CIRENCESTER TOWN 2 BIDEFORD 1

Bideford slipped to their first defeat in eight games at in-form Cirencester Town on Saturday.

Two goals in the last fifteen minutes condemned Bideford to a first defeat in eight games at the division’s form team Cirencester Town on Saturday. Josh Key pulled one back late on for his first goal for the club but it proved to be only a consolation.

The game, played on a 3G surface, was an evenly fought contest which could have gone either way and The Robins will feel hard done by to come away without any reward for their efforts. Henry Spalding and Tommy Ouldridge went closest for the home side in the first half with shots that flew just over, while at the other end Thom Jonkerman saved from Ben Seymour and Dan Harrison headed wide from a Matt Bye free kick.

In the second half Sean Downing and Ben Carter were both off target while Alan Griffin sent a header wide for the hosts. The breakthrough came with fifteen minutes left as Steve Oliver made a good save to deny Aidan Bennett’s header from a corner but Griffin was on hand to nod in from close range. The Centurions doubled their lead four minutes later when a free kick into the box found Ben Whitehead who hit the crossbar, Ellis Dunton then struck the bar a second time before Griffin scrambled home.

Bideford threw everything at Cirencester in the final ten minutes with Jonkerman making a good stop from Kevin Squire and Seymour firing just over from outside the box. The Robins finally found the net in the 90th minute as Josh Key smartly headed over Jonkerman from a Ian Sampson cross but it came too late to make a difference.

Bideford: Oliver, Sampson, Mayne, Harrison, Reed (Mehew 76), Bye, Carter, Key, Downing (Hancox 79), Turner (Squire 65), Seymour. Subs: Squire, Western, Beattie, Mehew, Hancox.

Goals
Cirencester Town: Griffin 75, 79
Bideford : Key 90

Attendance: 130