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 travelled to The Royal Forest of Dean for the return Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division fixture against LYDNEY TOWN and despite a dominant first half performance they only had a slender lead over their hosts at the interval, and within minutes of the restart it was all-square thanks to a converted Penalty Kick for the hosts and it remained so at the final whistle - despite plenty of action at both ends.
A review of league positions and current form reveals that prior to the match LYDNEY were in 18th position in the League Table with 20 points from 25 games played, whilst Cirencester were in 5th place with 47 points from their 26 games played.
In the reverse fixture in mid-October Cirencester won 6-0 but examination of the more recent form of Lydney reveals that their last five league games have all been played ‘away’ from home -they have lost four (Worcester Raiders, Corsham Town, Tuffley Rovers and Westfields) and drawn at Slimbridge. Three of these sides have been in the top-six for some time and the remaining two in the top half of the table.
Their last two ‘home’ league matches – played in November – resulted in 2-0 victories against Corsham Town and Pershore Town so they are a side that must not be underestimated.
There were two changes to the starting eleven as Kyle Pitts and Aidan Bennett returned in place of George Peare (injured) and Jonty Welch (unavailable) and as a result Afonso Dias and Josh Sawyer took places on the bench.
Cirencester kicked-off with the wind behind them and immediately attacked down their right flank before their hosts countered to fire wide of the left post as debutant Ibrahim Olateju charged down the right channel to reach the front edge of the Cirencester box – a promising start for both sides.
A few minutes later Cirencester worked the ball down their left flank to reach the corner and from a throw-in the ball was fed to Nick Peare who was brought to ground as he drove into the home box but calls for a Penalty Kick were denied and the danger cleared.
Almost immediately Peare supplied Aidan Bennett who slipped the ball to an overlapping Fraser Bell as he darted to the right corner to cross to the back post where Harlie Price headed down, but into the grateful arms of ‘keeper Alex Causon.
In reply the home side mounted an attack down their right flank as Ethan Vaughan made a strong run to the corner before laying the ball back to Jordan Sheen who took it to the byline before running out of room – goal-kick.
A minute later Cirencester tried the first of several long-distance strikes as Jack Horrell spotted Causon off his line and from just inside the home half the ball landed on top of the net.
The speedy Olateju then chased after the ball as Ed Scott was about to receive it but with commendable calmness and clever footwork Scott evaded the incoming challenge.
As the home side worked the ball down their left flank it was lost inside the Cirencester half and fed to Peare who looked up and from 20-yards inside his own half he fired the ball at the home goal – but it drifted wide of the left post.
Cirencester were soon back again as Rhys Wells flicked the ball over his head, and marker, for Theo Jeremy to chase down the left flank and when he reached the left side edge of the home box, he slipped the ball right to Wells who fired over the target from the edge of the box.
As the mid-point of the half approached a Vaughan effort was deflected for a corner kick from the right that Vaughan delivered into the ‘mix’ where Sheen’s firm strike was pushed into the air by ‘keeper Ronnie Newbery and caught as it came down – with appeals from the home players and support that it crossed the goal-line but nothing given.
At the mid-point Cirencester should have opened the scoring when Jeremy supplied Price who slipped the ball to Bennett, near the right post, but his close-range effort was blocked by Causon for Price to fire the rebound wide.
Having failed to score from close-range Peare tried another 45-yard screamer and this time Causon did very well to tip it over his bar.
Cirencester continued to dominate possession - whilst Lydney mounted the occasional counter with Olateju and Vaughan prominent for the hosts – but were having difficulty gauging the wind and often efforts cleared or landed on the net rather than in it, or passes were too long but five minutes from the interval they finally opened the scoring when Peare supplied Price, who slipped it to Jeremy, and he exchanged passes with Peare before sending a low cross to the far-right post where RHYS WELLS clipped the ball over a diving Causon and into the net. 0-1.
Moments before the interval Newbery launched the ball down the right flank for Bennett to head towards the right post where, from an acute angle, Price volleyed narrowly over the bar.
