INTERESTING OPENING FRIENDLY AS CIREN STAY IN THE BATTLE AGAINST MUCH FANCIED BATH CITY

Cirencester Town 2

Bath City 1

Pre-season friendly Thursday 9th July 09 ko:1945

Both squads had what in the end was an entertaining work-out in a typically Corinium sou'westerly breeze, with the temperature low enough to make one think more fondly about Bovril rather than an ice cream for the half time libation.

The first surprise was that Mr Hughes fielded a flood of triallists, with only Zac Westlake, Tom and Max Etheridge, Jamie Reid, Carl Brown and The Griff featuring from last season's squad. With Andy Minturn, Jason Welsh and Rob Dean still to return from holidays Mr Hughes put half a dozen of last year's U16's on the bench.

And he laid out the welcome mat for what felt like a roll call of former Tigers-now-Foresters: Matt Bath, obviously looking to him to replace Tom King, plus Chris Burns, Sam Avery, Lyndon Tomkins, and Chris Thompson. Who last year had drifted down from the Forest to have a season with Supermarine.

Lee Stevens, who has now moved nearer to Ciren, played the whole game starting at centre back then second half very effectively at right back. Craig Curtis was back after his season ending injury last year and we had our first look at George Boon, a youngster from Bristol City.

Mr Britton has still got the bulk of the squad that got itself very close to the Blue Square play-offs last season, though the loss of the iconic if thin-skinned Evans in nets will be a difficult hole to fill. With Dave Gilroy taking his golden boots to Newport and Darren Edwards still not fully fit he has to find a reliable striker and fielded Stuart Douglas and the former Mango, then Bluebird then Yeltz Bristolian Aaron Cornwall up top. Two forwards with potential there; but neither is noted for longevity with a club so there is an urgent need for them to gell to find goals at Twerton.

One new name was Sido Jombarti in midfield, with Marcus Browning also in midfield after his stints at the Pirates, the Tigers and then the Terras. Could he fill the twinkling boots of Scott Rogers, also departed across the bridge(s) to Newport?

With Gethin Jones and Matt Coupe strung across the backline, ex Bristol City/Mangos then Yeltz player Jack Alward trialled at left back with the always impressive Sekani Simpson at right back. This was a top of the range defence for The Griff and Browner to take to bits tonight. Lewis Hogg, who gives everything every time he comes out of his kennel, and Mark Badman in midfield meant that this was a set up that should have pinned Ciren down and torn out their throats.

It certainly looked like it from the off, with Hogg, Browning, Jombarti and Cornwall all silky passes, quick turns and darting runs. Lee Stevens and Lyndon Tomkins had all on to contain them and for a while it looked as if they would not be able to do it. But the final pass was not as good as it could have been and Matt Bath is not tall and confident for no reason – he commanded his box and Ciren confidence peeked it's little head over the parapet as the early Bath threats petered out to nowt..

You could never say that The Griff and Browner lack confidence and while they were not receiving quite the quality of passes from their defence that Douglas and Cornwall were receiving they were very visibly more urgent, inventive and eager. So much so that when Griff left Coupey for dead within 3 minutes he could not resist getting in his trademark bodycheck. And looked suitably aggrieved when Mr Ferris spotted it and whistled him up.

George Boon played for that Bristol City side that took us to bits in the Glos Cup over the past few seasons and his pedigree showed. Comfortable and good with his touch, he was moving to collect, spinning and moving the ball on well. So much so that Carl Brown was feeding him every chance he got then offering for the return ball back into the box. Twice he got close enough to making the break through to force Jack Alward to work hard to contain him.

On 13 minutes it came together well. Jamie Reid robbed a dilatory Badman, swept imperiously past Browning and fed Griff with his backside stuck firmly out and refusing to let Coupe go through him. Sway infield, reverse turn outwards and a pass zipped out left to Boon saw him skip clear of the drawn out of position Simpson and drive in a tantalising, early cross coming for the edge of the six yard box.

Carl Brown has not yet fully mastered the art of attacking heading but Owen Dunn was not to know that. As Dunn tried to keep the ball away from our maestro he succeeded only in juggling the ball into the path of Chris Thompson who had an easy header off the loose ball and 1-0 Ciren. And a faint murmur of 'dodgy keeper' to make sure Dunn knew he at least was being welcomed to the Shed End.

It did not take long for Bath to come back, with Lewis Hogg a blur of movement and exhortation wide left and giving Zac Westlake a lot to think about as he watched a close up master class of furious pass and move. Douglas got himself caught off side as Lee Stevens and Lyndon Tomkins stepped up smartly under the barked instructions of Chris Burns looming just in front of them so his effort in hitting the back of the net was wasted. And Cornwall was not on his wavelength so the patterns of running was not being matched by the lines of the passing and Ciren kept surviving.

Until a long cross looping for beyond the far post was not claimed by the grasping Bath and Aaron Cornwall reacted not only first but with impressive aplomb to pop the ball past Lee Stevens for the equaliser on 39 mins. To be honest, how Jombarti missed a clear header 5 yards out on the far post when he ran onto a superb Hogg cross only he will know but that horrible miss sent the teams in at 1-1 and Ciren hanging on.

