Dull final game for Cirencester Town (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Dull final game for Cirencester Town

Cirencester Town 0, Northwood 0

CIRENCESTER'S poor season petered out tamely in a scrappy game between two struggling sides, each crying out for a goal-scorer.

Being safe from relegation left Town with nothing to play for, while Northwood went into this last game of the campaign still battling against the drop.

Northwood, who ultimately gained the point that proved sufficient to stave off relegation, therefore had more incentive than Cirencester and inevitably looked sharper.

Both teams created clear-cut chances but neither possessed the marksman capable of taking them.

Northwood carved out the most openings and would have won but for striker Dean Clark's profligacy.

Cirencester were also hindered by having to adapt to their experimental 3-4-3 formation, introduced with an eye on next season.

Kevin Halliday and Neil Arndale pushed forward as wingbacks, on the left and right respectively, with midfielder, Michael Jackson, shielding the back four, while striker, Steve Cowe, played in 'the hole' behind the front two.

Lee Smith was moved from his usual right-midfield berth into a central striker's role in a bid to get this potential match-winner more involved.

Northwood, playing a rigid 4-4-2, threatened as early as the fourth minute, their other striker, Peter Dean, prodding the ball wide from within the six-yard box after beating Cirencester goalkeeper, Paul Thompson, to Clark's low free kick.

Cirencester nearly scored on 14 minutes, Marc Richards rising above his markers at the far post to head Smith's leftwing corner down but wide.

On 17 minutes, Northwood's Shayne Demetrious floated a chip narrowly over Thompson's crossbar from the right of Town's penalty area.

With injury preventing Adi Viveash from playing in what was to have been his last game for Cirencester before retirement, midfielder, Nathan Haisley, showed his versatility by replacing him at centre-half.

Haisley, one of Cirencester's few pluses this season, was again Town's best performer, repeatedly thwarting Northwood with his physical presence and positional sense.

But, on 21 minutes, he failed to get enough distance when heading a long, rightwing cross clear.

The ball fell to Clark, unmarked on the edge of the area, but he scuffed his volley and Thompson collected.

Clark's most glaring miss came in the 28th minute when Danny Julienne got behind Cirencester's defence and crossed low to him from the right by-line.

Clark, in the six-yard box, miscued with the goal gaping and somehow sent the ball back to Julienne who fired in another cross that was cleared.

Having soaked up pressure, Cirencester nearly scored on 32 minutes when Northwood's left-back, Rob Courtnage, failed to intercept a pass into the visitors' box.

Collecting the ball in the inside-right channel, Smith crossed low to his strike-partner, Scott Griffin, whose angled shot cleared the crossbar.

On 43 minutes, Dean crossed low from the right to hapless Clark who got in front of his marker at the near post but failed to make proper contact and the ball slid wide.

Cirencester had four shots on goal within the second half's opening three minutes, the second of which resulted from their best move of the match.

Shaun Wimble, making his final appearance for Cirencester before taking up a coaching job in Canada, flicked a neat lay-off to Cowe who made good ground before playing Griffin clear in the inside-left channel.

Griffin's rising, 20-yard shot cleared the bar.

Northwood were soon back in the ascendancy, Demetrious twisting and turning Halliday in the area and shooting for the near post.

The ball looked bound to squeeze in but swerved into the side-netting at the last moment.

Having spotted Thompson off his line in the 58th minute, Julienne audaciously tried to lob Cirencester's custodian from virtually the halfway line but the goalkeeper recovered to catch the ball.

After Clark had lashed a 20-yarder narrowly over on 60 minutes, Cirencester substituted Halliday and Smith for Lee Davies and Stewart "Gus" Fraser, also making his final appearance.

With Town having changed to a 4-4-2 formation, Davies collected a 65th-minute ball over the top but shot tamely into Northwood keeper Rob Bullivant's arms from 20 yards.

Davies should have scored a minute later but shot horribly wide when clear 15 yards out.

Mike Symons, who had replaced Griffin, got free in the inside-right channel on 67 minutes but Bullivant dived to push his low, 15-yard shot wide.

On 73 minutes, Clark again tested Thompson, this time with a low, 20-yarder.

Davies should have done better when Symons curled in a rightwing cross on 82 minutes.

Centrally positioned and unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box, he headed straight at Bullivant.

Demetrious then found space in Cirencester's box but Town defender, Craig Fullam, thwarted him with a last-ditch tackle.

Northwood skipper, Wayne Carter, almost grabbed the points for his side with two late attempts.

In the 83rd-minute, he headed a right-wing cross onto the top of Cirencester's crossbar, with Thompson beaten.

Four minutes later, Carter came round the back to meet another right-wing cross but his rising, 20-yard shot went just over.

Cirencester finished on the back foot, which is where they were for most of the campaign.

Their manager, Brian Hughes, has much work to do in the close season. Man of the match: Nathan Haisley (Cirencester).

Cirencester: Paul Thompson, Neil Arndale (c), Kevin Halliday Gus Fraser 62, Nathan Haisley, Michael Jackson, Craig Fullam, Marc Richards, Lee Smith Lee Davis 62, Steve Cowe, Scott Griffin Michael Symons 66, Shaun Wimble. Unused substitutes: Gareth Hopkins, Adam Little Northwood: Rob Bullivant, Danny Julienne (Y62), Rob Courtnage, Jason O'Connor, Fergus Moore, Wayne Carter (Y80) (c), Shayne Demetrious, Dean Clark, Sam Hatton, Peter Dean, Gavin Hart. Unused substitutes: Elliott Buchanan, James Shipperley, Aaron Ferdinand, James Glass, Michael Lavender. Referee: Mr M Warren (Walsall). Attendance: 158.