CIRENCESTER TOWN 0 BANBURY UNITED 1

Monday 27 August 2007 Southern Premier

In a match in which both teams played too many aimless passes forward in the first half, Cirencester got a grip on the match second half. But failed to turn their dominance into goals and paid the price. Mr Viveash has said he needs at least 8's right across the squad, in terms of their play. Today, only five or so were at that level and a couple were below 5's in my opinion. They had, I suspect, their first Adi roasting today.

Banbury had opened with blood curdling and oft times nigh on bone shattering tackles as they piled in willy nilly. In quick succession Wayne Blossom was late and nasty on Jon Else, Dan Wallington and Phil Hall as he dashed around the midfield like a man possessed.

If the ref had used an ounce of commonsense he would have stopped it from the off but somewhat indulgently allowed the mayhem to continue until both sets of players had got themselves into a right fash about what could and what could not be allowed.

In spite of all the huff and puff, the Puritans had only one attacking option, to see if they could put Troy Bryan or Andy Baird in behind the defence. It did not work, passes regularly being overhit and Matt Bulman fielded a lot of balls drifting aimlessly down the slope towards him.

Or Lee Molyneux, Chris Collins and Alex Stanley calmly stood up and collected the miscue that inevitably followed the big boot up the middle. Banbury had only one chance when Andy Baird volleyed over the bar from 18 yards when set free by an Alex Stanley misplaced header on 27 minutes. He should have done better with that.

Up the other end Ciren also were playing as if the game could only be won by launching high balls into the channels for Snaky Stanley and Phil Hall to chase. There was a bit more to their game. But not much more.

Snaky in particular was moving well and collecting a lot of stuff to set Danny Wallington and Michael Jackson moving to probe the Puritans defence. But puzzled when he was whistled up for merely making himself big, and working to get the ball past the tentacle arms and legs that were constantly holding him back

Wallo, making his first start, was slowed early on after a Blossom special. But kept offering for the pass and as the half wore on was setting up second runs nicely along the right flank. The crossing was not as effective as it could have been, with Snaky and Hally having to work hard to find space amongst the mountains in the middle.

Jon Else, also making his full debut, took a bit of time to impose himself. But, he kept offering for the ball in front of the defence and eventually they decided this fella in the 11 shirt was also on their side and once given the passes John started to spread the play.

Alex Rigley was disappointingly off the pace, his touch and accuracy of pass deserting him. But when on 34 minutes he chose to drive in a long cross after Michael Jackson freed him off a throw in, the ball deceived Andy Wheeler, went over his head and bounced solidly off the far post with no forward gambling that there would be an opening. You've got to anticipate fellas, not react off your heels.

On 42 minutes yet another free kick for a foul on Else ended with Alex Stanley turning on a loose ball on the edge of the Banbury box and being felled by an over the top from our Bloss. In the ensuing melee, Snaky was carded for unsportsmanlike behaviour, as was Adey Fuller of Banbury. While Bloss hid. And the lino who had seen it all stood like a plonker and did nowt.

Moments later, Else beat Ibrahim with a quick sleight of foot out on the left, who swept his legs from under him. Already carded for a similar offence, it was tingle time for him. Luckily for him, Baird distracted the ref.

He had followed the ball and as Alex Stanley picked it up, on the ref's whistle, threw himself at Alex and then dramatically onto the ground. Alex peed himself laughing at the antics and then was not laughing as he was yellowed for unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Incredibly, the referee was way behind the play and missed a blatant elbow by Baird as he knocked over Matt Bulman, chasing a long ball into the penalty area, on 44 minutes. But did have time to note Milner in the book when Else beat him with a change of pace only to be swiped down in midfield.

Half time was needed, if only for the ref to get his sensible hat on. He'd lost it, big time.

Second half Cirencester improved, bringing the ball down and passing smartly, ignoring the constant fouling and niggling as they sent Nick Stanley and Phil Hall plunging through a very unsteady Banbury backline.

