MAGNIFICENT MARLOW
FTL FUTBOL HELLENIC
PREMIER DIVISION
Kidlington - 0 Marlow United - 2
Marlow turned the form book upside down with an excellent 2-0 victory over cup holders Kidlington at Yarnton Road to progress into the final of the floodlit cup. There they will meet league leaders Hungerford Town, 3-0 victors over Hook Norton.
With the semi final and now final being restricted to one off games owing to fixture congestion United entered the lions den knowing that they had to produce their very best form to gain a positive result.
That every player turned in superb performances was a testament to the spirit of the team as they deservedly won the game against a physical Kidlington side who at times overstepped the mark with one or two of their players lucky to escape with only a caution as the action stepped up in the second half.
United had the perfect start taking the lead after only two minutes with Scott Benyon playing the ball through to Ollie Flint on the Marlow right.
Flint took on his marker, ran into the area and fired the ball past keeper Hutton who could only parry the ball into the net.
Despite this superb start Marlow began to find them selves under increasing pressure as the home team increased the tempo of the game.
Despite their possession the Kidlington rarely threatened the Marlow goal and when they did they found keeper Murray in excellent form.
The towering Deabill was winning most of the balls played into the area and it required both Doswell and Benyon to be on top form, clearing most of the balls layed of by the giant Kidlington forward.
United gradually began to gain a foothold in the midfield with Dickens and Middleton winning their share of the ball and it was the away team who looked the more dangerous of the two teams.
Deabill was booked on 36 minutes for a nasty late challenge on Ryan Britnell after the defender had cleared the ball from the six yard box.
Thee minutes later the away bench were up in arms as Coull was adjudged offside from a Dickens pass with the Marlow forward through on goal.
Home keeper Hutton looked suspect on corners and crosses causing several nervy moments in his defence with mistimed punches.
Kidlington were denied by a Doswell block on 40 minutes but it was the away side who finished the half on the attack with Coull heading a Dickens corner wide.
HT 0-1
Nick Flint replaced an injured Britnell at the start of the second half, the full back suffering with a damaged ankle from the earlier Deabill challenge.
Flint was soon in the thick of things twice clearing the ball from the Marlow right.
The away team were incensed by another rash challenge by Deabill which left substitute Flint flat out only for the referee to ignore the offence.
Coull was proving to be a thorn in Kidlington’s side, twice slipping past defenders and seeing his cross being cleared.
Murray was called into action brilliantly catching a free kick under pressure whilst both Doswell and Ollie Flint required lengthy treatment after hefty challenges.
The away team were looking dangerous on the break and it was no real surprise when they doubled their lead on 70 minutes.
Nicol received the ball on the Marlow right and held of two challenges before laying the ball back to Nick Flint. His cross found Callum Coull in the area and the forward twisted past his marker and with ball on his left foot he fired the ball into the right hand corner of the goal.
Kidlington’s Cattell was booked for another rash challenge on Nick Flint but
with a two goal lead United repulsed everything that Kidlington threw at them. They replaced a tiring Pedley with Harry Pritchard with 10 minutes to play and Nicol with Lewis Brown 5 minutes later, both subs using their pace to threaten as the home team pushed forward in their desperate efforts to retrieve the game.
Murray pulled of a brilliant save from a close range header on 87 minutes to ensure there were no late scares as United saw out the final minutes.
Manager Kevin Carvell was understandably delighted with the result “This will give the club a lift as we go into the final stages of the season. I am confident we can achieve safety in the league and hopefully we can lift a trophy as well”
Team
Murray, Ovens, Benyon, Doswell, Britnell, O Flint, Middleton, Dickens, Pedley, Nicol, Coull
Subs
N Flint for R Britnell 45 minutes
H Pritchard for D Pedley 80 minutes
L Brown for A Nicol 85 minutes
Goals
Ollie Flint 2 minutes
Callum Coull 70 minutes
Scores
C Murray 8
L Ovens 7
S Benyon 9
M Doswell 7
R Britnell 7
O Flint 7
R Middleton 7
A Dickens 8
D Pedley 7
A Nicol 7
C Coull 8
Subs N Flint 7
H Pritchard 7
L Brown 7
Man of the Match
SCOTT BENYON