Cirencester Town vs Gresley Rovers
Gresley miss out at The Stadium
It seems that the opposition goalkeepers choose the game against Gresley Rovers
to show what they can do. In several matches this season they have proved decisive
in the allocation of points.
It also has to be said that if Gresley took all their chances many of the dropped
points would have been safely in the bag.
Cirencester's keeper was again in fine form and kept the home side from going
2 or 3 behind within the first five minutes.
The whistle to start the game had only be blown a few seconds when a terrific
run by Andy Bourne down the right flank culminated in a cross that Chris White
hit but saw his shot come off the legs of the home keeper.
On 2 minutes a corner from Chris Gray came back to him and he in sent a low
cross which Dave Whittaker almost pushed into the net but again the keeper managed
to turn the ball around the post.
Whittaker had another chance from the resultant corner but his header was tipped
over by Kevin Sawyer.
On six minutes the ball was out of Cirencester's half for the first time and
the home side went close when Toby Clarke headed straight at James Lindley.
On 18 minutes Jon Newsome had to make a change when striker White hobbled off
with an ankle injury to replaced by Simon Tucker.
And it was the substitute who tested Sawyer on 30 minutes when his fierce volley
was superbly turned around the post.
Gresley continued to apply pressure in a somewhat one-sided game and Cirencester
had to again rely on Sawyer from preventing the visitors from taken a deserved
lead.
Bourne expertly turned is marked before hitting a rising volley, which was
amazingly tipped over by the in-form home keeper.
On 39 minutes Gresley were left to rue their many missed chances when Cirencester
took an undeserved lead when Nathan Holt played a clever one-two and received
the ball deep in Gresley's box. His shot was fumbled by Lindley and Dave Godley
was only too happy to accept the gift and duly prodded the ball into the net.
The only chance of any note during the early stages of the second half came
to the home side when Gary Morgan should have doubled their lead.
However, on 59 minutes the home side did indeed get a second goal. Dave Lee
left Ian Bluck in his wake and put in a fine cross which Godley cheekily flicked
over Lindley and into the net.
Borne went close to getting Gresley back into the match but his volley narrowly
went the wrong side of the post.
On 67 minutes Godley almost added to Gresley's misery when he missed a chance
to complete a hat trick.
Two minutes later Newsome mad another change repalcing Bourne with defender
James Lewsley and the youngster made an instant impact.
He made a surging run down the left and crossed into the box. Gray missed the
ball but Sean Terry was seen to handle the ball and the referee pointed to the
spot.
Whittaker sent the resulting spot kick into the net sending the keeper the
wrong way.
The final minutes of the match seemed to fade out as Cirencester sat back on
their lead and soaked up any pressure the visitors could muster.
The only chance of any note came to the home side when Gee shot straight at
Lindley.
Gresley were left with nothing to show for a game they had largely dominated
ruing their many missed chances especially in the first half which surely would
have put the contest out of reach for Cirencester.
The managers view of the game
"I thought it was a disappointing result and if we had put our chances
away in the first 10 minutes we could easily have been 2 or 3 up.
"As they say goals win games but we did not take our chances. I know we
can play much better than that and I don't think the pitch helped. But, it was
the same for both sides and they adapted better than us.
"We started so well but their first goal was a kick in the teeth. They
seemed to get around the back of us far too easily, they had a shot, it bobbled
about and it came out of the keeper's hands and the next thing it's in the back
of the net.
"But the most disappointing thing was that we didn't seem to start playing
until we were 2 - 0 down.
"We had a chat in the dressing room and I said what I thought and the
players said what they thought and I've got work to do - but that's why I'm
here.
"My hands are tied at the moment in terms of not being able to bring players
in and I've got to make the best of what I've got. That's not to say what I've
got isn't good enough.
"There are two or three weeks of the season left and I've got to take
stock."
Cirencester Town (1) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Scorers: Godley 39, 59 (Cirencester Town); Whittaker (pen) 70 (Gresley
Rovers)
Cirencester Town: Sawyer, Holt (Blastland 79), Gee, Goodwin, Woollen,
Minturn, Morgan (Mayo 89), Terry, Godley, Read (Richardson 74), Clarke.
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Bluck, Cheetham, Wardle, James, Evans, Bourne
(Lewesley 69), Callan, White (Tucker 18), Whittaker, Gray (Withers 77).
Rovers
Star Man: Stuart Evans solid at the back.
Referee: S Cook (Gloucester).
Attendance: 99
