Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
Click photo to view a slideshow of photos from the match
Match photos supplied by Graham Hill
The first ‘away’ match of the New Year took The Centurions to Gloucester to face ‘in-form’ side LONGLEVENS and following a battling team performance in arctic conditions Cirencester returned with the 3-points.
A review of current form for Longlevens reveals that they are on an unbeaten run of 11 games in all competitions (won 8, drawn 3) - with their last defeat at Hereford Pegasus in the League. Since that defeat they have won 5 and drawn 2 in the League and prior to today’s match sat in 7th place with 34 points from 21 games played whilst their visitors sat in 5th place with 41 points from 24 games played - so this match had much importance for both sides as it really was the proverbial ‘6-pointer’.
The Cirencester starting eleven, compared to last week, had one change with Jack Horrell replacing Bryan Stalley who took a seat on a bench that included Kyle Pitts (returning after injury at Mangotsfield) in place of Afonso Dias.
On a bitterly cold afternoon Longlevens kicked off proceedings on a pitch that was declared ‘fit for purpose’ after an 11.30 am inspection - with parts of the pitch thawing and other areas still frozen – and immediately attacked their visitors to be awarded a corner kick from their right flank after Lewis Driscoll had released Ben Lodge for a run and shot that was deflected for the corner kick. The kick was taken by Driscoll and delivered to the near post where it was headed by out by Jack Horrell for a second kick that this time Driscoll sent to the back post for Ed Scott to head out but a free kick was awarded to the visitors instead.
The home side soon returned down the right flank before trying the left channel but in both attacks they met solid resistance in the form of Scott and George Peare – with the latter initiating a counter attack as he delivered a cross-field pass to send Theo Jeremy on his way but progress came to a halt when Ollie Long darted across to clear.
Longlevens then mounted an attack that reached the Cirencester box, left channel, as Ben Lodge made ground before a determined tackle from Scott won the ball for it to be worked to the left corner for Jonty Welch to reach the byline before his progress was stopped and a throw-in awarded. Jordan Morris’s throw reached the Penalty Area and resulted in strikes from Harlie Price and Jeremy being blocked before Rhys Wells’ effort was collected by ‘keeper Drew Brei.
A couple of minutes later Cirencester were back as THEO JEREMY darted to the left corner before sending a cross-cum-shot towards the home goal that took a slight deflection to loop over Brei and drop inside the far-right post. 0-1.
The home side were awarded a couple of free kicks near the half-way line during the next few minutes that Cameron Williams delivered into the visitor’s box – the first was sliced wide of the target and the second cleared.
In reply Cirencester worked the ball down their right flank as Wells and Fraser Bell combined to reach the corner for Bell to cut back and cross – blocked and cleared, leading to a Longlevens arefree kick near half-way that yielded a throw-in that Driscoll sent to the near post for Tom Spencer to head – landing on top of the net.
The action was soon at the other end of the pitch as Morris launched the ball down his left flank for Price to chase – resulting in a throw-in that was slipped to Nick Peare who promptly delivered a deep cross into the home box for Brei to catch under his bar.
Cirencester then tried their right flank again as Nick Peare, Bell and Wells combined to be awarded a throw-in that reached Nick Peare who decided to shoot from 25-yards – blocked but recycled into the home box to be cleared.
At the mid-point of the half Lodge charged down the right flank to the corner where his cross was deflected for a corner kick that Driscoll delivered to the back post for ‘keeper Ronnie Newbery to catch.
It had been a busy opening quarter and the second quarter continued in like manner with Cirencester being awarded a series of free kicks that were defended although the third one resulted in a corner kick at the 30-minute mark and this was delivered by Wells towards the Penalty Spot where Scott with his back to goal controlled with his right foot to spin and shoot with his left – wide of the right post.
During the next few minutes Longlevens were awarded a couple of free kicks – the first Jack Beardsell headed for Newbery to collect and the second resulted in a throw-in near the right corner for Driscoll to send it into the box, cleared and recycled for him to send the ball in again, and again but no breakthrough.
