Two soft goals condemn Cirencester Town to a 1-2 home defeat (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Two soft goals condemn Cirencester Town to a 1-2 home defeat

CIRENCESTER Town hopes of reproducing another tremendous league run were dashed in abrupt fashion by a well organised Solihull Borough side who finished as 2-1 winners courtesy of two soft first-half goals.

The visitors began Saturday's game the brighter with their top scorer, Paul Hunter, causing the home defence all sorts of problems early on.

In fact, he was unlucky when, following a good build-up, his snap-shot was only just wide of the target.

The Corinium Stadium side countered with a through ball from Michael Jackson which was flicked on by Scott Griffin into the path of Andy McCabe, but his first-time effort was just over the bar.

On the half-hour, Solihull took the lead when Mark Shepherd anticipated Matthew McEntegart's back-header to Paul Thompson and glided in to slot the ball wide of the stranded home keeper.

Within two minutes, the visitors had increased their lead when Shepherd latched on to a through ball from Matt Hawker and fired home a powerful angled shot from ten yards.

It was just before half-time when the Centurions created a rare opening. A Darren Robison cross was met by Mark Richards but, unfortunately, his powerful header was wide of the target.

Cirencester re-emerged for the second period with a lot more urgency about them. From a Michael Davis cross, Robison's close-range effort was well taken by Mark Gayle.

Shortly after, Davis tried his luck from 30 yards, but his effort flew over the bar.

As the half progressed, Town had their visitors under a great deal of pressure, but it was not until the last five minutes they managed to break down a resolute Solihull defence.

From a free kick on the edge of the box, Scott Griffin's powerful shot took a deflection that gave Gayle no chance on its way into the back of the net.

In the closing stages, Cirencester could have snatched an equaliser from any one of three clear-cut chances.

In the first of them, Robison found Jody Bevan in space, but he volleyed wide. In the next build-up, Bevan laid the ball off for Griffin and his shot was just wide.

And with virtually the last kick of the game, Griffin worked his way clear in the box, but his final shot flashed the wrong side of a post.

Cirencester Town: Thompson, Davis, McEntegart, Jackson (Fitch 53) Mayo, (Bevan 75) Wotton, Robison, McCabe (Wimble 80) Hopkins, Griffin, Richards. Subs: Bird, Fraser.

Solihull Borough: Gayle, Hamilton (Faulds 75) Hier, Preston, Cooper, Barry, Hawker (Haywood 78) Tilterton, Hunter, Amos, Shepherd (Swann 88) Subs: Tilley. Referee S Robbins (Bristol), attend 158.