CIRENCESTER overcame difficult windy conditions to bounce back from their home defeat by Yate and return to the top of the table with three points at Evesham.

Calor Southern League Div One South & West

Evesham United 2

Cirencester Town 3

Town were ahead in the fourth minute when Aidan Bennett pressurised keeper John Bateman and his hasty clearance only made it as far as James Mortimer-Jones 30 yards out.

With Bateman stranded, the midfielder executed a perfect lob into the far corner of the net.

Ciren increased their lead in the 35th minute when a long, wind-assisted kick from Glyn Garner deceived the Evesham defence and Lee Smith nipped in behind them before bearing down on goal.

Former Centurion Jared Wilson hauled Smith down from behind resulting in an inevitable penalty, though the referee chose to give him only a yellow card rather than the more obvious red.

Steve Davies sent the keeper the wrong way to give Ciren a 2-0 half-time lead.

The wind had picked up considerably in the second half and it worked in Ciren’s favour early on as the ball got away from Carl Brown when he was through in two one-on-ones with Garner.

Brown almost made amends, however, when his ferocious shot drew a fine fingertip save from Garner.

Evesham continued to bombard the Ciren goal and were rewarded in the 74th minute when Brown squeezed a shot in at the near post.

Against the run of play, however, Smith restored Ciren’s two-goal lead seven minutes later when bursting into the 18-yard box and picking his spot well.

In the 88th minute, Ben Prictor brought down Ed Williams in the box which led not only to a penalty but his second yellow card and a dismissal.

Another former Centurion, Richard Mansell, converted the spot kick but Town were able to see out the final minutes for a crucial win.

Cirencester Town: Garner, Anson (capt), Prictor, Mortimer-Jones (Shepherd, 23), Dunton, Henry, Hooper (Bumphrey, 60), Wood, Bennett (Davidge, 86), Davies, Smith. Unused subs: Bevan, Bromley.