Evo-Stik Southern Premier

Cirencester Town 1

Kettering Town 6

THE TWO floodlights closest to the home dugout were not functioning fully but Cirencester Town boss Charlie Griffin still saw all too plainly an X-rated defensive display from his team as they lost 6-1 at home to Kettering.

The Poppies were two goals ahead in three minutes, 4-0 up inside 22 and added two more in the second half.

Just when manager Griffin felt his squad was coming together they produced a horror show of inept marking at corners – five of the six Kettering goals came from set pieces.

About the only positives for the exasperated gaffer were the form of his two latest signings, Alan Griffin and Dan Demkiv, who combined well for the only Ciren goal, looked as if they were already forming an understanding, and offered the promise of many more goals together.

Raajan Gill had to make a save within 10 seconds of the start from Rene Howe but 30 seconds later from the subsequent corner he was picking the ball out of the net from the same player.

On three minutes, Alan Griffin was back trying to defend another Poppies corner and inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.

On 19 minutes James Haran put a bullet header past Gill from another set piece and three minutes later it was James Brighton’s turn to race in and head home at the back post after another corner had skimmed off the head of a Ciren player defending the near post.

In open play Ciren were still putting together some nice passing moves and their goal in the 24th minute was a corker.

A fierce cross from the right was flicked on by Griffin and Demkiv not only got in front of his marker but cleverly guided a header wide of Dean Snedker in the Poppies goal.

Remarkably, Ciren could have had three more goals before half-time. Haran cleared off the line in a goalmouth scramble, Griffin was disappointed to plant a makeable header over the bar and Hancox hesitated with the goal gaping allowing Snedker to deflect his shot wide.

Young Bristol City loanee Jack Challis was withdrawn before half-time, with captain Mat Liddiard moving into the back four, and it was he who made a desperate late block in the 47th minute when a Poppies striker wanted far too much time to finish in front of goal.

In the 53rd minute it was another corner and another free downward header from Haran which bulged the back of the net.

It might have been six three minutes when Paul Malone wanted some of the shooting-fish-in-a-barrel routine and his header from a corner (again) crashed on to the underside of the bar and dropped on or over the line.

It was six for real when sub Matthew Barnes-Homer scored his first goal for Kettering from a corner swung in from Brighton.

With 11 minutes remaining Griffin and Demkiv again hinted at what a fine partnership they may become; the veteran striker flicked a clearance into the path of the pacy Demkiv who got a yard on the defence before sending a stinging right-footed drive which Snedker did well to parry behind.

It was the last meaningful action on a grim wet afternoon at the Corinium Stadium where a search party was still looking for the Cirencester Town defence.

Cirencester Town: Gill, Diaz-Benitez, Scheving, Challis (Mortimer-Jones 35), Brown, Spalding, Liddiard (capt), Connolly, Griffin, Demkiv, Hancox (Bennett, 54).