FA VASE
1st Qualifying Round
HIGHWAY ROBBERY?
Amesbury Town 6 Marlow United 3 (aet)
Marlow United found themselves the victims of a modern day highway robbery in the guise of Amesbury centre forward Nick Turpin who helped himself to five goals as the home team swept aside United with a four goal burst in extra time; this after the visitors had been the dominating force in the 90 minutes.
During that time they forced 17 corners and found themselves one on one with home keeper Harrison no less than five times, failing to convert on any occasion.
Turpin however was not so profligate, converting his chances with aplomb and sending the majority of the 84 crowd home happy.
There was certainly no indication of the mayhem to come as United dominated the opening 20 minutes with a display of controlled football which had the Amesbury back four at full stretch.
Lewis Brown was played through in the first minute but contrived to place his effort over Harrison but wide of the post from 12 yards.
Harrison had to save his team on 7 minutes when a poor back pass almost let in Brown before a series of corners to Marlow saw Tristan Heywood’s header cleared of the line by towering centre half and captain Sole.
United’s pressure finally paid of on 14 minutes when Sciaraffa and Nick Flint combined, the latter’s pass being forced home by James Flint with the home defence in disarray.
Keeper Murray was eventually forced into action, punching an in swinging corner away from under the bar as Amesbury began to gain some possession.
It took a superb tackle from James Flint to disposes an Amesbury player on the edge of the area after a second corner was cleared by United. The ball was played forward at pace, Mark Doswell’s shot being blocked in the area with the away team’s appeal for handball being ignored by the referee.
Rob Crawford then rescued Marlow, his last ditch interception robbing Berntsen as he bore down on goal.
Amesbury equalised in some what controversial circumstances on 29 minutes when wide man Craig Wheeler rounded Ovens only to be fouled by the covering Heywood on the edge of the area, the referee pointing to the spot much to the dismay of the away side.
Turpin dispatched the penalty kick to Murray’s left to equalise.
United hit back with three corners although the defence had to be alert to Amesbury’s quick counter attacks.
The away team should have taken the lead on 44 minutes when Brown again found himself facing Harrison on the edge of the area. Unfortunately for Marlow the result was the same with Brown placing his shot beyond the keeper but again just wide of the post.
Undeterred Heywood combined with Britnell, the latter seeing his shot saved by the busy Harrison yet again.
HT 1-1
Marlow began the second period in attacking mode, forcing three corners in three minutes, Heywood heading narrowly wide from the last of these.
The same player then missed a golden opportunity to fire United ahead, Sciaraffa’s free kick finding the Marlow captain unmarked 8 yards out only for the midfielder to blast the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
Amesbury hit back, full back Mariner firing in a tremendous 30 yard shot that skimmed the angle of the far upright with Murray a spectator.
Murray again saved his team, turning a skidding shot from Finnigan around the post as both teams attempted to gain the lead.
From the corner Heywood damaged his nose whilst clearing the ball resulting in Pedley replacing the bloodied player.
Still it was Marlow who looked the more likely to prevail forcing three quick corners amongst a total of eight awarded in the second period.
Unfortunately for United most of these were met by the imposing presence of centre backs Sole and Smith as United failed to vary their corners.
Amesbury took the lead on 65 minutes as Ovens was again embarrassed by the pace of Wheeler the ball being squared for Turpin to score his second from close range.
United replaced Brown with Gary Wiltshire as they sought the equaliser, frustration resulting in Nick Flint and Ovens being booked.
The busy James Flint saw his cross parried by Harrison, Ovens then firing Pedley’s cross wide.
Dan Flint replaced full back Sciaraffa as United piled on the pressure.
They were grateful that Cooper’s shot cannoned of the bar following an Amesbury corner on 83 minutes and with time running out it looked as if the home team were through to the next round.
An 88th minute corner to Marlow was cleared before Wheeler fired wide after a quick Amesbury break. With the home supporters calling for the final whistle a Nick Flint’s 92nd minute free kick was knocked down in the penalty area were Dan Pedley fired home the equaliser amongst the confusion.
The action was not over as a further Marlow corner from a deflected Dan Flint shot found an unmarked Rob Crawford at the far post. The defender managed to place the ball wide from two yards with glory beckoning.
A final attack saw the ball played off the arm of an Amesbury defender as the referee blew for full time.
FT 2-2
As if there had not been enough excitement in the regular time it continued unabated from the kick off for the extra 30 minutes.
United immediately attacked down the right, James Flint’s cross being parried by Harrison.
The ball arrived at Dan Flint’s feet on the edge of the area from where his low shot was hacked of the line eventually finding Amesbury’s Cooper on the right wing.
His cross caught out a back peddling Crawford and as the ball landed at the feet of Turpin he fired home an unstoppable shot from 12 yards to complete his hat trick.
Marlow found themselves kicking off yet again rather than a being a goal ahead.
United continued to take the game to their opponents but with the heavy conditions worsening in a steady downpour they were always open to the quick counter.
It was from such an attack that they fell further behind when Bernsten notched a fourth on 103 minutes following a corner on the left.
The second period just got worse for the away side, Pedley retiring with a reoccurrence of a groin strain after 5 minutes and with all the subs having been used they were down to 10 men
They sniffed a chance of retrieving the tie when Doswell’s shot was deflected past Harrison with 9 minutes to play but they were twice caught out by a combination of tiredness and pushing men forward and that man Turpin scored his fourth and fifth goals on 118 and 120 minutes to complete a memorable game and put an underserved gloss on the final score.
A dejected Marlow manager Kevin Carvell said after the game “We did not deserve that final score line. We should have won in the 90 minutes we created so many chances but That has been the story of our season so far.
Nevertheless good luck to Amesbury, they took the chances that came their way”
Team
C Murray, L Ovens, M Sciaraffa, R Crawford, C Reeve, T Heywood, N Flint, M Doswell, L Brown, J Flint, R Britnell,
Subs
D Pedley for T Heywood 60 mins
G Wiltshire for L Brown 70 mins
D Flint for M Sciaraffa 80 mins
Scores
C Murray 6 No fault with goals
L Ovens 5 Struggled
M Sciaraffa 6 steady
R Crawford 5 Two crucial errors
C Reeve 6 Understandably ran out of steam
T Heywood 7 Dominant until injury
N Flint 6 Some excellent crosses
M Doswell 5 Least effective game
L Brown 6 Always a threat, but guilty of missed opportunities
J Flint 7 Constant menace
R Britnell 6 steady
MOM
James Flint