Charlie Paine hat-trick has hockey-playing students in a spin (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Charlie Paine hat-trick has hockey-playing students in a spin

A THIRD consecutive hat-trick in three league games from Charlie Paine, a brace for Simon Dicker and one by Ollie Latter saw Mitsubishi-sponsored Cirencester 1st XI win the battle of the two teams promoted to the Gerrard North League Division 1.

In Saturday's match in Wales, Town started brightly with Rob Duffy forcing a diving save from the UWIC keeper.

However, the resulting long corner broke down and the ball was struck through the advancing Cirencester midfield to an unmarked UWIC forward.

He took the ball into the D and a first-time strike was well saved by Suneil Raval in the Cirencester goal, standing in for Webb who is still injured.

But his parried shot was picked up by another UWIC forward who equalised into the unguarded net on five minutes.

Short corners were then traded, resulting in both keepers making fine saves.

A reverse strike from Paine and a shot over the bar from Dicker were the nearest Cirencester got to a goal until the 27th minute when a UWIC player was shown a yellow card after deliberately playing the ball over his head.

Town immediately took advantage of the extra space and Ollie Latter struck a hard pass to Paine who deflected the ball into the path of Dicker who rolled it past the stranded keeper to level the scores.

One minute later, a well- worked short-corner routine saw an exchange of passes between Dicker and Paine, resulting in Paine flicking the ball over the advancing keeper.

Buoyed by this goal, the visitors pressed on, forcing another short corner. When this broke down, the UWIC defence played the ball from one end of the pitch to the other, leaving 'Rav' without a hope of preventing a goal.

Town started the second half in style when, from the push-back, a short corner resulted in a second goal for Paine.

Fifteen minutes into the half, a Latter miss-hit strike was lucky to reach the goal-line and he followed with a sublime strike which gave the keeper no chance.

A two-goal cushion should have seen Cirencester safe, but a lack of concentration allowed their opponents to take control.

But for more first-class saves by Rav and a last-ditch clearance from McGrath, they would have been back in contention.

With the UWIC pressure absorbed, Town brought Anstee into the fray to settle the midfield. His first two touches brought a telling pass to Dicker, resulting in a shot wide of the left post with the goal at his mercy.

Once more, short corners were traded with both keepers again called into action.

From a further corner, Town were awarded a free hit at the top of the D which Paine blasted at the goal.

A touch from Dicker saw the ball creep over the line from a combination of a post and the keeper's body and Town were now three goals to the good with only 15 minutes to go.

An interchange of passes between Anstee and Latter resulted in Latter losing the ball to a UWIC forward who made the most of his opportunity to narrow the gap.

Immediately from the push- back, Duffy ran through six students, pushed the ball to Paine in the D who lifted it over the keeper for Cirencester's sixth goal of the day.

It was no surprise when Rav was voted Total Employment man of the match.

The next two weeks sees Town visiting local rivals Lansdown and Newent.