Tiverton Town 3 Cirencester Town 1

TWO poor teams were separated by the ability of Plymouth Argyle reserve, Scott Laird, to think and act a yard quicker than the Centurions' defence.

Fresh from the hot potato oven, the ball never stayed with any player, except Tiverton's Chris Bale, for more than a second as it was banged backwards and forwards in a dreadful opening half-hour.

Tiverton had marginally the better of the opening, sometimes retaining possession for up to three passes before miscuing.

Aided by the inability of Cirencester's James Rowe to cover his flank, Tiverton's James Mudge and Chris Vinnicombe provided the Centurions' goalkeeper, Kevin Sawyer, with catching practice.

Cirencester persisted in banging long balls at the statuesque Nathan Rudge's head.

He did what he is built to do and blasted it back out but he cannot deal with pace on the deck and twice Lee Smith grabbed a loose ball and skated clear up the left flank.

At full stretch, Tivvy just managed to block him off but should have been punished when, on 23 minutes, Smudger raced clear to set himself 12 yards out.

However, Danny Barker made a desperate block and diverted the shot round the post.

On 34 minutes, Cirencester's Matt Jones lost Carl Cliff-Brown on the touch-line and Bale poked the wayward cross goalwards for Laird to dart into the gap and nudge beyond Sawyer from five yards.

A disallowed effort from Tivvy, a minute later, left Steve Cowe in acres of space midway inside Tivvy's half.

With only Rudge back to defend and McSherry pulling free on the left, Cowe failed to make the pass.

Next minute, Bale sent a long ball up the Ciren right for Laird to win his tussle with Ollie Holder and slot calmly past the exposed Sawyer.

Lee Smith won and converted a penalty on 45 minutes after again running Tivvy's defence ragged.

Being just a goal down at the break and with Nathan Haisley on to stiffen midfield, Ciren had a chance.

Having pressed Tivvy from the outset, Ciren woefully mis-passed deep in Tivvy territory on 50 minutes.

Cirencester's Steve Leigh should have contained James Mudge, Tivvy's only player up field. However, Leigh dived in and Mudge escaped to cross.

Haisley blocked the first shot from Bale but Cliff-Brown, arriving on the edge of the box, hit the rebound back into the net for 3-1 to Tivvy.

Neither side could force another defensive error, although Ciren had a good shout on 84 minutes when McSherry beat Craig Allcock who then handled the cross away.

It would have not been enough to save Ciren who, on this display, are likely to end the season on the bottom of the heap.

Tiverton Town: Danny Barker, Craig Allcock, Chris Vinnicombe Richard Lamacraft 72, Tom Gardner, Nathan Rudge(c), Andy Thomas Danny Harris 76, Mike Booth, Chris Bale, Carl Cliff-Brown, Scott Laird, James Mudge Dean Stamp 74.

Unused substitute: Jamie Skinner

Cirencester Town: Kevin Sawyer, Lee Smith, Matt Bicknell Dan Hilder 72, Steve Leigh, Matt Jones, Ollie Holder, Harry Etheridge Midi Dedegbe 83, Michael Jackson(c), Steve Cowe, Ian McSherry, James Rowe Nathan Haisley 45.

Unused substitute: Dan Wallington

Cirencester Man of the Match: Lee Smith

Referee: L Swabey (Plymouth) Attendance: 391