Mr Britton changed his line up second half, only Dunn and Hogg destined to start (and finish) the full 90 minutes. It put a lot more emphasis on triallists, with our former favourite Kev Halliday coming in at left back and only Jim Rollo, Chris Holland and Darren Edwards from what a Bath fan would maybe consider the proper squad coming on as second half starters. Sometimes youngsters with a need to impress can run you ragged so while Ciren only replaced one player, Craig Curtis coming on for Lyndon Tomkins, they had to do quite a bit to contain the early surges from Bath.

Darren Edwards is clearly not yet fully fit and hardly showed but young Taylor was quick and eager up front as was the Taunton youngster Luke Cole. But Jonjo O'Hara in the backline soon was finding it difficult to get hold of The Griff and as he imposed himself on the defence so too did Carl Brown start to buzz closer and closer to making a break through. It came on 55 minutes.

Chris Burns and Jamie Reid ganged up on Cole and ripped the ball free and as Jim Rollo was coming up to put a stop to the nonsense Chris Thompson calmly made himself available, collected the short inside pass in the clear and slotted up to Griff on the deck. Coming to collect, O'Hara was left behind and Griff sensed it, spun and at the same time slid a lovely 15 yard pass into the huge hole behind him. Carl Brown loves that kind of move, had read it early and literally was just a blur as he went in front of and across Holland in a diagonal run that not only kept him onside but gave him time and room to look up, sidestep and calmly slide the ball past Dunn for 2-1 Ciren.

Cue for the Carl grin at a very cheerful Wilbur and very nearly smiling Knighter – he just loves scoring. And that was a good goal, with Griff getting probably more handshakes than the maestro. Certainly it woke up the crowd, with more than a few giving it the full handclap-turn to smile at yr mate treatment. That good, eh?

Minutes later off went the bulk of the Ciren starters, with Jamie limping off, and Max and Tom Etheridge nursing the fledglings onto the pitch. There is the old saying if they are good enough then they are big enough. Well, they certainly had to show they were good enough because with the exception of the feisty Etheridge brothers these were very little lads. The 'keeps seemed about half the height of his goal posts.

But he, with his mates, was more than capable of dealing what was thrown at him. To be honest, Mr Hughes pulled a tactical master stroke, leaving 3 at the back and packing the midfield with just Max battling stoutly up front. Somehow, Bath decided that all they had to do was dig the ball long and they would bustle their way through and past the spidery kids in front of them. It did not work. Instead of passing, the ball was being sent into space and there was no way Craig Curtis and Lee Stevens were going to give up the second half clean sheet they had worked so hard to defend.

It was hairy at times, with Egg typically flinging himself into tackles beside Craig, enough to get a finger wagging from the very much up with play and consistent Mr Ferris. And Lee Stevens was calmness personified, alert to the loose ball and confident enough in his own ability not only to pass the ball out but make sure it went to a red and black shirt.

When the kids had the ball they used it well. Controlled it, looked up, passed it to somebody in space. While Max just could not quite get himself free he did enough hard work up top to force the Bath defence to clear under pressure. Twice Cole did have a chance, first blasting way wide and high when a superb Halliday cross found him free on the right then charging down a clearance but woefully putting his return pass into the 'keeps grateful arms with Edwards free and clear on the penalty spot.

Can't claim it was a famous victory but it was eminently satisfying. There was enough fizz and buzz up front to give the midfield a chance to try and pick their passes. And the backline, in both halves, stuck to their task and kept the chances to a minimum, with not a save to make by the Ciren keepers off a direct shot within the penalty area. Have to say, Ciren had but two chances but put them both away and you can't ask more than that.

Cirencester Town: Matt Bath (Joe Popley 45), Zac Westlake (Jamie Robins 60), Sam Avery (Tom Etheridge 60), Lee Stevens, Jamie Reid (c), (Courtney Hamilton 60) Lyndon Tomkins (Craig Curtis 45), Chris Thompson (Aarran Perry 60), Chris Burns (Paul Banks 60), Carl Brown (Max Etheridge 60), Scott Griffin (Ellis Dunton 60), George Boon (Olly Pitts 60)

Bath City: Owen Dunn, Sekani Simpson (Jim Rollo (c) 45), Jack Allward (Kev Halliday 45), Matt Coupe (Chris Holland 45), Gethin Jones (Jonjo O'Hara 45), Marcus Browning (Ashley Caldwell 45), Sido Jombarti (Luke Cole 45), Mike Badman (Richard Evans 45), Stuart Douglas (Darren Edwards 45), Aaron Cornwall (Jamie Taylor 45), Lewis Hogg (c). sub not used: Callum Stewart

Ref: Mr J Ferris, Banbury Had a very steady game. Used his experience, stood for no nonsense and was on the spot for all the decisions in what, for much of the time, was a more than feisty contest. Linos: Mr R Collins & Mr C Wring

Att: 89

MoM: Scott Griffin