City made few changes and looked the better side for most of the first half. Although Ciren showed the occasional spark up front they looked woeful at the back. Cox's pace obviously worried their defence, and they focused their efforts on failing to cope with him to the detriment of marking Baylo who had plenty of space.

After Cox had worked himself a good early opportunity City opened the scoring from a corner. Medcroft swung the ball in towards the far post and the Ciren keeper flapped despairingly as it sailed beyond him. Abbott was the grateful recipient, nodding home unchallenged from six yards.

City should have added to their lead on several occasions in the next ten minutes. Bayliss saw a volley fly over while Abbo almost scored his second with a low rasping drive. Cox scampered clear on a couple of occasions and with both Jenks and Medcroft carving the home defence open with every attack it seemed another City goal feast was coming.

However on 21 minutes Ciren pulled level as they broke through City's defence for the first time. Ally Hines blocked bravely as Carter ran clear, but the rebound fell to Probert who tapped in. City should have replied immediately by restoring their lead, but Cox saw another good effort smarlty stopped. The Ciren keeper then showed surprising agility for a fat boy when he got to a Medcroft shot curling inside his far post after clever play by Tucker and Jenkins had created some space on the left.  

Ciren made the most of City's misfiring in front of goal and put themselves in front with a good long distance shot by Griffin. City's left flank had been outpaced by Ciren's right-back before Griffin let fly with a swerving drive that beat Ally all ends up. City then had a great chance to pull level from the spot after Jenks had tumbled to the ground under a clumsy challenge. Cox took the penalty kick but skied his effort over the bar.

City didn't look to have enjoyed half-time and matters weren't helped by the departure of Marshall who looks more in need of a close season break than anyone. City were just beginning to get back into their stride on the hard rutted pitch when they were hit by a sucker punch of a goal. Another long kick from the keeper sailed over the defence for a flicked header which fell to Griffin. He hit a superb lob over Ally and ran off to celebrate his second 'goal of the season' entry of the game. City just looked perplexed.

We did manage something of a fight back and Ciren's defence still looked shaky. After a little pressure we pulled one back when Rae flicked on a right sided free-kick and Andy Grange headed past his own keeper in a classic own goal style. Even that went wrong though, as City were still laughing when Ciren went straight up the other end and restored their two goal advantage. Ally turned a shot past his post but was nowhere to be seen when the corner came over leaving an easy header for Carter. 

The match then became a bit more of a fight as tempers got a little frayed and the two young sides got a little over competitive. City were now dominating the attacking play, with the introduction of Lee Smith giving the Ciren defence another fast attacker to worry about. City were unlucky not to get at least one penalty when Bayliss was wrestled away from the ball and then Smith was tripped as he raced clear. Neither were given, but city continued to press. Jenkins sent in a good shot from long range, then Smith sent in a stinging shot just wide after a good run by Cox. City's best chance fell to Medcroft who lifted his shot high after Abbott and Smith had put him in.

However the real drama of the game was saved for the closing minutes. Callinan had already been booked earlier in the game and with all of his experience should have set a better example than getting drawn into the battle in the centre of the park. However as the tackles got later and more rash Callinan could not resist flying in to confront Cirencester's Giles Harris. Harris went down clutching his face as if he'd been head-butted and a very angry Callinan got thirty seconds head start on the others in the queue for the shower.

'Chopper' Callinan was then replaced by another Chopper altogether. The pitch was then cleared smartly at the final whistle to allow a RAF rescue helicopter to land on the pitch. Apparently a serviceman had suffered a broken neck in an accident nearby. The drama got rid of the pitch's covering of sand and at least offered some distraction from City's return to their bad old defensive habits.