SOUTHERN PREMIER SAT 22 DECEMBER 2007 3PM KO

Cirencester Town 4 Cheshunt 3

The Centurions had gone down 2 – 0 at Theobalds Lane in the autumn, missing four good chances that day, and have always had difficulty getting past a side traditionally capable of scoring goals but never able to keep the goals against down. This was a must win for the Centurions as they looked for the first ever three points against The Ambers

First half the visitors were hardly in it, woefully inept in their defensive covering and with Brian Sealy, the St Lucia 'keeper in their recent World Cup Qualifying campaign, making fumble after fumble as he was peppered with shots.

Within 2 minutes Cheshunt should have been behind, Glen Parry batting down a Nick Stanley goal bound shot with his hand after the striker had got on the end of a cunning Andy Chapman cross. But, no penalty on what was possibly the most blatant handball seen at The Corinium for many a year.

Ciren debutant Paul Cochlin put a header inches wide on 8 minutes off a well placed Chapman corner, and Ciren were far too quick and incisive for their stumbling and disorganised opponents.

With Sealy very uneasy, Ciren led on 12 minutes. Got the piccies on this one. Lee Molyneux met a Chappy corner, unmarked. His header was flying for the far post and Paul Cochlin, stealing in on the blindside, had his point blank header batted away by Sealy.

As Cochlin ended up in the back of the net Nathan Haisley reacted first, his dive in to poke the ball at goal being fumbled by Sealy, still on his knees.

Nick Stanley was on the spot (he had come from the other side of the box and was sniffing) to pounce and roll the ball over the line. No need to blast it, just knock it in. Well worked goal.

Cirencester were rampant, with Matt Shaxton now coming into his own after a shaky start with the team, dominating all the midfield play and setting up his forwards with a series of perceptive passes.

Nick Stanley twice had chances to score off beautifully placed and paced passes first from Chappy and then from his bro', Alex, forcing Sealy to tip round at full stretch. In truth, the shots should have struck home.

On 22 minutes, after totally dominating the match, Ciren scored again when Nick Stanley stood strong, got himself over the ball and won a tussle with Ryan Dear on the touchline. When the ball broke loose to Steve Robertson his instant control and turn took him away into a huge gap up the middle.

Far too quick for the Cheshunt defence (and my camera), he was onside. As the stifled shout of 'Oi ref – oh sh*t no, he's on' coming from the Ambers dugout showed. Steve Robertson raced away and clipped the ball home from the edge of the box after skilfully making himself space under pressure from the covering defenders.

Andy Chapman, plied with good passes from Shaxton and Nathan Haisley, twice forced Sealy to touch shots around the post when it looked odds on that Ciren would score again.

As indeed, it seemed when Robertson on 35 minutes was again far too quick for Dear and got behind him to collect a superb pass from Harry Etheridge 25 yards out. Sealy was out like lightening and managed to block the shot on the edge of the box when it seemed a goal was on – great save from a very much beleaguered 'keeper.

Seemingly non-plussed by their inability to punish a very porous Cheshunt defence, Ciren began to concede space. And give up possession with too many hurried passes. The efforts of the indefatigable and admirable Ambers skipper Dave Hicks had Ciren needing to defend with vigour after the 30 minute mark as the visitors threw caution to the wind and counter attacked at every opportunity.

Sealy was still making us wonder if his yellow International jersey allowed him to take some outrageous risks. Coming for a corner on 33 minutes, he had no chance with Moly and Nathan set to challenge. And sure enough, the keeper dropped it with Matt Shaxton rifling the loose ball just past the near post.

Darryl Cox, so far kept under control by the defence, finally escaped his markers on 45 minutes to free Josh Cooper on the right. Clear of Alex Stanley, caught napping on the cover, the youngster clipped a perfect cross from the bye line to the far post. Glen Geddes was unmarked and ignored by Andy Chapman to head home unchallenged from 5 yards. Mr Viveash was justifiably dismayed with that momentary defensive carelessness on the stroke of half time.

Within a minute of the second half Nick Stanley was in space to collect a superb crossfield pass from Matt Shaxton, put into space by Andy Chapman. His first touch was heavy and took him away from goal and he was closed down by Glen Parry. It was indicative of the spirit Cheshunt were now bringing to a match that had so far been beyond them.

Two minutes later, Darryl Cox spun onto a pass inside from Hicks and brought Matt Bulman to his first save of the game for Cirencester. Five minutes later Bulman was beaten. Cox collected an inside pass on the edge of the area after Alex Stanley and Harry Etheridge had given space to the overlapping Dean Fenton. Cox was first to move to meet the ball and somehow threaded it gently through the defensive line for Cooper to chase.

His clash with Bulman, racing out of goal, saw the ball break loose to Cheshunt sub George Gregoriou. Under no challenge from the breached Ciren defence, he calmly rolled his shot from a narrow angle inside the far post for the equaliser.

From being totally in control of the game, Ciren were now visibly more anxious and, in contrast to their relaxed play in the first half, much more inaccurate and hasty in their passing. Cheshunt took full advantage, playing the ball calmly out of defence and creating uncertainty in a hitherto dominant Ciren midfield.

