Evo-Stik Southern League West
Cirencester Town 4
Yate Town 4
STORM Brian was the winner as Cirencester Town and Yate Town shared the points in an eight-goal thriller.

The sometimes-comical wind made it an embarrassing day for goalkeepers with one goal direct from a corner and another from his own half by Yate’s former Ciren keeper Harvey Rivers.

It was certainly an eventful game and the players have to be applauded for putting on an entertaining show in the conditions.

But Ciren will be kicking themselves after being unable to see out the last 12 minutes when two goals ahead.

Yate started brightly and only a brave block from Ciren’s industrious captain Adam Connolly denied Bristol Rovers loanee Cameron Ebbutt a goal in the 13th minute.

The visitors were ahead inside a minute when Eugene Keary’s looping header beat Ciren’s Development keeper Arie Peursum, who was making his first XI debut due to first choice Matt Wieczorek being suspended for one game. With loan striker Jordan Ricketts recalled by Chippenham, versatile Aidan Bennett was again given his chance up front and it was he who put the hosts level.

Forest Green Rovers teenager Tommy Anderson, who had a lively debut especially in the first half, calmly picked out Bennett in the box in the 19th minute and the No.9 made room before firing past Rivers.

Two minutes later the wind and Henry Spalding combined to put Ciren 2-1 up direct from a corner.

But on 34 minutes, a low 25-yard daisy-cutter from Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist found the corner of Peursum’s net to even things up.

Peursum did subsequently save well from Brooks in a one-on-one, while a Jack Horrell shot rattled the post three minutes before the interval.

Stung by some criticism from boss Charlie Griffin at half-time Ciren came out with real purpose. Two goals in as many minutes had got them back in the game in the first 45 and a quick brace seemed to have put them in command soon after the break – two good finishes from Ben Whitehead and Bennett, who was scoring his fifth in four games.

Griffin sent Michael Pook on for Spalding in the 77th minute to help manage the game over the line but within 60 seconds Yate were back in it with a bizarre third goal.

Rivers launched a free kick from all of 50 yards near the touchline and the wind-assisted missile deceived Peursum who got a hand to what was possibly an indirect free kick.

Either side of a brilliant Peursum save to deny Leigh-Gilchrist, Ciren saw Whitehead put a flick inches wide and, with Rivers well outside the box, Connolly sent a goal-bound lob that was headed clear from under the bar.

Then with a minute remaining Ciren failed to retain the ball at a short corner and found themselves outnumbered on the break.

Former Centurion Steve Davies, who had signed for Yate from Mangotsfield only the day previously, picked out Leigh-Gilchrist with a deep back post cross and the No.8 did the rest with a sweet half volley.

Cirencester Town: Peursum, Christopher, Jones, Horrell, Coupe (Lewis, 19), Stoddart, Spalding (Pook, 77), Connolly (capt), Bennett, Whitehead, Anderson.

Unused subs: Mortimer-Jones, Gudger, Rose.