Cirencester Town pegged back by Westfields in First leg of Floodlit Cup Final
It was a game of two halves at The Talent Hire Stadium on Tuesday evening, as Westfields came back from a two-goal deficit to level the tie in the Wiseman Lighting Floodlit Cup Final against Cirencester Town, writes Alfie Richmond.
Ross Gabriel’s first half brace wasn’t enough to see Ciren through as Westfields fought back courtesy of an own-goal and a Jennings header, to make for a fascinating second leg.
Ciren had an early scare inside 3 minutes when Westfields’ Ryan Hillier stole the ball from Harrison Reeves in their defensive half, but his shot went wide.
On 7 minutes, a fantastic chance presented the hosts when Ross Gabriel’s flick-on found Finley Bell, who looked to be clean through on goal, but his touch was too heavy.
Moments later, Zac Powell was fed down the left flank for Westfields, but his effort from a tight angle was smothered by Ronnie Newbury.
Westfields were then faced with a flurry of efforts, most of those stemming from some good work from Harrison Reeves. He first had an effort sail wide of the post, before he danced his way into the box and had his strike well saved by Shay Sterry.
The Ciren pressure continued to mount as Ethan Rose’s pin-point cross found Gabriel, but he couldn’t adjust his body to divert his header goalwards.
Against the run of play, Westfields hit the woodwork from a free-kick when Ben Brooks’ looping strike grazed the top of Newbery’s cross-bar on 20 minutes.
The visitors came agonisingly close on 28 minutes as a clever set-piece allowed Powell to zip the ball across the face of Cirencester’s 6 yard box, but Drew Heffernan couldn’t keep his close-range effort down.
The home side’s pressure kept building. Ed Scott drifted into the box for a free header but couldn’t direct it on goal, while Jack Freeman’s tempting cross begged to be finished.
Cirencester Town’s pressure eventually prevailed, at the start of what was a hectic last 10 minutes of the half. Bell’s smart cut-back found Gabriel, who showed great composure to get the ball out of his feet, and finish confidently in the corner to make it 1-0.
Five minutes later, Gabriel netted his second thanks to a Reeves corner. His cross was bundled in by the combination of Scott and Gabriel, with the final touch coming off the latter.
Fields almost instantly reacted two minutes later, when Dan Stoneman’s ball across the box was deflected beyond Newbery and into the far corner, keeping the hosts well in the game. The score at half-time being Cirencester Town 2 – 1 Westfields FC.
At the start of the second half, it was the away side’s turn to apply the strain. Newbury tipped Powell’s header over the bar following Heffernan’s flick on, inside 58 minutes. Powell unleashed a rocket from range moments later, which cannoned just over the bar.
Westfields made their pressure count and in the 65th minute, found a crucial equaliser. Captain Brandon Jennings found himself in space from a Stoneman corner, and headed home to make it 2-2.
With 10 minutes remaining, the game was evenly poised. The hosts grew into the half following Westfields’ equaliser, but both sides looked to be playing cautiously to avoid trailing in the second leg.
The visitors managed the second half excellently, fully aware of the task ahead; though Cirencester will be disappointed to have let their advantage slip. The referee’s whistle blew for full-time, leaving everything to play for in the return leg.
Cirencester face a trip to Lydney on Saturday amidst the two legs, while Westfields host Royal Wootton Basset Town. The decisive second leg will be held next Tuesday, April 1st, at Allpay Park.
If the tie ends in a draw, it will go straight to a penalty shoot-out, where the Wiseman Lighting Floodlit Cup champions will be crowned.
Cirencester Town: Newbery; Bennett ©, Morris, Scott, Pitts, Horrell, Bell, Rose, Gabriel, Freeman, Reeves.
Subs: Edward, Taylor, Titchener, Bampton, Bell (59’).
Westfields: Sterry; Clarke, Heffernan, Jennings ©, Davies, Godsall, Stoneman, Powell, Brooks, Taylor, Hillier.
Subs: Muirhead (77’), Davies (45’), Williams (90’), Bevan, Blackburn (32’).
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Harrison Reeves (Cirencester Town)
READ MORE: Check out the list of Saturday’s fixtures in and around Gloucestershire right here
