SPORT ITALIA HELLENIC LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE EAST

WOEFUL MARLOW DROP VITAL POINTS

Eton Wick 2 Marlow United 2

Marlow dropped two vital points as top met bottom with basement side Eton Wick pulling back a two-goal half time deficit to snatch only their second point of the season.

Yet again United have dropped two vital points against a basement team, this result mirroring their 2-2 away draw earlier in the season at Prestwood.

As in that game United took the field with a much-changed side, six new faces taking the field from the team that shared the honours with Henley on Boxing Day.

The unexpected loss of those four points may well come back to haunt them as they attempt to finish in the top two of the Hellenic League East.

The fact that Eton was able to snatch a draw is down to the inability of the title chasers to convert the numerous chances they created in a dominant first 45 minutes.

Playing with a gale at their backs they could well have gone in at half time five or six goals to the good, instead they had to settle for goals from Middleton and a Davis penalty as a cushion from the second half hurricane conditions.

United could well have been three goals to the good inside the first few minutes as Brown, Davis and Crawford all had efforts saved by an overworked Howard in the Eton goal.

Even he was helpless after eight minutes as a Davis shot hit the post with the keeper a spectator.

That only delayed the inevitable as two minutes later a move involving Bowler, Buchanan and Pedley ended with Ross Middleton running the ball into the net for a 1-0 lead.

The away side were then awarded a free kick in the area for a back pass only for the official to reverse the decision after consulting his assistant the ball having come of the defenders knee.

Three corners in succession saw United pile on the pressure with West and Buchanan having chances to increase the lead.

At the other end Moran broke through and only a last ditch intervention by Ollie Flint denied Eton a shock equaliser.

The second goal arrived soon after with as United were awarded a penalty after Bower was adjudged to have been pushed as he attempted to reach a cross.

Davis fired the ball past Howard on 23 minutes.

At this stage it appeared only a matter of how big would the half time lead be as Buchanan, Middleton, Davis and Flint all had chances to increase the lead.

As the half came to a close West missed a glorious opportunity to add to the lead, one on one with Howard he saw his shot hit the keeper, the ball being cleared from under the bar by a defender.

HT 0-2

The second half was only 4 minutes old before Eton halved the Marlow lead.

A corner from the left was met by an unmarked Bickley who headed in from close range.

Suddenly the complexion of the game changed, Eton used the elements to their advantage playing the ball over the United back four as the away team struggled to keep possession.

Eton’s Pearson was dictating the midfield area and he saw his free kick sail over the bar on 52 minutes.

Bowler set up Brown at the other end only for the chance to be missed whilst Eton broke quickly only to be ruled off side.

Davis found himself in good positions with no reward, Bowler had a shot saved before Davis again saw a shot saved.

Marlow were grateful to Crawford’s last-ditch block as Dase advanced on goal whilst Brown saw his cross-blocked at the other end.

Eton equalised on 72 minutes when a long ball out of defence found Pitcher, the forward using his extra yard to outpace Wiltshire and place the ball beyond Flint into the goal.

Realising that two vital points were about to be squandered Marlow at last began to raise their game.

A marvellous run by Ollie Flint resulted in him being felled in the Eton area but what seemed an obvious penalty was waved away by the referee.

United continued to dominate the game, hitting the post and the bar in the process. Pitcher the saw his shot saved when he found himself in space in the Marlow area.

The game ended with frantic United pressure as Davis, Brown and Bowler all saw efforts blocked or saved.

The game ended with Brown hitting the ball behind from the by line summing up a frustrating day for the away team.

Eton celebrated only their second, and surely most unexpected, point of the season.

A disconsolate Marlow boss Kevin Carvell could not conceal his disappointment after the game “That was as poorly as we have played all season. We were complacent, lethargic and deserved what we got from the game. Allowing for the number of enforced changes we should still be good enough to win this game. Forget about winning this league, we will struggle to finish in the top four on that performance”

D Flint               6  No fault with the goals

O Flint               6 Battled for 90 mins

D Pedley          6 Out of position

R Crawford      5  Lethargic

G Wiltshire      6  Battled

A West            5 Faded

R Middleton    5 As above

D Buchanan   5  Struggled

J Bowler         5 ineffective

R Davis          5 as above

L Brown         6 tried hard to little effect

Subs

V Cuva 6 Tried hard

M Flint  6  As above

MOM

O Flint