HPL FLOODLIT CUP

1st Round

UNITED STEAL IT

Henley Town - 2 Marlow United - 3

United will be wondering how, after this performance, they are still in the floodlit cup after being outplayed for long periods of this cup tie against local rivals Henley town, who if they had converted their chances would have easily won the game.

Fielding a side containing six changes from that who lost heavily on Saturday United can thank Mark Doswell and Vinnie Cuva who between them combined to create two excellent first half goals.

With substitute Ollie Flint weighing in with a superb free quick which ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides Marlow can now look forward to the draw for the next round.

Henley must really be kicking themselves for missing out, no more so than centre forward John Dunegan who on any other night could easily have scored four goals.

The tone for the night was set early on with a poor back pass by Sciaraffa setting up Dunegan who fired over with just Ramsey to beat.

Shortly after this a Henley corner was met by the unmarked Boylan, his header being blocked with Lloyd firing wide from 8 yards.

Marlow centre half Ian Green looked at times as if he were keeping Henley at bay on his own, twice clearing dangerous crosses.

Against the run of play Marlow took the lead on 18 minutes Doswell receiving a pass from Sciaraffa on the edge of the area beating two defenders and laying the ball onto the onrushing Cuva who netted with ease from 6 yards.

Keeper Ramsey saved Marlow’s blushes foiling an on rushing Donegan  at full stretch a few minutes later.

Yet again against the run of the play United increased their lead on 41 minutes, breaking quickly Doswell found Lewis Brown with an inch prefect pass in the Henley penalty area.

Browns shot found the post and rebounded to Cuva who blasted home from around 18 yards to give the away team a two goal cushion.

HT 0-2

What ever was said during half time it had little or no effect on the game which went from bad to worse as a spectacle.

True to form Henley’s Dunegan failed to score when faced with Ramsey on 53 minutes, the Marlow keeper saving his effort.

Marlow created a half chance from Sciaraffa’s corner on 57 minutes, the Henley defence scrambling the ball clear under pressure.

The home team eventually found the back of the net on 64 minutes, they surely couldn’t have continued to miss so many chances, when Lloyd ran on to a through pass and slotting the ball past Ramsey and into the net.

Their joy was short lived though as substitute Ollie Flint curled a brilliant free kick around the defensive wall on 71 minutes after Brown was bought down on the edge of the area to re establish Marlow’s two goal advantage.

The away team were grateful for that cushion as Henley pulled back a goal on 85 minutes, Boyland deflecting a cross from the left past Ramsey and into the unguarded net.

Sensing an equaliser Henley pushed forward and Nowell fired over from a free kick on 90 minutes.

The referee thankfully blew for full time shortly after, aware as he was that an equaliser would have inflicted a further 30 minutes on the assembled throng, something that that neither he nor the spectators were relishing.

Team

M Ramsey, S Benyon, M Sciaraffa, I Green, N Flint, B Fillmore, D Pedley, M Doswell, L Brown, V Cuva, A Lanaway.

Subs

Lee Ovens for D Pedley 62 minutes

Ollie Flint for M Sciaraffa 62 minutes

D Buchanan for Adam Lanaway 71 minutes

Scores

M Ramsey  6

S Benyon  5

M Sciaraffa  5

I Green  7

N Flint  6

B Filmore  5

D Pedley  5

M Doswell  7

L Brown  6

V Cuva  7

A Lannaway  5

Subs

L Ovens  6

O Flint  7

D Buchanan  6

MOM

Mark Doswell