Half Time: 0-1
With the wind advantage Cirencester had enjoyed plenty of possession but failed to convert the many chances created – would Lydney do any better and make them pay?
It didn’t take long to find out as the home side went on the attack from the re-start as a clever back-heel from Olateju released Vaughan for a run down their left channel before he was stopped by a Bell tackle but as the full-back tried to move the ball on he was fouled.
A few minutes later Matt Green and Keelan Hamblett worked the ball down the Lydney left flank to supply Vaughan for a run to the side edge of the Cirencester box and when he reached the byline his cross was initially defended and cleared to be recycled for a corner kick from their right flank. The corner kick was defended at the back post and again recycled to the right corner for another corner kick and this time some desperate blocks resulted as the ball bobbed about inside the Cirencester box before a challenge resulted in the Referee pointing to the Penalty Spot. MATT GREEN stepped up to take the kick and lashed a fierce low strike inside the left post as Newbery moved in the opposite direction. 1-1.
Cirencester reacted positively to the setback as Jeremy was released for a run down their left flank before being brought to an abrupt end that resulted in the perpetrator being awarded a Yellow Card. Jack Horrell delivered the resulting free kick to the far-right post where the returning Kyle Pitts managed to get his head to it, but Causon caught it under his cross-bar.
As the hour mark approached Lydney delivered a couple of free kicks into the Cirencester box before Vaughan delivered a corner kick from their right flank towards the Penalty Spot for Oliwier Fusiek to volley over the bar.
A minute later, following a period of head-tennis near half-way, Olateju darted down the left flank to ‘win’ a corner kick and this time O’Rian Reid fired over at the back post.
Cirencester responded to this period of pressure from the home side, as the mid-point approached, with a free of kick that was delivered to the far-left post where Peare volleyed it back into the mix for Scott to head and Causon to catch under his bar, and a low cross from Jeremy that passed through the 6-yard box without contact from the incoming Price and Bennett.
With the temperature rising play was soon ‘end-to-end’ - as demonstrated by a low cross from Horrell being deflected into the air for Causon to punch clear of his box, followed by a run from Olateju resulting in a strike to Newbery that was returned by Jeremy as he delivered a cross that reached Price to be cleared off the goal-line by Hamblett and a counter from Vaughan that resulted in a low cross through the Cirencester 6-yard box without contact.
As the game entered the final-ten scheduled minutes period the busy Vaughan made yet another run at the Cirencester defence to shoot – pushed wide by Newbery but recycled to the Penalty Spot before Olateju shot from the edge of the box to Newbery.
In added-time Bennett reached the left byline to cross into the 6-yard box – punched clear by Causon to be headed back towards the right post by Joe Turley for Price to head wide of the target from 10-yards.
Full Time: 1-1
A frustrating first half for The Centurions and a battle in the second, as their hosts used the wind assistance better to test their visitors resolve.
Attendance: 147 Referee: ???
LYDNEY TOWN:
1. Alex Causon
2. Keelan Hamblett
3. Liam Sheppard
4. Tom Baldwin
5. Oliwier Fusiek
6. Junior Kposowa
7. Jordan Sheen ©
8. Ethan Vaughan
17. Matt Green 52P
10. Ibrahim Olateju
11. O’Rian Reid
12. Joss Lynden (Keelan Hamblett-77mins)
14. Angel Gonzalez
15. Hubert Zatorski
16. Colby Kemper
9. Declan Morley-Lyne (Matt Green-77mins)
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Fraser Bell
3. Elliott Keightley
4. Ed Scott
5. Kyle Pitt
12. Nick Peare
7. Aidan Bennett ©
8. Jack Horrell
9. Harlie Price
10. Rhys Wells 40
11. Theo Jeremy
6. Joe Turley (R.Wells-62mins)
14. Jack Freeman (Nick Peare-82mions)
15. Bryan Stalley (Theo Jeremy-85mins)
16. Afonso Dias
17. Josh Sawyer (GK)