Cirencester Town FC
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Cirencester Town FC
The home of football, corporate events, courses and celebrations
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The Centurions travelled to Worcestershire for an evening Uhlsport Hellenic League – Premier Division fixture against fourth placed DROITWICH SPA and after a promising start they conceded three scruffy goals – two of them within 8-minutes of a contentious refereeing decision that went against the visitors – enabling the home side to avenge their 5-1 defeat at the hands of Cirencester in November.
A review of the form of the team’s leading up to the match revealed that DROITWICH SPA had won 2, drawn 1 and lost 2 of their previous 5 league matches but sat in 4th place in the Premier Division table with 57 points from 29 games played, whilst CIRENCESTER TOWN sat in 6th place with 54 points from 31 games with a matching record in their last five league matches.
In the return fixture, back in November, The Centurions were victors by 5-1 so ‘The Saltmen’ would undoubtedly be ready for the challenge.
Examination of the Cirencester starting eleven revealed four changes from Saturday’s home match against LONGLEVENS as Elliott Keightley, Joe Turley, Theo Jeremy and Rhys Wells replaced Jordan Morris, Nick Peare, Aidan Bennett and George Peare - who all took places on the bench alongside Afonso Dias.
Cirencester kicked-off on a cool evening and immediately launched the ball to the left corner for a Droitwich throw-in, returning a few minutes later for Ben Tilbury to prevent any progress as he shepherded the ball out of play.
The home side responded with a couple of attacks down their right flank as Will Dallaway chased a ball to the corner before laying it back to Perry Moss who cut inside before firing a shot wide of the target and then the same combination in reverse roles did the same again with Dallaway’s shot into the grateful arms of Ronnie Newbery.
The visitors then worked the ball down their right flank as Rhys Wells was released into the right channel of the home box for a 1v1 with Joe Stockton who blocked his initial strike for the ball to rebound back to Wells who tried again – blocked by a team-mate who was then adjudged to be ‘offside’.
A minute later Harlie Price headed-on a ball out of defence to Wells and once again he entered the right channel of the home box to be thwarted by Stockton.
At this stage Cirencester looked really up for the contest as they worked the ball from left to right before losing it, and recycling back to the right corner where a corner kick was awarded.
Ieuan Bailey delivered the kick to the front edge of the 6-yard box where Stockton made the catch.
A couple of minutes later Droitwich were awarded a free kick that was worked to their left corner and into the visitor’s box as Alex Dugmore burst forward – defended and cleared.
As Droitwich pressed forward again the ball was lost for Bailey to lob over the very advanced home defence, enabling Price to take the opportunity, whilst they turned, to charge after the ball. Spotting the danger Stockton decided to leave his box in the hope of getting to the ball first but Price pushed it past him before he was clattered and brought to ground by the ‘keeper. As the last man denying a goal-scoring opportunity, any defender would have been issued with a straight Red Card but for reasons only known by the Referee he decided on a Yellow Card. The resulting free kick from a central position 25 yards from goal was taken by the offended Price and he drove it towards the bottom right corner where Stockton ‘added insult to injury’ as the saying goes by diving full length to his left to push it around his post for a corner kick.
Within three minutes of this decision the visitors conceded the first ‘scruffy’ goal as a lob into the left channel of their box resulted in a throw-in from the left flank and this was duly launched into the box again but this time left, enabling PERRY MOSS to nip in and tuck it inside the right post from a few yards. 1-0.
Before the game could re-start Ben Tilbury fell to the ground and received treatment before he was eventually replaced by Matt Jackson.
Five minutes after the first goal, including the delay for the substitution, Droitwich delivered a cross from their right corner into the Cirencester box and reaching the area in front of the far-left post, 8-yards out, it became stuck between a defender’s feet and as he tried to sort his feet out JAMES LEMON nipped in to poke it into the net. 2-0.
During the next couple of minutes Price released Bailey for a run down the left-side edge of the home box but his resulting cross landed behind the goal and the reply from Droitwich saw Jack Brighton fire a shot wide of the right post.
The game had become end-to-end and shortly after the 30-minute mark Cirencester pressed with Theo Jeremy seeing plenty of the ball as he cut inside from the right flank – shot blocked, but recycled via Price for him to be fouled - with the free kick reaching Price who headed over the target.
Droitwich then replied as a couple of free kicks were delivered into the visitor’s box but came to nothing.
In the final minutes of the half a Jeremy cross was deflected into the air to be punched clear by Stockton and a Kyle Pitts free kick to the Penalty Spot was headed clear.
Half Time: 2-0
The second half started much as the first had ended – scrappy.
Ten minutes into the second period the home side were awarded a free kick on their left flank that Cory Rudd sent towards the centre front edge of the 6-yard box where ‘keeper Newbery appeared to have it covered but as he shaped to catch an outstretched leg of a defender appeared and the ball rebounded off the ‘keeper for a scramble to develop before JAMES LEMON once again pounced to drive it into the net from a couple of yards. 3-0.
Despite this further setback Cirencester continued to push forward in an attempt to get back into the game but they were thwarted by a no-nonsense defence and speedy forwards who chased every launched ball down their flanks to keep the Cirencester defence busy.
As substitutions were being made by both sides it became a little disjointed and the ball wasn’t retained for long but there were still chances that were not taken at either end.
Midway through the second half Kyle Pitts headed a Fraser Bell free kick back across the goal (from left to right) for Price’s effort at the right post to be blocked.
Shortly after the 30-minute mark Afonso Dias had a strike from the edge of the box blocked and Aidan Bennett fired narrowly wide from a similar position, and this was soon followed by a George Peare strike passing just over the top right corner.
In the final few minutes Peare had another effort caught by Stockton and Price headed a Jordan Morris free kick over at the right post – but it was one of those days when ‘shooting boots’ had been left at home.
Full Time: 3-0
Not much prolonged football by either side as they both battled for control, but certainly competitive, with the home side taking their chances on the night after a contentious decision had rocked their visitors.
Attendance: 182 Referee: ?????
DROITWICH SPA:
1. Joe Stockton
2. Jack Brighton
3. Lewis Phillips
4. Cory Rudd
5. Jamie Sauntson ©
6. Ben Tilbury
7. Perry Moss 18
8. Charlie Tilley
9. Alex Dugmore
10. Will Dallaway
11. James Lemon 23, 55
12. Reiss Taylor-Randle (Perry Moss-71mins)
14. Haydn Morris (James Lemon-83mins)
15. Sam Hurdman (Will Dallaway-74mins)
16. Matt Jackson (Ben Tilbury-22mins)
17. Nathan Binner (Alex Dugmore-55mins)
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Ronnie Newbery
2. Elliott Keightley
3. Fraser Bell
4. Edward Scott
5. Kyle Pitts ©
6. Joe Turley
7. Theo Jeremy
8. Bryan Stalley
9. Harlie Price
10. Rhys Wells
11. Ieuan Bailey
12. Nick Peare
14. George Peare (Rhys Wells-59mins)
15. Aidan Bennett (Theo Jeremy-66mins)
16. Jordan Morris (Ed Scott-46mins)
17. Afonso Dias (Ieuan Bailey-76mins)