Dave Hicks, so far totally overwhelmed by the pace and vigour of Haisley and Shaxton, was now finding space and passing neatly and accurately. And Darryl Cox and Josh Cooper were responding to his prompting.

On 60 minutes what looked like an innocuous free kick hit deep from the left went over the ball-watching Alex Stanley. Dean Fenton had made a late outside run from the D and was left clear to meet it beyond the far post. He volleyed confidently home from 12 yards to give Cheshunt a 3 – 2 lead, greeted with considerable delight by their Chav Massiv.

Ciren, to their credit, dug deep, settled their heads, made sure of their passes and worked hard to use the space. While it was now much more of a battle, Nathan Haisley and Matt Shaxton again controlled the midfield and the game.

Within 3 minutes Harry Etheridge, supporting the attack, was first to get to a blocked drive from Robertson. His goal bound shot from the edge of the box deflected off Glen Parry and looped over the flapping Sealy to nestle in the top corner and bring the score back to 3 – 3.

With Cheshunt now with a sniff of a win and going for it, the Ciren defence gave nothing away. Debutant Paul Cochlin, although now limping after being on the end of some tasty afters as Cox and Gregoriou threw themselves into the fray, was impressive alongside Chrissie Collins.

Lee Molyneux and Alex Stanley were much more measured in their covering and distribution and Cheshunt never actually got a shot in during the last half hour.

With Nathan Haisley and Matt Shaxton once again quicker to the ball and passing it on more accurately, Ciren should have made more of the openings they created, in spite of the heroic defensive blocks by Dear and Parry..

Steve Robertson was still winning the balls knocked forward and Snaky was still chasing valiantly to make something of them. Cheshunt were just about holding, though with shots flashing past both posts Sealy was never looking as if he would stop a shot on target.

The pressure built and on 75 minutes, Nick Stanley once again used his pace and got himself goal side of Parry onto a pass into the left side channel from Matt Shaxton. It seemed as if Parry had got the tackle in to knock the ball clear, with Stanley tumbling under the diving-in challenge.

Mr Hamilton instantly blew. The Ambers reacted with fury. So, in a laudable attempt to defuse the situation, he checked with the linesman that his signal had indeed indicated the offence had been in the box.

Griff had been in line, beside the dugout and he told me afterwards that Snaky had got to the ball first and been clipped as he moved away. The fact that the ball then bounced up and off Snaky's chest was because as he was knocked down the ball deflected back off him and onto Parry's foot.. The Griff always gets his penno calls accurate when he is not on the pitch. Different when he is on it, mind.

Alex Stanley had missed a penalty in the away fixture but this time, even after the nerve jangling delay, he stood strong and calmly tucked it away. Parry talked himself into a red card as he continued his protests.

Ciren controlled the remainder of the game although they had Matt Bulman to thank for the three points when he made a stupendous, backward arching save to tip a deflected shot from Dave Hicks over the bar on 90 minutes.

That save, and the way they dug in and brought themselves back into the game, were for me the season turning moments for the club. It took character and belief to come back after conceding 3 careless goals.

The defence deserves credit for refusing to be buckled when the pressure was on in those crucial 15 minutes midway through the second half.

Sure, we needed that win. But now we have 3 really tough matches within a week and must focus again on repeating the control, passing and pace that was shown in this match. Otherwise it all means nothing.

Centurions: Matt Bulman, Chris Collins (c), Alex Stanley, Nathan Haisley, Lee Molyneux, Paul Cochlin, Andy Chapman, Harry Etheridge, Steve Robertson, Nick Stanley, Matt Shaxton
subs: Dan Wallington. Hanin Romdhane, Jon Else, Paul Hunt

Ambers: Brian Sealy. Dean Fenton, Sean Reece, Glen Parry Y75, R75, Ryan Dear Y75, Rob Carroll, Josh Cooper, Dave Hicks (c), Marcus Semanic [Junior Adeoye 81], Darryl Cox Y25, Glen Geddes [George Gregoriou 48]
subs: Mark Heard, Dan Phillips

Ref: Mr I Hamilton, Cheltenham I'll be the first to admit that sometimes his decisions are puzzling, at least to me. But today, in spite of the Ambers fans and team getting themselves worked up over his decisions, he actually got everything (or nearly everything) spot on.

Cheshunt had started chuntering at the ref early on. But they should really think on that it was their awful defending that got them diving in and conceding free kicks when a bit of the calmness later exemplified by their outstanding player, Dave Hicks, was what was actually needed.

Att: 109 not surprising but still a bit disappointing, on a cold day with Christmas just around the corner. BUT, the cheerful chavs from Cheshunt enjoyed themselves.

And Michael Mabbut made an appearance after his life threatening emergency operation in Chelt 'Ossie last month and that was a real pleasure to see.

And, he has lost a ton of weight so maybe what they say about 'ossie food is true ......

MoM: Nathan, Paul Cochlin and Matt Bulman (for that save) all got votes. And rightly so – I thought they all had stormers today. And Big H got a vote, from his mate. Fair play, that was not a wasted vote. H did well today.

But, just one in front of Steve Robertson, Matt Shaxton got the shout. He had gone early – these students, what do they do on a Saturday night?

So Robbo got the prize and a big smile from the Chairman.