Evo-Stik Southern League West
Cirencester Town 1
Larkhall Athletic 2

JUST when it looked as if Cirencester Town had turned the corner after their below-par start to the season, they threw in another lacklustre display which saw them lose 2-1 at home to Larkhall Athletic.

A dominant performance the previous Saturday at Paulton saw them collect an untroubled three points on the road and even against an expensively assembled Evesham United in midweek they put on a creditable show in going down by just a single goal.

However, despite an eighth-minute goal from the prolific Ben Whitehead, Ciren never caught fire against The Larks and there was a certain inevitability about the way the visitors bagged two goals to win the game in the second period.

The result left a despairing Charlie Griffin scratching his head as his side dropped to 16th.

"I've told them in the changing room that they don't seem to realise that my job is on the line," said Griffin.

"What I talk through week in and week out seems to go in one ear and out the other. I feel several of the players are taking the mickey out of me.

"So there has to be changes. I've made approaches for two players and there may be more."

Cirencester hit the target with their first meaningful attack after The Larks had dominated the opening exchanges – and the goal was exquisite in its simplicity. Henry Spalding's precise cross picked out Whitehead with his back to goal and the savvy striker just helped it on with a back header past Shaun Semmens in the Larkhall goal.

Although Ciren continued to play composed football at times, with Michael Pook a strong, stable influence in midfield, it was the away side who were showing much greater urgency, with the impressive central midfielder Ibrahima Diallo breaking up play well.

They should have equalised in the 40th minute when Alex Lambert got clear in the box but Matt Wieczorek, one of Griffin's best signings, stood tall and made a good stop.

Ten minutes into the second half, tall pacy left winger Cory Simpson twice outstripped the Ciren defence into the box but both times put his chances narrowly wide.

In the 64th minute, though, The Larks were deservedly level when George King propelled a fierce header off a Joe Tumelty cross past Wieczorek.

Perhaps the end result would have been different had Matt Jones' shot not crashed back off the angle of bar and post in the 71st minute, after a great one-two with sub Felipe Barcelos.

But having wasted a chance to go ahead four minutes later when King planted a free header wide, Larkhall did grab what proved the winner in the 83rd minute.

The visitors broke at pace after Aidan Bennett had his shot saved at the Arena End and Lambert redeemed himself after that earlier miss when crashing an unstoppable shot in off the underside of the bar.

When ref Stacey Pearson called time some 10 minutes later Ciren had failed to muster much of a response and it was a workmanlike Larkhall who took the points.

Cirencester Town: Wieczorek, Christopher (Walsh, 84), Mortimer-Jones, Pook (Horrell, 84), Stoddart, Lewis, Spalding (Barcelos, 56), Connolly (capt), Bennett, Whitehead, Jones.

Unused subs: Coupe, Watts.