Cirencester replied as they worked the ball forward – Horrell to Price who passed left for Jeremy to shoot – blocked for a corner kick that was cleared to and returned by Welch to Price who crossed for Jay Wells to dive and head clear near his 6-yard box.
Longlevens responded as Driscoll made ground down their left flank before slipping the ball inside to Lodge but as he entered the Cirencester box Elliott Keightley (who had replaced an injured Jordan Morris earlier) darted across to clear the threat.
As the interval loomed Cirencester pressed – Jeremy into the home box and Welch firing over before another attack was intercepted for Finlay Gwilliam to charge down the left channel before passing right to Lodge who was quickly closed down to clear the danger, and Jeremy to be released for another run down the left flank.
Half Time: 0-1
It had been a hectic first half with neither able to retain the ball for long, littered with free kicks due to the competitive nature of the match, on a pitch that was becoming heavier as the top surface broke up whilst others were still solid – so what was in store for the second?
The answer was soon apparent – more of the same but gradually getting more ‘physical’ as Yellow Cards were issued in abundance.
The second half started as the first, with Longlevens being awarded an early corner kick after Gwilliam had chased a free kick to the right corner, for Scott to head out.
Cirencester replied with a counter as Bell reached the right corner to cross to the near post where a supporting Welch headed wide of the target.
A few minutes later Nick Peare produced some neat footwork as he ‘slalomed’ past a couple of challenges near the centre-circle to pass the ball to Welch who released Jeremy before the ball retuned to Peare who sent it into the home box – deflected to Brei.
A feature of the first half had been the long ‘throw-ins’ of the busy Driscoll and they became more prominent in the second along with dead-ball kicks as the major threat to the Cirencester defence – who stood firm throughout.
The temperature of the match had increased by the mid-point of the second half due to challenges by Price on Spencer and Gwilliam on Scott not being appreciated by their respective team-mates.
Shortly after the 75-minute point of the match Longlevens were awarded another corner kick that Williams delivered to the back post and as it was cleared the Referee indicated he was awarding a Penalty Kick – Finlay Gwilliam stepped forward to send his kick wide of the target as it clipped the outside of the left post.
A minute later another Driscoll throw reached the edge of the Cirencester box where George Peare headed it upwards (and a couple more times) before he was fouled and a free kick awarded to end the threat.
As the game entered the final ten-scheduled minutes a Longlevens free kick was delivered to their left corner where Scott produced another superb piece of defending before a shot came through the masses that Newbery managed to push wide of his goal.
During the final few minutes Cirencester survived several free kicks from distance and a strike from Gwilliam that Newbery caught to claim the points after a hard-fought battle.
Full Time: 0-1
Not a game for the ‘purists’ or faint-hearted but certainly full of commitment on a difficult, heavy pitch.
Attendance: 114 Referee: H. Organ
LONGLEVENS:
1. Drew Brei
2. Thomas Spencer
3. Daniel Roddis
4. Oliver Long (C)
5. Jay Wells
6. Soyam Sherchan
7. Jack Beardsell
8. Cameron Williams
9. Finlay Gwilliam
10. Lewis Driscoll
11. Ben Lodge
12. Jack Byard (Daniel Roddis-55mins)
14. Shaun O’Connor
15. Alex Knight (Soyam Sherchan-63mins)
16. Oliver Morrisey
17. Findlay Rankin (Thomas Spencer-85mins)
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbeery
2. Fraser Bell
3. Jordan Morris
4. Ed Scott
5. George Peare
12. Nick Peare
7. Rhys Wells
8. Jack Horrell
9. Harlie Price
10. Jonty Welch (C)
11. Theo Jeremy 9
6. Kyle Pitts
14. Jack Freeman (Theo Jeremy-88mins)
15. Elliott Keightley (Jordan Morris-33mins)
16. Aidan Bennett (Nick Peare-78mins)
17. Bryan Stalley