Cirencester edge past Longlevens to keep play-off hopes alive
Cirencester Town edged past Longlevens to keep up their play-off push, with Ed Scott’s second half effort securing a 2-1 win.
With Longlevens coming into the game with one eye on their Floodlit Cup final on Tuesday night, Ciren would have been heavy pre-match favourites.
But a number of players missing themselves, Cirencester weren’t at their best, but they got the job done efficeitntly enough to keep up their momentum following their derby day win over Fairford Town last weekend.
Ieuan Bailey scored his second goal in three appearances for John Brough’s side to break the deadlock, but Ben Lodge levelled for the visitors with a neat finish soon after.
After going into half time level, Ed Scott popped up with the winner, forcing the ball home following a scramble in the Levens box from a corner.
The result sees Cirencester sit just outside the play-offs by a point and despite the fact Corsham Town, who sit above them, have two games in hand – the two still need to play each other home and away and those fixtures could determine who takes the final play-off spot.
However, Ciren do have a very tough run in outside of the two games against Corsham, they still have to head to Droitwich Spa and Hereford Pegasus, as well as hosting local rivals Slimbridge on Easter Saturday.
For Longlevens, they are the side with the heavy schedule this season – with eleven league games, a cup final and County Cup semi final still to play in the next month.
Levens will be set to play Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday for the next two weeks following the abandoned game against Corsham on Thursday night.
Saturday’s game saw a very wide open first 45 minutes, with neither midfield able to really take control of the game.
Jack Beardsell worked great space up the right hand side for Levens, setting up Alex Knight for an effort he dragged just wide.
Beardsell was then chopped down by Ed Scott, as the former Fairford Town and Tuffley Rovers winger threatened to break into the box from wide.
But within moments, Ciren took the lead. Fraser Bell, who put in a Man of the Match display for the hosts, got forward up the right before cutting back and crossing superbly for Ieuan Bailey to side foot past Drew Brei at the back post.
Longlevens levelled ten minutes later though, as winger Dafydd Hyett cut the ball in from the left and Ben Lodge took a touch before curling into the bottom corner.
Harlie Price, who was awarded the Severn Sport Player of the Month w/ Cirencester Carpet Centre for January before the game, went close to restoring his side’s lead just before half time – but his looping header hit the top of the bar having dipped over Brei.
Ciren didn’t have to wait too long after the break to regain the lead, as a corner into the box was nodded down and with the visitors unable to clear, Ed Scott converted from close range.
As the second half wore on, chances came at a premium for both sides, with the visitors, as expected, starting to focus on Tuesday night’s Floodlit Cup final with Hungerford Town Reserves.
Lodge, Alex Knight and Cam Williams were replaced with an eye on midweek – but Levens were able to re-introduce the returning Jack Holmes into their midfield as he looks to regain fitness from an injury suffered before Christmas.
Ciren looked to sure things up themselves and see the game out and brought on Joe Turley, Theo Jeremy and Rhys Wells in particular, who broke the game up well and tried to get the Centurions on the ball higher up the pitch.
Longlevens’ best chance of an equaliser saw a long throw in nodded down for Tom Spencer, but the centre half produced a defender’s finish and skied over from about six yards.
Cirencester nearly sealed the deal late on as Bell combined with Price, with the striker back heeling for Rhys Wells, but he scuffed wide under pressure.
Both sides have crucial games on Tuesday night, with Longlevens going for silverware and Ciren heading to Droitwich for an important game for their play-off bid.
Longlevens then have two home league games this week, with Fairford heading to Saw Mills on Thursday night and Cribbs arriving next Saturday – whilst Ciren make the trip to Hereford Pegasus.
Cirencester Town: Newbery, Bell, Morris, Scott, Pitts, N Peare, Bennett, Stalley, Price, G Peare, Bailey
Subs: Keightley, Jeremy, Hill, Turley, Wells
Longlevens: Brei, Roddis, Graham, Spencer, Wells, Sherchan, Beardsell, Williams, Lodge, Knight, Hyett
Subs: Long, Holmes, O’Connor, Drury, Valenti
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Fraser Bell (Cirencester Town)
READ MORE: Check out the list of Saturday’s results in and around Gloucestershire right here
