Centurions over-powered at home (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Centurions over-powered at home

Cirencester Town 1 (Griffin 57), Banbury United 3 (Baird 29, Fuller 45(p), Redknap 54)

THE Puritans discovered early on that a high forward ball was going to pay dividends and they exploited the tactic ruthlessly.

Twice in the first 10 minutes, Andy Baird rose to flick on a header for Wayne Blossom to chase, with Paul Thompson first just managing to block and then getting down to push a shot from Darren Pond round the post when Blossom headed on the second ball.

Cirencester came more into the game and themselves threatened through Gareth Hopkins breaking through on the left from Scott Griffin.

But their momentum was disrupted after Marc Richards had to be substituted by Michael Jackson on 20 minutes following a high tackle by Stuart Bridges.

The Banbury tactic finally paid dividends when Andy Baird bustled through onto yet another flick-on from Blossom before muscling past Fuller and flicking the ball over the stranded Thompson on 29 minutes.

Battling back into the game and holding out effectively against fierce Banbury pressure, Ciren were undone 51 minutes after the start, right on half time.

Blossom, who had been very effective all match in imposing his presence on defenders, burst out laughing when he won a penalty backing onto Kyle Lapham in the area.

Ady Fuller blasted the penalty and though Thompson reached the ball he could only punch it into the roof of the net.

After Baird had again hustled through on 54 minutes, Thompson's brave, close-range block went for naught when the ball was allowed to go loose to George Redknap who scorched in a top-corner drive from the edge of the box.

Ciren came straight back into the game, Scott Griffin slotting in on 57 minutes from 6 yards after Lapham had passed him clear from Nathan Haisley's head back off a Lee Smith corner.

Cirencester manager, Brian Hughes, then sacrificed yet another defender, with Steve Cowe replacing Craig Fullam on the hour.

Banbury hardly got an attacking move beyond stand-in centre half, Nathan Haisley as Ciren attacked incessantly.

Redknap headed off the line from Griffin, off a Smith-corner, and then James Saulsbury, at full stretch against Scott Griffin, was very fortunate not to concede an identical penalty to the one granted in the first half.

Alan Foster made a superb reaction save off a vicious Gareth Hopkins-drive from the edge of the box.

He then punched a Gary Horgan-drive round the post and tipped a Griffin header over the top as Ciren pressed, perhaps too frantically, in an all-out final 30 minutes assault on the Puritans' goal.

Man of the match: Andy Baird Banbury Cirencester: Paul Thompson, Neil Arndale (c), Scott Fuller Gary Horgan 50, Nathan Haisley, Marc Richards Michael Jackson 20, Craig Fullam Steve Cowe 63, Kyle Lapham, Lee Smith, Gareth Hopkins, Scott Griffin, Kevin Halliday Unused substitutes: Shaun Wimble, Mike Symons Banbury: Alan Foster, George Redknap, Tommy Kinch, Kieran Sullivan (c), James Saulsbury, Ady Fuller, Ollie Stanbridge, Darren Pond, Wayne Blossom, Any Baird, Stuart Bridges Unused substitutes: Matty Gooderick, Chris Jackson, Neil Lazarus, Simon Tricker (g/k) Referee: Mr R Smith (Halesowen) Attendance: 148