Evo-Stik League Southern Premier

Hungerford Town 1 Cirencester Town 1

CIRENCESTER TOWN came within four minutes of topping the Southern Premier League for the first time in their history but had to settle for a 1-1 draw when pegged back late on by fellow promotion candidates Hungerford Town.

Mark Pritchett’s 53rd-minute goal put Ciren tantalisingly within reach of the top spot on goal difference, with leaders Poole in FA Trophy action and their nearest challengers Corby without a game.

And even the most diehard Crusaders fan at Bulpit Lane would have acknowledged that the visitors were more than worthy of three points.

But with Ciren apparently easing to victory, former Centurion Lee Smith popped up to dash their hopes.

On a pudding of a pitch which choked any attempt to play football, Ciren nonetheless dominated most of the 90 minutes, while the league’s top scorer Mark Draycott endured one of his least effective afternoons.

Ciren opted to leave their top scorer Nat Jarvis on the bench, instead giving ex-Crusader Josh Parsons his head in the belief that he would have a point to prove against his former team-mates. Ciren also welcomed back captain Leigh Henry after he had missed eight games with a knee injury.

Hungerford’s tactic to counteract Parsons’ pace and touch was to repeatedly bring him to the floor, the consequence of which was repeated balls being pumped in the hosts’ box from set pieces.

Ellis Dunton saw a header after a corner scrambled off the line in the 14th minute and the left back should perhaps have done better with a free header from a free kick 12 minutes later which he powered just over the bar.

In the 39th minute, as Ciren finished the first half strongly, they came even closer to scoring when recent signing from Hungerford Ian Herring made a fine diagonal run to meet an Ed Williams corner, planting his header against the bar.

Hungerford’s only two chances in the first half both fell to Draycott, though he failed to test Glyn Garner with either.

The No.10 completely missed his kick when a teasing cross came his way in the seventh minute and in the 38th minute, having pounced on a ball needlessly lost on the edge of the Ciren box, he flashed a snap shot wide of Garner’s goal.

Despite playing up the slope in the second half, it was again Ciren who made the running and they took a long-overdue lead when centre back Pritchett, up front for another set piece, finished off emphatically when the ball came in the box at the second time of asking from Dunton.

Having lost their captain Jon Boardman to injury in the 15th minute, Hungerford introduced their final two subs soon after the hour mark – the speedy ex-Swindon Town winger Alan O’Brien and powerhouse front man Charlie Mpi – and both had a measure of success as Hungerford at last raised their game.

But it was still Ciren who carved out the best chances.

When Paul Strudley miscued a clearance from outside his box in the 65th minute, Aidan Bennett unhesitatingly hit a 35-yarder from wide on the left which landed just inches over the bar.

The consistently lively Ed Williams was also inches wide with an effort when Ciren broke with rapier pace soon after, but in the 80th minute Hungerford got their first decent effort on target only for it to be deflected wide of goal by Henry’s backside.

James Pilling was lucky to stay on the field a couple of minutes later when a cynical challenge prompted a warning for the already booked defender.

Hungerford had a second crucial piece of good fortune in the 86th minute when Matt Liddiard slipped in the mud when about to make what looked like a routine clearance.

Lee Smith, just a bit-part player for much of the game, pounced on the loose ball and did what he does best, finishing clinically in a one on one with Garner.

So frustration for Ciren but another excellent all-round display.

Cirencester Town: Garner, Herring, Dunton, Pritchett, Liddiard, Henry (capt), Hooper, Mortimer-Jones, Parsons, Bennett, Williams.
Unused subs: Jarvis, Prictor, Pitts.