Cirencester boss Hughes is refusing to get carried away

By jyoung

DESPITE claiming seven points from a difficult week of fixtures, Cirencester Town manager Brian Hughes is refusing to get carried away ahead of tonight's visit of Bridgwater Town (7.45pm).

Saturday's 5-2 thrashing of ten-man Bedfont Green completed a busy week which also saw victory against Hungerford and a draw against Mangotsfield United.

The seven-point haul has helped move the Centurions up to third place in Zamaretto League Division One South and West, but Hughes is refusing to talk about their play-off credentials.

"I am still just working on a week to week basis," said Hughes. "Seven points from nine is a perfectly respectable total and we are happy with that.

"But we now have two tough fixtures coming up starting with the Bridgwater game and we are 100 per cent concentrating on that."

Hughes was delighted with the performance of his side on Saturday, especially with the way they created a host of chances.

Top-scorer Jody Bevan scored a hat-trick and there were notable contributions from his two strike partners Jason Welsh and Rob Hoskin.

Hoskin, who doesn't turn 18 until later in the month, was back to his effervescent best after looking a little jaded in recent weeks.

"I had a chat with Rob, his father and our Academy Manager Steve Lowdnes last week as Rob was looking a little jaded.

"He has been training full-time with the academy, then twice a week with the first team and playing in as many as three games a week.

"We decided to reduce his workload a little and he rewarded us with a lively performance, which was great to see."

However it was the more experienced figure of Bevan, who was chief beneficiary of the good work put in by his strike partners on Saturday.

He converted the fourth minute penalty won after Hoskins had broken the Bedfont offside trap and then twice headed home from corners from new signing Sean Wood.

Cirencester's prowess from set-pieces brought four of their five goals, something that Hughes was especially pleased with.

"Set pieces are a big part of our game as we have a lot of big lads who are good headers of the ball," said Hughes.

"It's all about the quality of delivery and Sean Wood has done really well since he's arrived, his delivery from corners was superb in the first half.

"All he had to do was put the ball on Jody's forehead, and given how big that is it was a fairly easy task."