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
Match report by Dave Pyzer
The Centurions travelled to neighbours FAIRFORD TOWN for their latest Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division fixture and following a competitive, incident-packed, end-to-end match, recovered from going a goal down to secure victory.
Investigations prior to the match revealed that FAIRFORD TOWN are in a good run of form having won 5 of their last 6 league matches - including ’away’ victories at Roman Glass St. George and Slimbridge (two of the top four teams in the Premier Division) - to sit in 8th place in the table with 42 points from their 27 games played.
In comparison Cirencester Town sat in 6th place in the table with 48 points from 29 games played, with 3 victories and a ‘draw’ in their last 6 games, however, they would undoubtedly be using the 4-2 ‘home’ defeat inflicted by their neighbours in August as an incentive.
The Cirencester starting eleven had a few of changes from their last match against Worcester Raiders as Bryan Stalley and Nick Peare replaced Joe Turley (suspended) and Jack Horrell (injured) in midfield, and Aidan Bennett and Harlie Price in forward positions as Theo Jeremy and Rhys Wells took seats on the bench.
The home side kicked off proceedings to work their right flank to the corner before an early run from Charlie Holliday down their right channel released Chris Zebroski for a shot at the target from 25-yards – over the bar.
The Cirencester response was to work the ball down their left flank before switching to their right where a couple of ‘throw-ins’ were launched into the home box – resulting in a quick counter attack for ‘keeper Ronnie Newbery to collect the ball.
Moments later a Holliday strike from 35-yards cleared the Cirencester crossbar enabling them to work the ball forward and launch a free kick into the home box where George Peare’s shot was blocked and cleared to Nick Peare, left channel-18 yards, who fired back into the ‘mix’ – ending in the net but quickly disallowed for ‘offside’.
An eventful opening ten-minutes, and at the 15-minute mark a cross from Harrison Edwards in the right corner was deflected into the air for Newbery to be bundled into the net as he caught it – once again the ‘goal’ was promptly disallowed.
Shortly before the mid-point of the half Ieuan Bailey delivered a free kick to the far-right post where Kyle Pitts headed narrowly wide of the target and Aidan Bennett mounted a driving run up the right flank to ‘win’ a corner kick that was caught by ‘keeper Connor Johns but at his personal cost – requiring treatment before the game could continue.
A few minutes later Nick Peare sent a raking pass to the left flank for Bailey to collect and charge to the corner before slipping it inside to a supporting Bryan Stalley, who slipped it right again to Bennett who fired over from 20-yards.
The home side responded to this period of pressure as Zebroski reached the right byline and whipped a fierce cross towards the front edge of the 6-yard box for Newbery to ‘parry’ and a defender to clear but it was recycled and crossed from their left flank with Newbery making the required catch under pressure.
Shortly afterwards, following a free kick from the home side, the ball was supplied to Bailey, 15-yards inside the home half - left channel, and he galloped forward into the home box and as he stopped abruptly and turned back his feet were whipped from beneath him before the ball was cleared. The Cirencester players and supporters immediately shouted for the expected Penalty Kick but whilst Bailey received treatment the Referee decided on a drop-ball on the half-way line to Cirencester. This unexpected decision was fed to George Peare who struck a fierce shot from the edge of the box that Johns parried for a defender to clear.
Almost immediately Cirencester were back again as Pitts made a rare excursion to the right corner before crossing to the far-left post where it was cleared to Dan Hill who sent it back into the home box and this time the clearance resulted in a counter attack and a corner kick from the right that Holliday delivered into the ‘mix’ on the edge of the Cirencester 6-yard box for CHIS ZEBROSKI to open the scoring. 1-0.
The reply from Cirencester was immediate as a Bailey cross from the left flank was deflected for a corner kick that Fraser Bell delivered to the edge of the 6-yard box where HARLIE PRICE headed goalwards, blocked but rebounding back to Price who made no mistake from a couple of yards. 1-1.
Leading up to the interval both sides delivered free kicks into their opponent’s box – Cirencester’s leading to a Pitts header and Price strike followed by a corner kick and Fairford’s a glancing header from Edwards that was gathered by Newbery.
