LATE PENALTY DRAMA SINKS UNITED

 

FTL FUTBOL Hellenic League

 Premier Division

 

Marlow United 0 Hook Norton 1

 

Marlow slipped to their first competitive defeat of the season when an 84th minute penalty gave visitors Hook Norton the three points and maintained their own unbeaten start in the league.

With manager Kevin Carvell, assistant Gary Wiltshire and four players all absent United were always going to find the going tough against a physically imposing Hook Norton and so it proved.

The home team kicked off but were soon defending the first of several corners as Hook used their height advantage to good advantage.

Griffin had the first goal attempt firing over on 4 minutes.

Adam West and Lewis Brown combined to set up Doswell who fired wide as United retaliated.

Doswell again tried his luck from a free kick before the same player fed  Brown, his shot bringing a save from Hook keeper Dixon.

Hook’s Standen fired wide when well placed after Ovens lost the ball before the same forwards cross was met by Harris who placed his header too close to Murray.

The game was at best ‘scruffy’ as neither side was able to impose any authority on the play, spectators having to crane their necks as the ball spent long periods sailing through the air.

United attempted to play a passing game but they were continually out fought by their more physical opponents.

The home team’s midfield of Buchanan, Heywood and Doswell seemed unable to retain possession and with full backs Ovens and Britnell failing to get forward it was Hook Norton who were gaining the majority of possession.

The one bright spot for United was the form of lone forward Lewis Brown who’s non stop running both with and without the ball was a constant thorn in the side of the Hook defence.

Although dwarfed by the away defence the Marlow mans pace saw him create a number of chances, bringing several saves from Dixon.

Pedley, Brown and West set up a good counter attack on 30 minutes with the home side appealing for a penalty as the latter was bundled over in the area.

Green came to the rescue of Marlow seconds later, his last ditch tackle denying Hook an opportunity to take the lead.

The last meaningful action of the half saw Hook’s Davies fire a free kick straight at keeper Murray.

 

HT0-0

 

Brown commenced in the same vein, forcing Dixon into a save after receiving the ball from Ovens on 47 minutes.

A minute later the home team escaped unscathed in controversial circumstances. As Murray missed a cross the ball was half cleared and the subsequent shot was handled on the line by Green with the ball eventually being cleared from under the bar by Crawford. Much to the dismay of the away team and bench the officials missed the handball and then awarded a goal kick!

 

The away side gained three corners with out threatening the goal before a cross from Keenan flew across the home area missing everyone.

United then created their best chance of the game, Crawford’s pass finding West who found Heywood unmarked on the edge of the area.

The Marlow captain ran on and with a clear sight of the goal his attempted chip was saved by Dixon when it appeared a well directed shot would have scored.

Marlow enjoyed some of their best possession around the hour mark, Doswell firing at the keeper from 25 yards before Buchanan, Brown, Pedley and West all had attempts in a concerted period of pressure.

Doswell was injured in a tackle, to be replaced by Lanaway on 81 minutes and it was the sub who crucially lost the ball two minutes later.

For once the ball was played through the United back four and as the forward ran into the area Murray bought him down to concede the penalty and earn a red card.

Britnell assumed the goalkeeping position but his first task was to pick Johnson’s well placed spot kick out of the net.

One goal always looked as though it would win the game and so it proved.

Credit the ten men though as first Heywood crashed a 20 yard shot against the angle of the cross bar and upright with Dixon beaten and deep into an inexplicable 8 minutes of injury time Dixon saved his team yet again when Buchanan’s free kick on the left was flicked on by Pedley.

 The keeper some how got down to scramble the ball away saving what seemed a certain goal.

A disappointed coach Marc Sciaraffa said after the game “That was our worst performance in a long time, it was disappointing to lose like that. A draw would have been a fair reflection of what was a poor game”

 

 

Team

C Murray, L Ovens, R Britnell, R Crawford, I Green, T Heywood, D Buchanan, M Doswell, L Brown, A West, D Pedley.

 

Subs

A Lanaway for M Doswell 81 minutes

 

 

C Murray           6

R Britnell           6

R Crawford       6

I Green              7

T Heywood       6

D Buchanan       6

M Doswell         6

L Brown            8

A West              6

D Pedley            6

 

Sub

A Lanaway        6

 

 

MOM

 

Lewis Brown