THE GREAT ESCAPE!!
FTL FUTBOL HELLENIC
PREMIER DIVISION
Marlow United 3 Pegasus Juniors 1
Marlow ensured that they retained their premiership status with this 3-1 win over Pegasus Juniors, in the process recording their third win on the bounce and thus equalling their best sequence of the season.
In truth the match was rather a scruffy affair with both teams playing their third game in a week on a bumpy pitch with a strong breeze, but all that mattered little to the home team who were only concerned with gaining the three points to ensure safety.
That they did but not without surviving some scares as Pegasus dictated the early part of the game before succumbing to two excellent goals as United hit back with a vengeance.
Marlow were grateful for Lee Ovens as he blocked an effort from Gwynne on 6 minutes and Pegasus’s Laurie volleyed over following a flick on into the area from a throw on soon after.
At this stage the home team seemed unable to string any passes together, continually giving the ball away when under no pressure.
Slowly the United midfield began to gain a grip on the proceedings, with Dickens, Brown and Webb combining, the latter firing at the keeper.
Jon Mason’s tricky run on the left ended with his cross being gathered by Turpin in the Pegasus goal as United applied the pressure in their best period of the game.
They eventually took the lead on 28 minutes with Dickens collecting a goal kick and playing the ball over the defence where Lewis Brown gathered the ball and fired past Turpin from 18 yards.
It was all Marlow now and two minutes later they doubled the lead with a superbly worked goal.
Jon Mason passed the ball from the left into Lewis Brown who in turn found Scot Webb on his right.
The Marlow midfielder ran on and crossed the ball to the left of the area were Andy Nicol rose to head majestically over Turpin and into the back of the net.
Marlow continued to press and Dickens saw his shot saved following a pass from Filmore with the same player then firing the loose ball wide.
Pegasus pulled a goal back on 39 minutes with centre forward Chris Mortlock superbly volleying home from 12 yards after a Price free kick from the halfway line found him unmarked in the area.
Buoyed by this success the away team gained the upper hand and Marlow were grateful to Ian Green for an important interception as the ball was played into the area and then saw keeper Ramsey dive to his left to keep out a shot from Ben Price who found himself unmarked in the 6 yard box, Jon Mason clearing the loose ball for a corner as the half finished.
HT 2-1
Marlow should have increased their lead in the first minute of the half with Lewis Brown placing his lob over both the keeper and the crossbar when in the clear.
The home team were looking dangerous with Dickens seeing his shot saved following a strong run with Pegasus having trouble clearing the ball from the following corner.
Dickens then caught out the Juniors defence with a quick free kick to Mason, his attempted shot cannoning of a defender onto the post with Brown firing the rebound over.
Filmore entered the referee’s note book for kicking the ball away as the game became stretched and rather scrappy.
The result was sealed on 70 minutes following a throw by Webb from the right with Filmore receiving a kick in the head as he headed the loose ball toward goal.
After a lengthy delay as the Marlow man was attended to the referee awarded a penalty to the home side.
Jon Mason stepped up and fired home the resultant kick to restore Marlow’s two goal lead.
Ovens almost gifted Pegasus a second as his attempted back pass was intercepted by Gwynne, his lay off being fired over by Price.
With the home team appearing to relax, Pegasus pulled themselves back into the game although most of their efforts were from long range, rarely troubling keeper Ramsey.
Marlow substituted Nicol and Mason in an attempt to freshen up the proceedings, Wiltshire and Pedley entering the fray.
Still it was Pegasus who where quicker to the ball and Marlow centre half Doswell showed his mettle breaking up several dangerous attacks.
Scot Benyon replaced Ovens with 15 minutes to play and he and Doswell were involved in clearing the ball following a dangerous break by Mortlock.
Ramsey scrambled across his goal to concede a corner from a 30 yard effort and Laurie fired wide from 20 yards as the away team attempted to pull a goal back.
As it was United could have added a fourth in the dying moments, firstly Ryan Britnell breaking down the left only to see his cross saved by Turpin, then in the last minute Wiltshire dummied a through ball to leave Brown clear, the forward lobbing both the keeper and the bar for the second time.
The result leaves Marlow clear of the bottom four, preserving their status in this their first season in the Premiership.
Team
Ramsey, Ovens, Green, Doswell, Britnell, Mason, Filmore, Dickens, Webb, Brown, Nicol.
Subs
G Wiltshire for A Nicol 73 minutes
D Pedley for J Mason 73 minutes
S Benyon for L Ovens 76 minutes
Scorers
L Brown 28 minutes
A Nicol 30 minutes
J mason (pen) 72 minutes
Booked
B Filmore
Scores
M Ramsey 7
L Ovens 6
R Britnell 6
I Green 6
M Doswell 7
J Mason 6
B Filmore 8
A Dickens 7
S Webb 6
L Brown 7
A Nicol 7
Subs
G Wiltshire 6
D Pedley 6
S Benyon 6
Man of the Match
BEN FILMORE