Half Time: 1-1
It had been an eventful and incident packed first half – what would the second half bring and the answer – more of the same!!
From the re-start Cirencester worked the ball from right to left before sending it down the flank but it was soon returned with interest as Edwards delivered it from their left corner into the visitor’s box – cleared but leading to a free kick inside the Fairford half that Bell delivered to the left channel front edge of the home box for Nick Peare to head goalwards for Bennett to try to make contact – free kick to Fairford.
Almost immediately Edwards was released for a run down their left channel that took him to the edge of the Cirencester box but as he entered Newbery advanced for a 1v1 and managed to block the resulting strike.
Cirencester replied as George Peare released Bailey for a run down the left flank and as he cut back inside, he laid the ball towards Peare, centre front edge of the box, but he didn’t connect cleanly and the danger was cleared.
A few minutes later Fairford were awarded a free kick at the right front corner of the Cirencester box and when Holliday sent a low strike towards the right post it kicked up suddenly but Newbery had it covered to block, before it was cleared.
Following a period of Cirencester possession down their right flank the ball was eventually collected by IEUAN BAILEY some 35-yards from goal, central position, and from there he embarked on a weaving run that took him past several challengers before he decided to shoot from 20-yards – and his left-footed effort finished inside the right post to give the Cheltenham Scholar his first goal for Cirencester and the lead. 1-2.
Shortly after the mid-point of the half Cirencester had a series of corner kicks that were defended, with the fourth being cleared from near the goal-line leading to a counter attack and a goal-line clearance at the other end from Elliott Keightley.
At the 75-minute mark the home side substituted a striker for a midfielder to increase their strike-power and this resulted in some pressure on the visitor’s defence as a Holliday strike and a Zebroski cross were deflected for corner kicks before the latter was recycled for a scramble until Newbery claimed the ball.
A minute later a Fairford free kick was cleared by Pitts to Theo Jeremy and he exchanged passes with Rhys Wells as he charged to the left front corner of the home box where his intended pass back to Wells was intercepted.
The action soon returned to the other end of the pitch as Holliday reached the right byline and crossed to the back post where Zebroski’s header was blocked by Bell.
Into the final minute of the 90-scheduled and Bennett had the ball on half-way, right flank, and he sent it to the corner where Price refused to let it run out of play, as the home player tried to assist, as he harried and stretched to keep it in play by tapping round the defender and collecting on the other side before supplying Bennett who in turn delivered it across the front edge of the home box to a supporting THEO JEREMY and he struck a sweet left footed shot inside the left post. 1-3.
In ‘added-time’ both sides had ‘goals’ disallowed and at the final whistle the visitors had secured victory to avenge their August defeat by their neighbours.
Full Time: 1-3
An entertaining game for the neutral – with plenty of attacking intent, goalmouth incidents and passion as befits a ‘local’ derby.
A battling performance from Cirencester with everyone playing their part – stubborn defence, hard-working midfield and the front line taking their chances.
Attendance: ??? Referee: Ioannis Christodoulou
FAIRFORD TOWN:
1. Connor Johns
12. Josh Blyth
3. Louis Spalding
4. Tommy Ouldridge
5. Luke Hitchman ©
6. Adam Corcoran
8. Joah Hall
15. Harrison Edwards
10. Sol Pryce
18. Chris Zebroski 40
7. Charlie Holliday
11. Dan Grieve (Tommy Ouldridge-75mins)
14. Alan Griffin
19. Patrick Otoo-Mensah (Louis Spalding-85mins)
16. Orlando Taylor
19. Ben Mitchell
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Elliott Keightley
3. Dan Hill
4. Elliott Keightley
5. Kyle Pitts
6. Nick Peare
7. Aidan Bennett ©
8. Bryan Stalley
9. Harlie Price 42
10. George Peare
11. Ieuan Bailey 60
12. Jack Freeman
14. Theo Jeremy (Ieuan Bailey-67mins) 89
15. Rhys Wells (George Peare-65mins)
16. Jordan Morris (Dan Hill-54mins)
17. Afonso Dias