THREE POINTS FOR CIREN IN MATCH DISRUPTED BY INJURY TO REF
Cirencester Town 3 - 1 Hungerford TownCIRENCESTER TOWN came from a goal behind to run out comfortable winners in a match disrupted by the injury to referee Mr Robinson on the hour mark. Cirencester started brightly and could have gone ahead as early as the third minute when Jody Bevan half-volleyed over from six yards after good work from Scott Griffin and Carl Brown. Bevan was then denied on the edge of box by a last-ditch block from Luke Brewer and Griffin, playing his first game of the season after suspension, flashed a shot wide having been put through by Brown. Ciren were made to pay for their misses when last year’s Hellenic Premier champions Hungerford went ahead in the 17th minute. Veteran striker Neville Roach shielded a left wing Steve Cook cross and was given too much time to pick out the advancing Kevin Halliday, who buried a firm drive from the edge of the box. Ciren were becoming increasingly frustrated by the niggling fouls of the Crusaders’ back line and their momentum petered out as Hungerford finished the half the stronger. Mark Scott, the teenage goalie on loan from Swindon Town was making good use of the following wind for his long kicks and Hungerford, often prompted by the lanky and influential Richard Witt, looked dangerous on the counter. They could have gone in two up if Halliday had shown more composure when presented with a volleyed chance in stoppage time. After the break, Cirencester rallied and this time took their chances while they were in the ascendency. On 50 minutes, captain Neil Griffiths nodded a deep Jamie Reid corner back into the path of Scott Griffin, whose crisp finish was adjudged to have crossed the line before it was cleared. Three minutes later, Carl Brown was freed on the right by a nice Griffin flick and his first-time cross was neatly converted by half-time substitute Nick Dunn from 12 yards. Mr Robinson then succumbed to a calf injury on 60 minutes and it was a further eight minutes before the game could restart. Assistant referee Mr Humphrey took over the whistle, while local league official Richard Collins came out of the crowd to run a line. Four minutes later, Griffiths went forward and virtually sealed the win when getting on the end of a torpedo-like Tom Etheridge long throw to head home Ciren’s third. In an understandably disjointed second half, the hosts lost some concentration and began to invite worrying pressure. Had Hungerford substitute Ritchie Saunders not miscued a relatively easy headed chance off a Halliday free kick in the 72nd minute, there could have been a grandstand finish. But the visitors’ efforts petered out and it was Griffin who was denied a second strike by a goal line clearance deep into stoppage time. Cirencester Town: Bath, Westlake (Tompkins, 77), T Etheridge, Griffiths (capt), Dean (Dunn, 46), Thompson, Reid, Williams, Bevan (Welsh, 64), Griffin, Brown. Unused subs: M Etheridge, Guthrie. Hungerford Town: Scott, Brewer, Quaintance-Blackford, Wimble (Lewis, 47), McCrae, Bedwell capt (Saunders, 47), Halliday, Witt, Roach (Romeo, 77). Unused sub: Melledew. Man of Match: Neil Griffiths. Danny Hall Reproduced from the Wilts & Glos Standard's website |
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