SPORT
ITALIA HELLENIC LEAGUE
DIVISION
ONE EAST
MARLOW
SLUMP TO HOME DEFEAT
Marlow United
slumped to their first home league defeat of the season as Englefield deservedly
took the points at Wilks Park.
A dejected
manager Kevin Carvell said after this comprehensive defeat ”
We cannot expect to lose five first team players as we did today and compete
with teams like Englefield who had only lost one game this season. The lack of
depth in our squad has to be rectified if we are to realise our ambitions this
season”
After last
weeks heroics at Bisley the wheels certainly came of the wagon as United never
got to grips with the loss of so many first team players and that coupled with
crucial errors cost them the game.
The away side
began strongly putting Marlow under pressure from the kick off. Sperling broke
down the right forcing a corner in the first minute. Two minutes later home
keeper Cooper was called into action saving a free kick from Howard before a
Hedges shot from the edge of the area again bought Cooper into action.
Having
weathered the early storm United began to mount some attacks of their own with
James Flint finding himself in the clear only for Phillips in the away goal to
save at his feet.
On 15 minutes
Rino Sepede weaved past three challenges before finding Flint who’s shot was
again saved.
At this stage
Marlow appeared to be gaining the upper hand and the first goal arrived on 23
minutes with Filmore and Flint combining to release Sepede who shot home from 15
yards after rounding the last defender.
United
continued to press with Sepede losing out to Phillips from a Glynn through ball.
Flint and
Sepede released Glynn whose cross from the right was to strong.
Englefield kept
the United defence, shorn of three of it’s regulars, at full stretch and
Captain Mat Flint was lucky to escape a booking after pulling down the dangerous
Hedges as he cut into the area whilst at the other end good work from Davis and
Sepede ended with an easy save from Phillips.
Then on 38
minutes Englefield equalised. A missed challenge from a subdued Pedley allowed a
break down the right, which ended with Hedges firing home the cross with
United’s back four in disarray.
Worse was to
follow when 5 minutes later Glynn lost the ball in his own half allowing a pass
to Burrows who ran on his shot giving Rovers the half time lead.
Half
Time 1-2
Marlow
replaced Pedley with Gabb as they attempted to wrest the initiative from
Englefield
Still it was
the away team who showed more urgency with Cooper pushing over a cross from the
right in after less than a minute.
From a further
corner Englefields Stanford headed wide from 4 yards before Glynn beat three
players before being fouled his subsequent free kick being cleared.
Gabb and Ryan
set up James Flint who shot wide as United struggled to find the equaliser.
Glynn tried his
luck from a 25 yard free kick bringing Phillips to his knees on the line before
Davis was substituted by Cuva in an effort to change the pattern of the game.
Then on 62
minutes United were awarded a penalty after Sepede was felled in the area.
Glynn stepped
forward but his weak effort was easily saved by Phillips diving to his left
summing up a frustrating afternoon for the United midfielder.
How the home
team were to regret that miss as 5 minutes later a Sperling shot was blocked by
Cooper only for Hedges to cap a fine performance rifling home his second and
Rovers third goal.
There appeared
no way back from a two goal deficit for Marlow and so it was to prove.
Although not
lacking in effort the side looked disjointed, the midfield sadly missing the
absent Middleton and Buchanan, although Ollie Flint and Ben Filmore battled
manfully throughout.
James Ramsey
replaced Jimbo Flint on 71 minutes and he began to cause the Rovers back four
problems. His close control created several dangerous moments, his cross being
met by Ollie Flint who’s shot was blocked. Minutes later Sepede was again
felled in the area only for the assistant ref to wave away appeals with the
referee unsighted.
A Ramsey corner
was met by Ollie Flint only for the ball to be cleared of the line.
The game
appeared to be drifting to it’s conclusion before a shot from Englefield hit
the top of the crossbar before cannoning of the front of the stand at the rear
of the goal. The ball nestled at the back of the goal rippling the net in the
process. With the Englefield
players celebrating and the referee pointing to the centre it took Cooper in the
home goal to point out that the ball was actually behind the goal.
That only
delayed the fourth goal by seconds as Murdoch scored when the ball landed back
in the Marlow area with the defence again all at sea.
Final
score
1-4
1)
A Cooper 6
No fault with the goals
2)
O Flint 6
Never gave up
3)
A Lanaway 5 Struggled
4)
R Crawford 5
Composed on the ball
5)
M Flint 5
Struggled manfully
6)
M Glynn 5 crucial mistakes
7)
B Filmore 6
Trier
8)
D Pedley 5 Off the
pace
9)
R Davis 6 gave his
best
10)
J Flint 6 determined
11)
R Sepede 6 Dangerous on the ball
Subs
S
Gabb 6 Slotted in well
V
Cuva 5 Poor service.
Never threatened
J
Ramsey 6 Looked dangerous
MOM
OLLIE FLINT