Ciren's cup agony

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Monday 27th Oct 2003.

CIRENCESTER TOWN bowed out of the FA Cup with their heads held high after pushing Crawley to the wire in a cracking final qualifying round tie.

Brian Hughes' side ultimately fell to a 4-2 defeat after a pair of late sucker punches, but most of the 715 spectators at the Corinium Stadium felt that the Centurions had done enough to earn a replay and the manager agreed.

Hughes said: "We knew it was going to be tough, but I thought we were worth a draw.

"We gave away a couple of silly goals late on which flattered them because we had them on the ropes towards the end.

"We have to put it into perspective though ­ Crawley are 13 games unbeaten in the division above us but there really wasn't a great deal of difference between the two sides.

"All I asked of my players before the game was that they give it their best shot and make the club proud, and that's what they did."

Crawley are currently pushing for promotion to the Conference, while Ciren remain in the bottom half of the Dr Martens Western Division, but Hughes' troops made a mockery of the clubs' respective league positions.

The home faithful were fearing the worst when Justin Gregory powered home a Kevin Hemsley cross on 12 minutes, but Ciren responded well to the early setback.

Marc Richards' drive forced Crawley keeper Andy Little into a smart save and Adam Mayo's strike was deflected wide.

The lively Scott Griffin squandered the best opening when his rushed header from strike partner Gareth Hopkins' flick drifted wide.

But the front two combined again to restore parity two minutes before the break.

Ben Fitch dummied Mayo's pass to leave Griffin scampering down the right flank.

The ex-Cinderford man dug out a pin-point cross and Hopkins rose to bury a a far-post header.

The game could have had a very different outcome when Hopkins wasted a golden chance to double his account at the start of the second half.

A sublime run and cross from Andy McCabe picked out the unmarked striker eight yards out but his volley crashed into the side netting.

A double substitution by Crawley on the hour had an immediate impact, with Jay Richardson and Vansittart replacing Fabian Forde and ex-Wimbledon midfielder Peter Fear.

Frontman Vansittart restored Crawley's lead with his first touch, firing in a Nigel Brake cross.

The dream appeared to be over when the visitors made it 3-1 against the run of play, Vansittart again well placed to stab home a loose ball.

But Ciren bounced back again, with Ben Fitch forcing Little to palm a low shot into the path of Richards who blasted in the rebound with eight minutes left.

A frantic finale followed, with Griffin's low 18-yard drive tipped wide by Little, who also blocked Jody Bevan's close-range effort.

But with Ciren pushing men forward, they were caught on the break in the final minute as a long clearance found Nigel Brake, who crashed a searing drive into the net from just inside the box.

Crawley went on to land an unglamorous trip to Tamworth or Telford in the draw for the first round proper, but that would have been of little consolation to a brave but beaten Ciren side.

Cirencester: Thompson, Bird, McEntegart, Richards, Mayo, Wotton, Robison, McCabe, Hopkins, Griffin, Fitch. Subs: Bevan, Minturn, Davis, Last, A Hopkins.

Attendance: 715.

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