Evo-Stik Southern League Premier

Cirencester Town 1 Arlesey Town 1

STRUGGLING Arlesey Town spoiled the party as more than 200 former players came to celebrate Cirencester Town’s 125th anniversary on Saturday.

Arlesey are struggling for survival at the bottom of the Premier Division and had changed their management in February.

Having taken a surprise lead in the 11th minute the determined visitors got 10 men behind the ball to protect their lead while looking quick and dangerous on the break.

Cirencester’s performance was better than the previous week’s disappointing home defeat to Slough but they found it difficult to break down Arlesey’s stubborn resistance and their play-off push could have done with more than just the point secured by Nat Jarvis’s 20th league goal of the season just before the interval.

Cirencester had enjoyed the better of the early skirmishes before Arlesey opened the scoring.

A huge downfield clearance in the 11th minute exposed the lack of pace at the heart of the Ciren defence and as Zack Reynolds closed in on the ball a momentary hesitation by advancing keeper Glyn Garner allowed the winger to get there first, round him, and place the ball into the vacant net.

On 20 minutes, Jarvis chested a Gethin Jones cross into the path of Josh Parsons and his shot from the left front edge of the area whistled past the right post.

The Centurions were now dominating possession and Parsons flicked a ball through to set up a ‘one-on-one’ for Brad Hooper with keeper Nick Thompson, who managed a partial block as the midfielder attempted to slip the ball past him, with a recovering defender able to clear the loose ball.

In the 43rd minute Cirencester finally levelled the score. Ian Herring’s long throw from the left flank came back to him and he clipped a superb ball towards the back post where Jarvis found the back of the net with a downward header.

Cirencester enjoyed plenty of possession again in the second half but Garner was required to make a brave save in the 71st minute at the feet of Jack Vassey and in the last quarter hour the visitors created a couple of worrying moments for the home side on the break, with Inih Effiong shooting wide of the target and Jevani Brown forcing a Garner save at the near post.

Ciren responded with two Ian Herring strikes, both heading for the corner of the net, which Thompson did well to keep out.

In time added on Cirencester thought they had scored the winner when a Parsons shot was blocked and fell into the path of substitute Jordan Ricketts who tucked it inside the right post but the assistant referee flagged for offside to the frustration of the healthy home crowd of 321.

CIRENCESTER TOWN: Garner, Herring, Jones, Pritchett, Liddiard (Pitts, 67), Henry (capt), Hooper (Ricketts, 71), Mortimer-Jones, Jarvis, Bennett (Davidge, 71), Parsons.

Unused subs: James, Gudger.