League win sets up Town for vital FA Cup game v Crawley (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

League win sets up Town for vital FA Cup game v Crawley

CIRENCESTER Town extended a fine league run ahead of this Saturday's vital home FA Cup fourth round qualifier against Crawley Town (3pm) with a convincing 4-1 win over Shepshed Dynamo last weekend.

But they did stutter midway through and could so easily have rued the chances they squandered, were it not for a couple of late goals that secured three well deserved points.

Shepshed were the first to attack from the start with a break from Simon Forsdick, and his low shot was well saved by keeper Thompson.

Cirencester soon settled and countered with a break down the left.

But when Andy McCabe fired over a perfect cross to an unmarked Scott Griffin, his header came back off the bar.

From a free kick 25 yards out shortly after, Darren Robison laid the ball into the path of Adam Mayo whose shot was well saved by keeper Richard Keeling.

The Corinium Stadium team took the lead on 16 minutes. A great run from Ben Fitch finished with a terrific cross and Adam Stevens, trying to protect his far post, nudged the ball into his own net.

Cirencester were now in control. A Griffin shot cannoned back off a post, Fitch's angled volley was well saved by Keeling.

From a free kick, Keeling pulled off another fine save to deny Robison. But Cirencester saw another chance missed when a cross from Fitch found Mayo in space, but he blasted over from five yards.

On 36 minutes and against the run of play, the visitors drew level.

When a Stevens' cross from a free kick went uncleared, Matthew Dorrian latched on to the loose ball to fire home through a crowded goalmouth.

Right on the stroke of half-time Cirencester got their noses in front again when McCabe was brought down in the box and Griffin made no mistake from the spot.

The second half started with some scrappy play with both sides giving the ball away needlessly.

In the one real chance that Shepshed had, Carl Lawrence's free header on goal was only just wide of the target.

Mid-way through the half, Town manager Brian Hughes made changes with new signing Guy Last and Gary Wotton replacing Mayo and Mike Davis.

Last was soon in the action, breaking from midfield to get behind the Shepshed defence, but his final shot was just wide.

Town put the game beyond doubt in the last ten minutes with a third goal.

When Fitch's near-post cross was flicked on by Jody Bevan, who had just replaced Gareth Hopkins, Grif-fin was well placed to blast home.

In what was the best goal of the game, Fitch broke from his own half to waltz past two defenders before unleashing an angled shot into the far corner.

If Town defeat Crawley on Saturday, they will create history by making the first round proper for the first time ever in the club's history.