Evo-Stik Southern Premier.

Leamington 2, Cirencester Town 0.

CIRENCESTER scrapped hard as they bid to retain their Southern Premier League status but they were undone by two second half goals.

Beleaguered Town had been weakened still further in the week by the reported move of first-choice centre half Andy Gunn to Aylesbury, while another regular Jon Else was still too unwell to take any part.

But, while showing little attacking threat, Town matched a busy and committed Leamington and frustrated them for more than an hour.

When the breakthrough eventually came in the 67th minute it was the result of some fine work from David Kolodynski and Neil Barnfield.

Kolodynski retained the ball well before cutting in from the touchline and laid a ball across to Barnfield, whose slick shot on the turn forced Ciren keeper Mike Hedges to push it around the post. From the resulting corner, Jamie Hood rose above the defence to power home a header.

Six minutes later Leamington scored from another set piece when Alex Taylor pounced on a nod down at the edge of the area before curling a low effort out of Hedges’ reach and into the bottom corner.

Cirencester Town: Hedges, Mortimer-Jones (captain), Bennett, Westlake, Davies, Reid, Turk, Claridge, Bevan (Russell, 84), Griffin, Pitt (James, 67).

Unused sub: Else.