FTL FUTBOL
Hellenic League Premier Division
INJURY TIME HEARTBREAK
Pegasus Juniors - 3 Marlow United - 2
Marlow slipped to a dramatic injury time defeat at lowly Pegasus after pulling themselves back from a half time two goal deficit and dominating the second half.
With club captain and defensive lynchpin Tristan Heywood suffering what could be a long term injury and having to play assistant manager Gary Wiltshire in goal due to what is fast becoming a goalkeeping crisis United looked decidedly unsure at the back. They allowed the home teams forwards far to much space throughout the whole of the game ultimately paying the price for slack marking.
United launched the first attack of the game, a long kick from Wiltshire giving the dangerous Brown half an opportunity only for keeper Turpin to gather the ball.
A Bowler cross from the left was cleared before the home team gained their first corner on two minutes.
Marlow continued to look dangerous in the early stages, Ollie Flint firing over after a good cross from Rowley.
The home team’s forwards were finding plenty of space as United’s back four looked all at sea and a poor back pass from Nick Flint resulted in Laurie firing over from 20 yards.
The same player shot over after a sweeping move down the left and yet again Laurie was involved on 17 minutes heading over from six yards.
The away team failed to heed the warnings and sure enough Pegasus took the lead on 20 minutes Gwynne scoring from close range after a Price cross found him unmarked at the far post.
Marlow were now under intense pressure Wiltshire clearing of the line before the goal scorer fired over yet another opportunity.
They fell further behind on 25 minutes a move ending with a Davies cross from the left being bundled over the line by Price at the far post with the United defence yet again in disarray.
Marlow thought they had gained a penalty on 29 minutes as Ollie Flint was bought down in the area as he bore down on goal only for the referee to ignore the appeals.
Gradually the away team began to bring themselves back into the game Bowler causing the defence problems on the left.
On 35 minutes the player rounded his marker but unfortunately his cross was played behind the waiting forwards.
At the other end Mortlock found the space to turn and fire wide of the far post with the defence static.
A poor punch by Turpin was headed back toward an unguarded net by James Flint but the header lacked the power to cross the line and was cleared.
The final action of the half saw Laurie shooting over from 25 yards as Pegasus attempted to put the game out of reach.
HT 2-0
Marlow started the second period in determined fashion, Ovens cross being met by Filmore who saw his shot saved.
Bowler bought the away side right back into the game on 48 minutes.
Receiving the ball on the left touchline he spotted Turpin of his line and fired an accurate shot over the keeper into the far corner of the net.
Three minutes later a Rowley corner was met by Ollie Flint, his shot being blocked before Rowley gathered the ball and shot for the near post when a cross into the box was the better option.
United equalised on 59 minutes with James Flint’s ball finding Bowler, his accurate pass picking out Lewis Brown who made no mistake angling his shot across Turpin into the far corner of the net.
Now it was all the away side as they attempted to take the lead.
Ollie Flint saw another shot saved as he met Ovens cross and Rowley sent a dangerous corner wide of the angle of the crossbar.
United had another penalty appeal turned down as James Flint was flattened by Turpin with the ball nowhere in sight from a Rowley corner, yet again the official choosing to ignore the offence.
Five minutes later the forward was replaced by Vinnie Cuva as manager Kevin Carvell attempted to win the game.
The sub was immediately involved, his shot from Rowley’s corner resulting in a further corner which Ryan Britnell fired wide.
On 76 minutes the Bowler, Brown combination almost snatched the lead for Marlow,
Bowlers cross field ball picking out Brown, his shot beating Turpin only to find the crossbar.
Undeterred United pressed forward and Bowler was felled on the edge of the area as he looked to score.
Cuva saw a shot go wide before the same player was bundled over in the area only for a third decent shout for a spot kick to go unrewarded.
Lee Ovens was replaced by Dan Pedley with 10 minutes remaining.
Nick Flint almost gifted Pegasus a third goal dithering over a clearance which resulted in a poor back pass to Wiltshire.
The ball was intercepted by Price, his shot being cleared of the line by a harassed keeper.
The game appeared to be heading for a draw until a crude challenge by Rowley resulted in a Pegasus free kick and a booking for the Marlow captain.
The kick from the left was played back across the area Price where the unmarked Davies rose to head home the winner at the far post.
There was still time for United to create another guilt edge chance when Pedley burst into the area only to shoot agonisingly wide with only the keeper to beat.
A deflated manager was left to rue the loss of at least one vital point saying “We defended like schoolboys throughout the whole of the game. To pull back a two goal deficit and then concede in injury time is hard to stomach.”
FT 3-2
Team
G Wiltshire, L Ovens, R Davies, R Crawford, N Flint, B Filmore, O Flint, C Rowley, L Brown, J Flint, J Bowler
Subs
V Cuva for J Flint 73 minutes
D Pedley for L Ovens 80 minutes
Scores
G Wiltshire 6
L Ovens 5
R Britnell 5
R Crawford 4
N Flint 4
B Filmore 5
O Flint 6
C Rowley 5
L Brown 7
J Flint 5
J Bowler 8
Subs V Cuva 7
D Pedley 7
MOM
JASON BOWLER