SPORT ITALIA HELLENIC LEAGUE
DIVISION
ONE EAST
STALEMATE!
MARLOW
UNITED – 0 THAME UNITED - 0
Marlow United and Thame United fought out a hard fought 0-0 draw at Wilks Park in the first ever game between the clubs.
With both sides missing opportunities the visitors will feel they should have taken the spoils, creating more clear-cut chances over the ninety minutes.
The home team can thank a resolute defence in which goalkeeper Matt Pollard and centre half Tristan Heywood were outstanding ably supported by Rob Crawford, Dean Prasol and Ben Filmore.
Marlow kicked off determined to capitalise on last weeks win at Kintbury and increase the pressure on the teams above them.
Thame had the first effort of the game firing a free kick wide, whilst the home team had to wait until the fifth minute for Heywood to volley Fillmore’s free kick over the bar.
Lewis and Sepede combined with the latter’s shot deflecting for a corner. From the kick Thame broke quickly and Heywood had to be alert, clearing the cross from the right.
On 13 minutes Thame missed a glorious opportunity to take the lead.
The speedy Nathan Jack crossed from the left only for Marshall to place his shot wide of the goal from within the six-yard box with no defenders in sight.
Marlow continued to take the game to Thame, Buchanan and Lewis setting up Sepede only for his attempt to be blocked.
A minute later Buchanan sent Pedley clear on the left. The Marlow player ran into the area where his run was stopped with a determined challenge.
Marlow were now in the ascendancy and further efforts from Lewis and Heywood tested the Thame back four.
On 27 minutes the home team created their best effort of the half with a Ryan Davis through ball splitting the Thame defence allowing Lewis the opportunity to test Searle in the away goal. The keeper blocked the shot with Sepede’s follow up being blocked and cleared.
Thame replied with a corner, Pollard punching clear as the ball was returned to the area.
Once again it was Jack whose pace was causing Marlow’s back four problems. Marshall met his cross from the left, on this occasion his shot forcing a save from Pollard.
Marlow’s midfield were finding it difficult to impose any authority on the game, consequently Thame looked the more dangerous of the two teams, the pace of their attacking players stretching the Marlow back four.
Marlow’s best opportunity came from a Crawford clearance that Filmore fed to Sepede. His pass found Davis who fired a volley over the bar.
Lewis then found Sepede whose shot forced a save out of Searle.
Thame had the last dangerous moment of the half with Jack returning a corner from the right back into the area only for Marlow to clear as the ball ran loose.
Half time 0-0
The home team had an early scare with Pollard failing to hold on to a cross from the right.
The keeper was to redeem himself with a superb save later in the half as Thame pushed for the opening goal, Marlow finding themselves on the back foot for much of the second half.
Gary Wiltshire replaced an injured Pedley on 51 minutes forcing manager Carvell to reshuffle his team.
Thame’s Thompson embarked on a 30 yard run finishing with a shot going wide.
Pollard was then called into action making an instinctive one handed save from a point blank effort from Ricketts.
Thame sensed the breakthrough as the pressure continued, Thompson shooting over from a corner.
Marlow forced their first corner of the half on 60 minutes only to be caught out by a Thame break, Jack heading over from a Marshall cross.
The visitors forced several corners throughout the half but they found both Heywood and Crawford in superb form at the centre of the Marlow defence, the 17 years old rookie Crawford drawing confidence from the display of his captain.
With Pollard again showing what a fine keeper he is the home team were able to restrict the chances falling to Thame.
Marlow had their chances with Lewis and Heywood both having efforts and Flint and Lewis putting Davis in the clear, his cross flashing across the Thame goal.
Vinnie Cuva replaced Sepede on 75 minutes in an effort to test the visitors defence only for Matt Flint to receive a red card for raising his arm as he challenged for the ball 5 minutes later.
Reduced to ten men Marlow sacrificed Lewis for defender Sciaraffa as they attempted to hold on to a point, a task they achieved thanks to a superbly marshalled defence.
There were scares as first a Rhodes cross-evaded everyone and PrAsol was grateful to the referee for ignoring his clumsy challenge on Swafford in the area on 90 minutes.
The official then mysteriously found 6 minutes of extra time, one of many strange decisions on the day, as the home team settled for the draw.
After the game manager Kevin Carvell praised his defenders “Credit to our keeper and our back four, they were superb, I am happy with the point”
1) Pollard 8 Superb for second game in a row
2) B Filmore 7 Committed display
3) D Presol 7 Excellent
4) R Crawford 7 Mature display
5) T Heywood 9 Outstanding performance
6) C Lewis 7 A threat going forward
7) D Buchanan 6 Struggled to impose
8) M Flint 7 gutsy display
9) D Pedley 6 Struggled with injury
10) R Sepede 7 kept battling
11) R Davis 7 gave his all
Subs
G Wiltshire 6 added an Ariel threat
V Cuva 6 Pace unsettled defence at times
M Sciaraffa 6 added experience to team
MOM