Cirencester Town out of relegation zone (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cirencester Town out of relegation zone

Tiverton Town 0, Cirencester Town 4 (Smith 6, Richards 9, Griffin 48, Arndale 81(P))

CIRENCESTER eased away from the relegation zone with this emphatic victory.

Brian Hughes decided to challenge Tiverton's defence by playing three up the park and forcing Tivvy's defenders to clear the ball under pressure.

By asking his midfield to get hold of the space and make the yellows play sideways he wanted to make sure his defence would close off the channels for the free scoring Tivvy forwards.

It was a tactical gamble.

His team would have to work their socks off.

Young Michael Symons and Scott Griffin were first to every ball played up the park and Lee Smith was available as their get out.

It was accurate and effective and within five minutes they had scored.

Neil Arndale swung over a searching cross, having been worked into space by first-time, accurate passing from Michael Jackson and Gary Horgan.

Symons competed in the D, knocked down to Jackson and he found Smith in space on the left of the box.

Cool as you like, Smith curved the ball across Mark Ovendale for the far top corner to notch his first league goal for the Centurions.

The visitors got a bonus when, on nine minutes, Marc Richards completely lost Chris Holloway on a corner and nodded home unchallenged from six yards.

Tivvy's manager immediately changed his formation to 3-5-2 and the yellows charged forward.

Sturdy defending, with Adie Viveash outstanding in his covering and clearance headers, allied to woeful finishing when the inevitable mountain of pressure left openings meant that Cirencester reached half time with a clean sheet.

Indeed, if Griffin had managed to turn in a perfect Smith cross on 30 minutes and the post not saved Ovendale when Smith again surged into the box and let fly, the visitors would have been out of sight.

On 48 minutes, Griffin was first to an Arndale free kick, nipping in front of the towering Tom Gardner to lift a cheeky header away from Ovendale and into the far corner.

Still having to defend with concentration and assisted by the immense effort in midfield, Cirencester preyed on Tivvy's panic in defence and forced them into hurried, snatched shots by closing down all the space in front of their area.

Milsom, who had been reduced to bumbling uncertainty by the speed of thought and execution of Neil Arndale, did get one clear chance when a rebound off Fullam left him open but he screwed his hurried shot well wide and was replaced.

Hughes upped the stakes by sending on two forwards to torment Tivvy and the chances came and went.

Smith missed the far post by a whisker after being sent clear by Wimble and then forced a superb stop from Ovendale after he had surged past the despairing Davies.

The clincher came on 81 minutes when Wimble got past Hambly following a neat one-two with Jackson and put Hopkins into space.

Hopkins' return pass sent Smith into the box.

Smith was about to shoot when Croft took his legs.

Arndale hammered the penalty into the top corner.

Shaun Mapson had to make his first direct save on 88 minutes, handling a whistler from young Jamie Simmons as clean as you like and his huge grin told the story of this well deserved win.

Man of the match: Marc Richards, Cirencester.

Tiverton: Mark Ovendale, Steve Winter (c), Darren Davies, Danny Clay, Tom Gardner, Sam Croft Kurt Nogan 50, Dave Hambly, Chris Bale, Richard Pears, Chris Holloway, Paul Milsom Jamie Skinner 64. Other sub: Pete Conning. Cirencester: Shaun Mapson, Neil Arndale (c), Craig Fullam, Michael Jackson, Gary Horgan Steve Cook 85, Adie Viveash, Marc Richards, Lee Smith, Michael Symons Gareth Hopkins 64, Scott Griffin Steve Cowe 64, Shaun Wimble. Other subs: Gus Fraser, Adam Lyttle. Referee: Mr S Robbins, Bristol. Attendance: 731.