ALMOST THERE!
FTL FUTBOL HELLENIC LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
Harrow Hill 2 Marlow United 4
Marlow travelled to basement team Harrow Hill and came away with three precious points making it a maximum from their two Easter fixtures.
Although not mathematically safe from relegation four points from the remaining five games should see the Bucks team ensure a further season in the Premier Division.
Marlow took all three points from Harrow after dominating the second half of a scrappy game played on a bone hard pitch, that, with a strong wind making good football almost impossible.
Playing at what must surely be one of the most picturesque football grounds in the country United took the lead inside the first minute when Ryan Britnell played the ball down the left to Lewis Brown.
He spotted Callum Coull in space on the half way line and played the ball for the midfielder, returning after a two match ban, to run onto, outstripping the home defence and coolly chipping the ball over the advancing Beckett in the Harrow goal.
Buoyed by that early success Marlow put together another attacking move involving Ovens finding Nicol on the left, his cross being met by Adam Dickens at the far post who scuffed his effort wide.
The away team then gifted Harrow the equaliser on 4 minutes, allowing Barton a free run at goal and with keeper Ramsey failing to hold onto his bobbling effort Will freeman stabbed home from 6 yards.
Despite this setback and playing into the strong wind United still posed the greater threat gaining several corners with Nicol heading a chance over the bar and seeing a twenty yard volley skim off the cross bar.
At the other end a snap shot from Green sailed close to the Marlow upright before Nick Flint saved Marlow’s blushes with a superb block from a Smith effort, this after Britnell misjudged a long ball out of defence.
Ross Middleton retired with an injured calf on 42 minutes to be replaced by Scot Webb before Marlow finished the half with Jon Mason putting a free kick wide of the post after he had been fouled on the edge of the area.
HT 1-1
With the wind now at their backs Marlow soon took the initiative, retaking the lead on 49 minutes as Doswell found Nicol who in turn played the ball through to Lewis Brown.
The Marlow man ran on and slipped the ball past Beckett as the keeper advanced.
United kept up the pressure dictating possession for long periods, and it came as no surprise when they went further ahead on 59 minutes, this time Mason collecting Nicol’s cross from the right before firing the ball past Beckett at the near post.
Four minutes later the game was as good as over as home defender Partridge, under pressure from Nicol, headed Dickens corner into his own net.
Wiltshire replaced Dickens for Marlow as Harrow made a treble substitution in an effort to retrieve something from the game.
Marlow took their foot off the peddle allowing Harrow to gain a foothold in the game with sub Buckman scuffing his effort after a corner.
Harrow made the away team pay for their slackness, scoring a second goal on 87 minutes as Green fired past Ramsey from the edge of the area
Lewis Brown should have added a fifth on 90 minutes placing his chip over the keeper and agonisingly past the post after a Coull run and pass had created the space for him.
FT
2-4
Team
Ramsey, Ovens, N Flint, M Doswell, R Britnell, J Mason, R Middleton, C Coull, Dickens, Brown Nicol.
Subs
G Wiltshire for A Dickens
S Webb for R Middleton
S Benyon for J Mason
Scorers
Coull 1 minute
Brown 49 minutes
Mason 59 minutes
OG. 63 minutes
Booked
No one!!
Scores
M Ramsey 5
L Ovens 7
N Flint 7
M Doswell 7
R Britnell 6
J Mason 7
R Middleton 6
C Coull 8
A Dickens 7
L Brown 7
A Nicol 7
Subs
G Wiltshire 6
S Webb 7
S Benyon 6
Man of the Match
CALLUM COULL