the home defence with their pace.
As the game entered the final 15 minutes of the half another long ball resulted in a corner kick from the right flank that Mace delivered to the back post for Hall to head goalwards – Newbery’s finger tips diverted it wide of his right post.
Within minutes Fairford opened their account with a goal of simplicity, but excellent execution, as they were awarded a free kick just inside the home half, left channel, and ADAM MACE stepped forward to take. He noted that Newbery was positioned near his Penalty Spot and promptly drove the ball over the ‘keeper and inside the right post. 0-1.
Undeterred Cirencester continued to work forward as Horrell sent a 50-yard pass to the left corner for Pitt to work his way along the byline – resulting in a corner kick that Johns punched clear.
As the half was drawing to a close Presley and Scott were involved in another chase to the right corner with the clearance being intercepted by Shumba who worked his way along the front edge of the home box before shooting – blocked, cleared and sent back towards the left post where a corner kick was conceded. The kick was driven towards the Penalty Spot where Shumba darted forward at pace to head wide of the target.
As the half entered ‘added-time’ DAN HILL charged down the right flank before delivering a deep cross towards the far-left post – Newbery stretched and appeared to have made the catch but as he fell to ground the ball broke loose to rebound off the inside of the post into the net. 0-2.
There was still time for both teams to mount attacks before the Referee’s whistle blew for the interval.
Half Time: 0-2
During the interval Finley Bell replaced an injured Jordan Morris for Cirencester.
The visitors restarted the game by launching the ball to their right corner but as it was worked towards their left flank it was lost for Cirencester to mount a counter attack as Finley Bell moved it right to Horrell, right again to Jeremy who skilfully worked his way along the right byline to ‘win’ a corner kick that was cleared.
When Cirencester returned to probe the right corner and enter the visitors box the ball reached Pitt who sent a cross from the right channel towards the Penalty Spot where it was cleared and quickly fed to Shumba who galloped down the right flank before sending a deep cross to the far-left post – resulting in a corner kick that was delivered from the left to the near post where a scramble ensued and after a number of blocks SOL PRYCE managed to force the ball into the net. 0-3.
Within a couple of minutes of the re-start, as Cirencester were working the ball down their right channel, the ball was lost for Presley to send a 40-yard pass, from inside his half, over and behind a high home backline for TINO SHUMBA to collect and slip past an advancing Newbery. 0-4.
Moments later Mace delivered another cross-field pass for Shumba to collect and run at the home defence – this time he clipped the ball towards the front edge of the 6-yard box where Pryce darted from left to right to connect with his head and the ball grazed the left post.
Despite the scoreline Cirencester continued to play their football as Pitts sent the ball to the left side-edge of the Fairford box where Harlie Price collected and cut right - his shot clipping Luke Hitchman for Johns to gather.
Fairford then worked the ball down their left flank with a succession of throw-ins and as they reached the line of the front edge of the home box Leroy Odiero launched a huge throw towards the left post – Pitts headed it clear and a counter attack followed that ended in Johns arms but almost immediately it was collected by FINLEY BELL who promptly fired it into the top left corner from 25 yards to reduce the arrears. 1-4.
Encouraged the ball was soon fed to Jeremy who cut left from the right corner along the front edge of the visitor’s box but his shot flew high over the bar. Moments later Jeremy carried the ball out of defence and sent it left to Bennett who launched it to the left corner.
As the home side pressed the ball was delivered by Jeremy to Fraser Bell, left flank – 35 yards out, and he drove forward into the Fairford box, drew Johns towards him and slipped the ball right to a supporting Price who surprisingly sent it over the bar from the edge of the 6-yard box.
Another ‘DRINKS BREAK’ soon followed and on the resumption of play Newbery delivered the ball to Jonty Welch and he cleverly slipped the ball to Price, after a drag-back and back heel had created the opportunity, who in turn supplied Finley Bell on the edge of the Fairford box – his resulting shot being blocked.
Fairford responded to test Newbery as he punched a corner kick clear and caught a free kick under his crossbar before Cirencester mounted another attack down their left flank as the Bell brothers combined to reach the corner for a corner kick to be awarded that was delivered to the back post. It was initially blocked by Odiero but recycled to JONTY WELCH, right channel – 15 yards out, who fired a left footed strike towards the left post that took a deflection and clipped the post before entering the net. 2-4.
After another long throw from Odiero had been defended Cirencester worked the ball to the left corner for Fraser Bell to cross and Pitts to head wide of the left post. Back they came as Price played the ball to Welch who switched play to the left flank for Fraser Bell to slip the ball to Jeremy who darted down the left channel of the Fairford box to fizz a left footed strike narrowly wide of the far-right post.
Finley Bell then delivered another cross to the far-right post where Jack Freeman and Price were just short of making contact.
Cirencester were really putting the Fairford defence under pressure at this point as a Pitts cross resulted in a header from Ashton Wallace into the air being caught by Johns and Odiero heading a cross over his bar but they could not make the breakthrough to add to their tally.
Full Time: 2-4
Cirencester displayed plenty of character to challenge their opponents after being four goals down in an entertaining ‘game of two halves’ as the saying goes.
Attendance: 180 Referee: Liam Brace
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Elliott Keightley
3. Jordan Morris
4. Ed Scott
5. Kyle Pitts
6. Jack Horrell
7. Theo Jeremy
8. Ollie Pitt
9. George Peare
10. Fraser Bell
11. Aidan Bennett ©
12. Finley Bell (Jordan Morris-46mins) 62
14. Harlie Price (George Peare-54mins)
15. Jack Freeman (Jack Horrell-73mins)
16. Ethan Rose (Aidan Bennett-69mins)
17. Jonty Welch (Ollie Pitt-51mins) 80
FAIRFORD TOWN:
1. Connor Johns
2. Henry Birkett
3. Dan Hill 45+2
4. Tommy Ouldridge
5. Luke Hitchman ©
17. Leroy Odiero
12. Adam Mace 36
8. Joah Hall
19. Tino Shumba 53
10. Alfie Presley
18. Sol Pryce 50
11. Finn Hopkins (Harrison Edwards-45+2mins)
14. Olly Bradbury (Tino Shumba-82mins)
15. Ashton Wallace (Adam Mace-78mins)
7. Harrison Edwards (Tommy Ouldridge-16mins)
9. Dan Grieve (Alfie Presley-89mins)