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 Centurions faced near-neighbours and fellow Premier Division team ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT TOWN at The Talent Hire Stadium as they entered the Challenge Cup at the Third Round stage of the competition and after a competitive game an Own Goal decided the tie.
The visitors are in the process of rebuilding their team under the stewardship of former Centurion Jonathan Aitkenhead – following the departure of many of last season’s team with former Manager Sam Collier to Fairford Town – and whilst they currently sit in 19th place in the league table with 10 points from their 15 games played, they have secured some valuable points in recent weeks against Clubs higher in the table e.g. Away Draws against Pershore Town and Westfields (both 1-1), and narrow defeats against Droitwich Spa and Tuffley Rovers (both by the odd goal in three).
It should also be remembered that they held Cirencester to a 1-1 draw at The Gerard Buxton Ground in the second league match of the season.
Cirencester kicked-off proceedings, playing towards The Arena end of the ground, in horrendous weather conditions due to heavy rain and immediately worked the ball down their right flank to the corner where it was lost for a counter attack from the visitors that also reached their right corner to be lost.
The home side then returned to the right flank as Theo Jeremy reached the corner and laid the ball back to Fraser Bell who immediately crossed towards the far-left post for his brother Finley to dart forward and send a glancing header wide of the top left corner of the goal.
Another attack down the right flank followed and this time Fraser’s cross was blocked for a throw-in near the corner that was supplied to THEO JEREMY who produced some scintillating footwork to get past several opponents as he burst along the byline before unleashing a fierce strike from a very narrow angle that was past visiting ‘keeper Henry Sandys-Lumsdane before he could react. 1-0.
In reply the visitors mounted a quick break as the pacey Marcel Lewis darted down their right flank to cross – caught by Ronnie Newbery.
Encouraged by their early breakthrough Cirencester continued to press forward with some neat passing football and eventually were rewarded with a corner kick from their left flank that was laid to Jordan Morris who delivered an accurate cross towards the near post for Harlie Price to leap and head against the top left corner of the goal-frame – it was recycled for another couple of corner kicks and a 20-yard strike from Joe Turley that passed wide of the left post.
At this stage Cirencester had dominated possession and territory but the visitors sent a long ball down their right channel for BEN CLEARY to collect and charge into the home box before shooting past Newbery and inside the far-left post from a narrow angle. 1-1.
Despite the setback Cirencester continued with their patient build-up play with a strike from Finley Bell passing narrowly wide of the goal and at the mid-point of the half a Price header over the bar – at which point ‘keeper Sandys-Lumsdane fell to the ground and following some treatment the decision was made to substitute the ‘keeper with Lewis Clark.
As the interval approached Cirencester were still pressing but overplaying when they neared their opponents box enabling the visitors to block and counter - with Marcel Lewis often their outlet and from one break he struck a fierce drive at the target for Newbery to push onto his bar for two corner kicks to follow.
Half Time: 1-1
Whilst Cirencester had dominated possession during the first half they had been guilty of overplaying in their opponent’s box – delaying passes when team-mates made runs or taking on an extra opponent whilst looking for a perfect opening – and Bassett had shown glimpses of their ability to counter quickly.
When Bassett kicked off they worked the ball to their right corner to cross – Elliott Keightley headed the ball out but it was recycled to Ed Taylor who fired a shot just wide of the top right corner.
A few minutes later Ollie Smith sent the ball down the right channel for the visitors and as it entered the home box a defender’s touch diverted it past a wrong-footed Newbery and into the home net for an OWN GOAL. 1-2
As the half continued play became scrappy with the game interrupted by substitutions, free kicks and injuries.
Shortly after the mid-point George Peare played an instant pass to Price as he darted down the right channel but the resulting cross was intercepted leading to a corner kick and goalmouth scramble before the threat was cleared for a mass counter attack from Bassett that resulted in an interception from Ed Scott on the edge of the home box to prevent further progress.
Thirty minutes into the second half another Bassett cross from their left flank was pushed over by Newbery for a corner kick that was defended and cleared but they were soon back again as Cleary charged down the right channel and into the home box pursued by Scott who produced a sensationally well-timed tackle to block his progress for Newbery to collect the rebound.
With ten minutes remaining Cirencester were reduced to ten men when Aidan Bennett was ‘sin-binned’ for an innocuous challenge on the edge of the Bassett box after another scramble in the goalmouth.
With their extra-man advantage Bassett countered quickly during the closing stages as Marcel Lewis sent the ball down the right flank for Taylor to collect on the side edge of the home box before crossing to the left byline where Bonsa Teshome’s shot was blocked for a corner kick that eventually fell to Teshome and this time his shot was pushed wide by Newbery for another corner kick.
In the final minutes Jeremy produced another strong run down the right flank for his cross to be headed out for a corner kick that resulted in another goalmouth scramble before it was cleared and the last action of the game was a Cirencester free kick that was delivered to the Penalty Spot to be headed over the target.
Full Time: 1-2
A match of two halves as Cirencester dominated the first but didn’t take full advantage of their possession, followed by a bitty second half when the visitors tested their hosts more often.
Attendance: 110 Referee: Alex Cadden
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Fraser Bell
3. Aidan Bennett ©
4. Ed Scott
5. Elliott Keightley
6. Joe Turley
7. Theo Jeremy 5
8. Jack Horrell
9. Harlie Price
10. Finley Bell
11. Jordan Morris
12. Nick Peare (Jordan Morris-57mins)
14. George Peare (Jack Horrell-67mins)
15. Jack Freeman
16. Kyle Pitts (Elliott Keightley-57mins))
17. Ethan Rose (Finley Bell-74mins)
ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT TOWN:
OWN GOAL 53
1. Henry Sandys-Lumsdane
2. Ollie Smith
3. Kian McNally
24. Harvey Fox
5. Jack Coward
20. Gabriel Reivers
7. Marcel Lewis
21. Ed Taylor
9. Ben Cleary 14
10. Otis Lewis ©
11. Finn Hopkins
12. Lewis Heywood
14. Rudi Hopkins (Harvey Fox-71mins)
22. Bonsa Teshome (Otis Lewis-82mins)
23. Lewis Clark (Henry Sandys-Lumsdane-26mins))
17. Dylan Griffin