Cirencester Town vs Gresley Rovers
Richard Wardle was made captain for this game as he passed Moat Ground favourite Barry Fitchett’s appearances setting a new record of 569.
The game did not start the way the visitor’s had wanted and on 9 minutes Cirencester opened the scoring.
Gareth Hopkins hit a vicious shot from the edge of the area and Gresley keeper James Lindley did very well to get down to the low shot and push the ball away from what looked like a corner. However, Ben Fitch chased the lost cause and did extremely well to get the ball back from off the bye-line and fire in a shot that appeared to come off the unlucky Lindley and into the net.
The home side were making most of the attacks and Gresley appeared to be on the back foot for most of the first half and indeed on 32 minutes Cirencester should have doubled their advantage.
A deep cross from Mark Davis found Fitch unmarked but he amazingly put his shot wide of the mark with the goal at his mercy.
Cirencester continued to push forward looking for goals and it looked bleak for Gresley but on 43 minutes, somewhat against the run of play, the visitors drew level and then just two minutes later took the lead.
Gresley were awarded a corner and as Gary White swung the ball in to the area which seemed to take a wicked bounce just in front of home skipper Darren Robinson and the midfielder, surprised at the bounce, headed the ball into his own net.
The goal seemed to revive a flagging Gresley and on the stroke of half time Matt Moran thundered in a shot that home keeper Mark Hervin did well to get a finger to and push the ball onto the underside of bar and the ball scrambled away for a corner.
Mark Peters took the flag kick which was cleared as far as Jamie Barrett and his clever chip back into the danger area was met superbly on the volley by Chris Gray who gave Robinson no chance.
The second half was largely played out in the middle of the park but a free-for-all just after the hour mark resulted amazingly with Adam Mayo just being showed a yellow card. His very late challenge on Peters was bad enough but then he appeared to stamp on him. Peters, who had been booked in the first half, stupidly retaliated and could have walked himself. Players from both sides joined in the fracas and manager Jon Newsome ran onto the park to help calm things down.
In the final 10 minutes Cirencester had a couple of chances to equalise. First, Fitch made a run at the Gresley defence but his shot-cum-cross just evaded the on-rushing Gareth Hopkins. Then, a ball from Davis put Hopkins through on goal. But, as Lindley raced from his goal he put his shot wide of the post.
On 86 minutes Lindley handled the ball outside of his area as he tried to prevent Kenny Ujukwn a chance on goal and the referee had no option but to show the keeper the red card.
Thankfully, Newsome had taken another keeper and Brad Clarke was brought on in place of Gray as Gresley tried to hang on for the last few minutes.
Clarke did well to deny Fitch as Cirencester poured forward looking for a share of the points.
But their commitment to pushing forward led to the home side’s downfall when deep into injury time a through ball by Carl Slater found Peters who did well to hold off a defender before chipping the keeper with a ball into the top corner of the net.
Cirencester Town (1) 1
Gresley Rovers (2) 3
Scorers: Lindley (og) 9, (Cirencester Town); Robinson (og) 43, Gray 45, Peters 90 (Gresley Rovers).
Cirencester Town: Hervin, Davis, Fraser, Mayo
(Hughes 71), Howarth, Minturn, Lee, Robinson, Hopkins, McCabe (Ujukwn 84), Fitch. Subs not used: McEntercart, Howard (gk).
Gresley Rovers: Lindley
, Moran (Slater 56), Alexander (Newsome 86), Wardle, Evans, G White, Barrett, Peters, Bourne, Rutter, Gray (Clarke 86). Subs not used: Timms, Yearsley.
Rovers Star Man: Mark Peters – good all round performance.
Referee: T Case (Bridgewater).
Attendance: 109