A mixture of poor shot choice or the final pass being scrambled away kept Banbury afloat, with only Blossom adding to their tally of yellows when the ref played an advantage as Ciren attacked. Then called Bloss over for a 'Who Me, Ref?' conversation having dropped Hally earlier in the move.

Banbury still persisted in the big ball up top. Maybe they were working on the fact that Troy Bryan was indeed very effective in spreading himself and taking the ball on his chest before trying to work something. Everytime, Alex or Moly or Collins calmly shepherded the danger away

Banbury never actually got a shot in on target and looked very threadbare, especially when Baird was called off by Mr Sullivan.

Wise move. Bairdy had lost it big time, as had Adey Fuller at the back for Banbury.

He was going frantic as the passes kept zipping in and Snaky kept rampaging onto them.

Three Snaky shots whistled past the post and Alex Rigley forced Wheeler to a far post tip round in a solid 15 minute spell of pressure.

With Jon Else popping up all over the place to thread passes from all angles the attacks were going up both flanks. But, Banbury held firm and our lads were not quite there in picking the killer moves.

Snaky did wonderfully well even to get to a scramble in the six yard box when a cross flummoxed the defence But he fired over, off balance, as he strove to get first to the ball in front of the plunging defence.

Those Puritan defenders may not have been pretty but they were determined.

Inevitably, the only time Banbury got and kept the ball in the Ciren penalty area, on 77 minutes, they scored.

Up the right, in to Bryan, he chested down. Stidder collected, poked wide right and Murray got a rebound to collect off Rigley and cross low.

Blossom, with his back to goal, collected, feinted to shoot and then turned with Nathan Haisley tempted in to the block. Not wise – stay on yer pegs in the box, Nathan - Blossom was falling to the deck with the ball a yard away from him and it looked much more tasty than it actually was. It was a generous award by the arbitro.

Adey Fuller put the penalty onto the left hand post and into the net past the dive of Matt Bulman and The Puritans had a lead even their supporters acknowledged was unmerited.

A frantic ending saw Banbury repel all the attacks, obviously trying to play keep ball as far up the park as they could when they got possession. They escaped with the win. What had been a not-bad start to Ciren's season was now a bad start.

Centurions: Matt Bulman, Dan Wallington, Alex Rigley, Alex Stanley Y43, Lee Molyneux, Chris Collins (c), Nathan Haisley, Michael Jackson, Phil Hall, Nick Stanley Y42, Jon Else [Ian McSherry 75]
other subs: Steve Robertson, Lance Lewis, Harry Etheridge, Ollie Holder

Puritans: Andy Wheeler, Lewis Travis, Tom Kinch, Mark Essex, Ben Milner Y45, Adey Fuller Y42, Murray Nichols [Darren Becket 89], Wayne Blossom Y58, Troy Bryan, Andy Baird [Andy Stidder 53], Sam Ibrahim [Y 31 David Malley 76]
other subs: Mike Feeley, Ben Weedon

Ref: Mr A Shilston, Lydney Thought I'd have a word afterwards to check what the Ciren yellows were for. From what he said, he had no idea what had happened in either incident and he was making it up. Poor. Very poor.

Att: 241 An uncomfortable number of freebies got in today. I reckoned it was nearer 260+. But, needing a win and not getting one with that display, it will be difficult to tempt some of the paying customers back.

My Ciren MoM: I thought once again the defence were solid, with Chris Collins again not putting a head, foot or pass wrong all day. Nathan and Jacko were neat and quick in midfield, ignoring the niggling and getting on with it. And Snaky, as always, was spiky, inventive and full of ideas up front.

The Sports Solutions MoM went to Dan Wallington, another good debut.

But, in the hurly burly of the match, I thought Jon Else not only tried to make his own space but was quick and inventive with his passing. And willing to take players on and get past them. Or draw the foul. He gets my vote today.