SPORT
ITALIA HELLENIC LEAGUE
DIVISION
ONE EAST
Marlow United
maintained the pressure on league leaders Chalfont Wasps with a hard fought 2-0
victory over Kintbury Rangers at Wilkes Park, moving above their opponents into
second place in the league in the process.
Chalfont’s
visit this Saturday now assumes huge importance as a win for the home team would
not only end Wasps unbeaten start to the season but also draw United level with
the current leaders.
The kick off
was delayed for 15 minutes with the visitors being delayed in heavy
traffic on the M4 and it was Marlow who got the game underway at seven forty
five.
United wasted
little time in opening the scoring, Filmore winning the ball in midfield and
finding Bowler free on the left.
The Marlow man
crossed an accurate ball into the area where Lewis Brown glanced a header over
Roberts in the Kintbury goal and into the far corner of the net with one and a
half minutes on the clock.
With a gusting
wind making football difficult it was the away side who stepped up the pace of
the game with Drake and Brown testing the Marlow back four.
Drake had a
free kick blocked and later saw home keeper Pollard save his shot as he burst
into the area.
United replied
with Ollie Flints cross just evading an onrushing Bowler. A Kintbury corner was
eventually dealt with by Crawford heading the ball back to Pollard. Then on 14
minutes Wiltshire missed a glorious chance to double the United lead.
A Brown cross
was blocked and the ball fell to the Marlow centre forward who shot
weakly at
Roberts from 8 yards.
Drake then
found himself with the ball in the Marlow area only to be foiled yet again by
Pollard.
Kintburys Brown
robbed Filmore of the ball only to shoot wide of the goal when well placed as
the away team kept up the pressure in their efforts to equalise.
Even so Marlow
were creating chances and from a Pollard kick the ball fell to the feet of
Buchanan after a Wiltshire challenge only for the Marlow midfielder to shoot
wide.
Kintbury then
found themselves on the wrong end of two decisions in the space of two minutes.
On 28
minutes the referee awarded a penalty against Buchanan for a push in the area
only for the assistant ref to raise his flag for an offside prior to the
offence.
Seconds later a
through ball found Stefan Brown in the clear, his volley flying into the net
only for the celebrations to be cut short by the assistant’s flag yet again.
Despite
this pressure the Brown Wiltshire Bowler combination was proving a handful for
Kintbury, Wiltshire’s aggression complimenting Browns non stop action with
Bowler providing the superb passing and crossing.
Half
time 1-0
With the wind
now favouring the away side Kintbury must have felt an equaliser was within
their grasp.
Brown twice got
the better of Crawford only for his crosses to be cleared by the reliable
Heywood.
Ryan Davis
replaced a tiring Buchanan on 55 minutes the replaced player still suffering
from jet lag having only landed from Aussie the day before.
The Marlow
defence looked more solid in this half, Kintbury finding the strong wind not to
their liking as they constantly over hit passes to the forwards.
Marlow
now looked the stronger side although most of their dangerous moments were
coming from dead ball situations with Bowler firing in a number of dangerous
free kicks and corners.
Kintburys Drake
found himself in the book for arguing, a yellow card he would later come to
regret.
Then on 76
minutes Wiltshire and Nancarrow clashed after a challenge in midfield. In the
resultant scuffle both players squared up to each other the referee deciding
Nancarrow being the worst culprit, receiving a red card, the Marlow player
receiving a yellow before being subbed by manager Carvell with Vinnie Cuva.
Minutes later
worse was to follow as Drake again queried the referees actions only to receive
a second yellow card leaving his team with nine players on the park.
Five minutes
later United exploited their numerical advantage Bowler crossing to an unmarked
Brown who coolly slotted home to make the three points safe.
Brown was
presented with an opportunity to seal his hat trick only to be foiled by Bell at
the last moment.
Keeper Roberts
then carried the ball out of his area only for the referee to award a free kick
which was subsequently wasted by Cuva.
Marlow
played out the 6 minutes of extra time added by the referee to record a notable
double over their opponents and set up Saturday’s mouth watering clash with
Chalfont.
After the game manager Kevin
Carvell commented “That was a great result for us.
It wasn’t always pretty but yet again we showed our battling qualities.
With Chalfont up next
followed by Bisley this really is a make or break month for this club”
1)
M Pollard
7 Confident
2)
O Flint 7 Assured
3)
M Sciaraffa 7 Experience shows
4)
T Heywood 7 Class
5)
R Crawford 7 Dependable
6)
D Pedley 6 Improved as game progressed
7)
D Buchanan 6 Ran out of steam
8)
B Filmore 6 tireless
9)
J Bowler 8 Quality
10)
G Wiltshire 7 Robust
11)
L Brown 8 effort
skill and goals
Subs
R Davis 7 excellent
V Cuva 6 involved
A West 6 no time to make impact
MOM
LEWIS BROWN