Wootton Bassett 2 - 4 Cirencester Town

A controlled first half display, watched by an appreciative crowd of over 100, against a competitive Wootton Bassett of Hellenic West, was rewarded by an emphatic hat trick from striker Matt Williams. It enabled Cirencester Town to go in at half time 3-1 up and cruising.

Wootton Bassett took the lead on 3 minutes when they took advantage of a defensive mixup in coping with a straightforward long ball. Andy Minturn went up, with Dan Thompson circling to cover behind. Maybe the youngster should have let Minno know he was on the ball.

Instead, the skipper for the night rose high, the ball skipped off his head and Scott Ward collected on the run to round the stranded Adam Millar and net with ease.

Within a minute Matt Williams scored the first of his three goals. Pointing to the huge gap in the area, he timed his run into space to collect a well placed cross from Ben Pugh, calmly controlling and then converting with aplomb.

With a Ciren triallist from the Welsh League finding his feet and starting to influence the game with some close control and astute passes, Ciren were soon in the game with Steve Davies scorching up the right and giving Luke Sharpe a torrid time with his change of pace.

Using both wings, Ciren kept 'Bassett stretched and the Welsh triallist was beginning to boss the match with long and short passes finding their mark. On 10 minutes, he had a quick give and go with Matt Williams up the left channel.

Sent in, on the burst, by a well paced pass Matt Williams collected and went at the defence. Going inside with a change of pace, he committed the defender and it was an easy decision for referee Mr Alan Bird. Yes - Our Birdy, a favourite Ciren player from a few years ago, had been allocated this friendly.

After the inevitable protests, waved away by a smiling Birdy, Matt Williams calmly converted from the penalty spot into the bottom corner. And Ciren played some neat, speedy football on a good pitch as they took control.

Scott Ward had the sniff of a chance for 'Bassett on 30 minutes but was snuffed out by a quick thinking Craig Curtis getting in a sturdy, winning block.

Steve Davies, who had been dangerous all game, was sent away off a clever Andy Minturn pass to place a superb 20 yard shot beyond the diving Stewart Thompson only for the ball to hit the base of the post. With the keeper scrambling as Adam Heath, backing up, tussled for the loose ball Matt Williams was quickest to react and netted on 43 minutes for his hat trick.

The second half saw Adi make several changes, with Julian Alsop, Gary Thorne, Kes Metitiri, Nathan Haisley and Tom King rested for the game, so that he could give all his triallists extended pitch time.

One of the replacements, a forward triallist who scored for Highworth against us last week, set up Josh Digby in the clear, 18 yards out. He placed his shot unerringly just inside the post with Thompson wrongfooted for 1-4 on 48 minutes.

Digby, playing up the right flank with Aaron Stevens also on and behind him, was looking lively. Unfortunately, he was caught in a heavy tackle with Shawn Carter and limped off with an injured knee, to be replaced by Sean Bailey.

Dan Thompson, switched as happened on Saturday to the left from the right at the break, was again having a feisty match. Looking to use the ball well, he was giving Adam Heath in front of him some good runs.

It needed some devil to get in front of the defenders to make something of the crosses but, with the result not going their way the 'Bassett defenders were not willing to concede any more.

Steve Yeardley and Lee McMullen were making it hard for Steve Robertson and the Local Triallist to make much headway beyond 25 yards out. With Rob Dean on for the Welsh Triallist and then Oggy Hunt on for Robbo, 'Bassett took advantage of the settling down moments and pressed Andy Minturn and Craig Curtis hard in the Ciren backline.

Mr Viveash purred as the defence not only marked the space well but brought down the shutters when it was needed, with Dan Thompson winning more than his fair share of 50-50's as the sprightly youngster Luke Preston went at him.

The match was fizzling out in usual pre-season style, with Ciren trying for another goal but careless with their final pass when they had worked hard to keep possession. Some of the players on the pitch, with a golden chance to make an impression, were not taking the opportunity.

Right on time Adam Miller, who had played a commanding game between the sticks, was very annoyed to let a cross from Scott Ward drop and then fall behind the line to make the final score 2-4 to Ciren.

Wootton Bassett: Stewart Thompson, James Blake, Luke Sharpe, Steve Yeardley, Lee McMullen, Shawn Carter, Harry Hardnett, Tom Ritchie, Ryan Banks, Scott Ward, Luke Preston subs (all used) Chris Oram, Adam Field, Richie Careem

Cirencester Town: Adam Miller, Dan Thompson, Ben Pugh [Aaron Stevens 45], Harry Etheridge, Andy Minturn (c), Craig Curtis, Steve Davies [Josh Digby 45 {Sean Bailey 53}] Welsh Triallist [Rob Dean 59] Steve Robertson [Oggy Hunt 70], Matt Williams [Local Triallist 45], Adam Heath

Water Carriers: Julian Alsop, Gary Thorne, Tom King, Kes Metiteri Work: Nathan Haisley

Ref: Mr Alan Bird, Hullavington Birdy was a Ciren stalwart in our days as we battled at the top of the Midland Division, with the highlight scoring the winner at Shepshed in a 9 goal thriller.

Crocked at full back, he came back on the pitch, hobbled at the front and buried a Scott Griffin cross in the final minutes. Won the Supporters Away Player of the Year that season, and no wonder.

Now Birdy is working his way up the Men in Black List; taking the middle in Conference Regional and Conference line duties. We'll probably never have him for a League match because of his former player status. But he knows the game and all the tricks and is obviously turning into as good a ref as he was a player. Took this game seriously, as he took every game he played.

Highlight was blowing for a Minno nudge. 'Eh,ref?' 'I've played with you Minno, I know what you can do .. ' and a big smile.

Att: Nowt official given but counted past 100, with a goodly showing of Centurions enjoying a hospitable night in a tidy Clubhouse

Ciren MoM: the Welsh triallist was impressive and must have done his chances a lot of good. Matt Williams was mobile, inventive and when it counted, deadly. Minno and Craig Curtis, after an uneasy start as they got used to playing together, were calmness personified and did the ugly things well enough.

But, possibly because he was on for the whole 90 minutes and I was close enough to see how he coped very well with what he had to do, I made Dan Thompson my MoM tonight