Match Report
by Alan Evans
After two weeks
inactivity, the Woods returned to action with a nine-goal thriller at
the Corinium Stadium, the scene of their vital final game of last
season when they secured a point and retained their Premier Division
status.
That game ended
0-0 but there never seemed any likelihood of this encounter being
dominated by defences as both struggled to cope with the strong and
swirling wind which blew down the ground.
Colin Payne had
drafted in experienced goalkeeper Keita Karamoko from Hayes on a
dual-registration basis having lost Rob Bullivant to near-neighbours
Uxbridge in midweek, but Cirencester had the gales at their backs in
the first-half and they were soon on top.
Cirencester began
brightly with Marc Richards storming past James Shipperley in only the
second minute and shooting past Karamoko, only for Lee Holland to
clear.
The Woods
responded when Bradley Hewitt touched on a Wayne Carter corner and
Dwane Williams saw his header saved by home goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer.
When Steve Cowe
rolled in the home side's first goal after 15 minutes – a result of a
poor ball from Carter and Hewitt being caught in possession – it was
the first of three in a four-minute blitz which, in normal
circumstances would have killed the game off. Richards notched number
two just a minute later after Karamoko had made a good save from Phil
Hall and Cowe again made it 3-0 with an excellent chip over the Woods
'keeper.
But Northwood
still looked dangerous on the break and Lee Tunnell celebrated his
return to the starting line-up with a clinical finish on 25 minutes
after Holland had won an important tackle just outside the
penalty-area.
Sadly, the
Centurions immediately restored their three-goal lead with a Michael
Jackson goal and Payne rang the changes by bringing off young defender
Hewitt and replacing him with the more attacking option of Elliott
Buchanan.
Six minutes
before half-time that enterprise paid off. Holland started the move
and played a ball out wide to Buchanan. His cross was only
half-cleared and when Shipperley's shot was blocked, Jerome Hall
volleyed home with a stunning strike from 20 yards.
With the score at
4-2, the second-half began with the wind now in Northwood's favour and
they attacked from the restart. Buchanan saw one good strike saved
just two minutes later and on 55 minutes Tunnell flicked a header into
the path of Buchanan and the 17-year-old fired home his first senior
goal for the club.
The chance was
there to go on and get something out of the game. Just two minutes
later, Tunnell appeared to have got through the defence only to be
cynically checked by Lee Molyneaux. Incredibly, just a free-kick and
no card to be seen was the result.
The home side
weathered the storm and then grabbed the all-important next goal when
the impressive Phil Hall ran from distance, the defence backed off
and, given a sight of goal, he found the bottom corner.
Danny Murphy had
a shot saved as the Woods tried to rally again but it was to no avail
as Cirencester hit a late sixth through substitute Scott Griffin and
then James Shipperley was given a straight red card for what seemed no
more than a push in the back.
PHOTO GALLERY (Click thumbnail to enlarge)
James Shipperley looks to win a header Jerome Hall turns away having scored
James Shipperley looks to win a header
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