Cirencester Town exit FA Trophy in disappointing manner (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cirencester Town exit FA Trophy in disappointing manner

CIRENCESTER bowed out of their final national competition in disappointing manner on Saturday, losing 2-3 at Walton & Hersham in round two of the FA Trophy.

Unable to get their act together until the last quarter of the tie, the visitors were knocked out by a confident, young outfit currently on a roll.

It was the Londoners who got their noses in front after just eight minutes when Neil Lampton broke from defence and laid over a pin-point cross for Carl Gibbs to find the back of the net with a powerful header.

From the restart, Cirencester did threaten when Nick Stanley turned his man in the box, but his final shot was too high.

In Town's next build-up, Stanley chased down a long ball from defence to find Gareth Hopkins who laid it back for Michael Jackson whose first- time shot was wide of the mark.

Mid-way through the half, the home side increased their lead when Gibbs latched on to a long clearance to beat the Cirencester defence to the ball before jinking his way wide of Town keeper Paul Thompson and slotting home from the narrowest of angles.

This goal lifted the local side and Thompson twice had to save at full stretch. It came as no surprise when, just before half-time, Walton went 3-0 up when a through ball from Lampton found a totally unmarked Scott Edgar who beat Thompson from eight yards.

The second period began with Cirencester looking as though they meant to get something out of the game, Shaun Wimble testing keeper Nick Gindre with an angled shot.

With the half only five minutes' old, Town were forced to bring on Adam Mayo for Michael Jackson, after a collision on half-way, but still still could not break down a resolute back four.

Neil Arndale, though, did get in two or three telling crosses, but Tristan Frontin and Adam Thompson proved in commanding form for the home team.

In the last quarter, Cirences-ter at last came to life. From a free kick 30 yards out, Wimble's powerful shot was well saved by Grindre.

With seven minutes to go, the Corinium Stadium team pulled a goal back when, from a free kick, Wimble fired over a perfect cross for Hopkins to head the ball into the back of the net.

From the restart, Mayo, who had only just been booked for a late challenge, received a second yellow card for being overly aggressive and was escorted off.

In an exciting passage of play almost on the final whistle, Cirencester scored a second goal when another Wimble cross was headed back by Adam Howarth for Jody Bevan to find the back of the net just yards out.

And so Town's brave bid to continue in the Trophy was too little too late.

Cirencester Town: Thompson, Arndale, Halliday, Jackson (Mayo 50) Bird (Fitch 32) Howarth, Robison, Richards, Hopkins, Stanley (Bevan 71) Wimble. Subs: Fraser. Referee D Belbin (Aldershot), attendance 206.