Cirencester Town 2

Bideford 1

ALAN GRIFFIN bagged a brace as Charlie Griffin's Cirencester Town moved nearer to the play-offs.

Resurgent Cirencester sit at the top of the form table with 15 points and are in 11th place in the league table.

Earlier, boss Griffin was without Alex Albert (hospital) and Louis Spalding (suspended). Adam Connolly moved to centre-back alongside Ellis Dunton, making his final appearance before leaving for Australia, and the versatile Aidan Bennett started at left-back. Alan Griffin completed the starting eleven alongside Ben Whitehead in a 4-4-2 formation.

The visitors kicked-off and immediately attacked down their left-flank as Sean Downing made a strong run to the corner where Will Christopher won the ball to start a counter-attack.

During the opening minutes it was very clear that Bideford intended to take the game to their hosts.

However, Henry Spalding intercepted a Bideford pass 15 yards inside the Cirencester half and played it to Tommy Anderson in the centre circle who promptly sent it wide to Christopher as he advanced down the right-flank. The full-back spotted Spalding in space, moving forward and sent a terrific cross-field pass to him, near the left front corner of the Bideford area, and this enabled Spalding to take a couple of touches before unleashing a fierce drive that passed narrowly over the top left corner of the goal.

With 15 minutes on the clock Alan Griffin closed down a defender, as he attempted to clear down their right flank, to win a throw that led to Aidan Bennett working his way along the by-line before crossing but Oliver caught the ball at full-stretch.

Shortly afterwards the visitors repelled another Cirencester attack and countered down the centre through the busy Ryan Turner

By the mid-point of the half the game was end-to-end as both sides worked the ball forward to be denied as they reached the penalty area by their opponent’s defences.

Bideford’s Ben Seymour worked his way along the edge of the Cirencester area, from right to left, before shooting but Thom Jonkerman gathered the effort, low to his left, comfortably.

By the half hour mark Cirencester were moving the ball about, switching play from wing to wing with neat, quick passing involving several players and one such move as Whitehead played the ball to Spalding created an opening for a charging Tommy Ouldridge to fire over from the centre front edge of the penalty area.

Into the last ten minutes of the half Bideford were awarded a free kick on their left flank that reached Dan Harrison but his header was wide of the right post.

As the half was drawing to a close Adam Connolly was awarded a Yellow Card for a firm challenge that in my day would not have raised any eyebrows but despite this moments later he produced a sensational tackle, as the dangerous Seymour burst into the home penalty area, to hook the ball off the toe of the Bideford man.

The Robins came out of the blocks quickly after the break but it was Cirencester who created the first chance as Whitehead crossed from the left corner and Alan Griffin headed wide of the post.

This was quickly followed by an exchange of passes between Anderson and Christopher that resulted in a superb low cross that flew through the Bideford six-yard box with Alan Griffin just unable to reach it.

Cirencester continued to work the ball down their flanks whilst Bideford’s Downing and Ben Carter had snap shots at the target from 25 yards – neither troubling Jonkerman.

As the third quarter was coming to an end Bideford pressed and Downing headed a corner kick from the left over the home bar and Josh Key latched onto a ball over the top of the home defence to reach the by-line where Jonkerman darted out to block his attempted cross.

A few minutes later Key was prominent again as he dribbled into the left channel of the Cirencester penalty area where Jonkerman dived at his feet to bring his progress to an end.

In between these efforts Anderson and Christopher worked the ball down the right flank to Whitehead who shot narrowly wide of the right post.

Cirencester were increasing the pressure on their visitors as Alan Griffin headed a cross wide of the right post and Spalding had a shot deflected for a corner kick that led to the opening goal.

Mike Pook sent the corner kick from the left towards the penalty spot where Bennett produced a firm header that looked destined for the top right corner until Oliver dived to his left to block with the ball dropping near the centre of the goal for Alan Griffin to head into the net from a couple of yards.

Buoyed by this success Anderson and Christopher combined again for the full-back to send another superb ball through the Bideford six-yard box as Whitehead closed.

A few minutes later Anderson and Christopher were at it again resulting in a foul on Christopher on the right-flank that Spalding sent into the mix. Whitehead reached the kick and struck the crossbar with the ball rebounding towards the far left post where Dunton reacted to clip the underside of the bar. As the ball came down Alan Griffin managed to bundle it over the line.

With nothing to lose Bideford threw everything at the Cirencester defence as Seymour shot over the bar from 25 yards and Kevin Squire drew a fine save from Jonkerman.

On the 90 minute mark their effort was rewarded when a cross from their right flank reached Josh Key to the left of the penalty spot and he managed to produce a cushioned header that cleared Jonkerman to drop into the back of the net.