MISTAKES COST DEARLY

Hellenic League

PREMIER DIVISION

Marlow United - 0 Shortwood United - 2

Marlow gifted title chasing Shortwood the points at Wilks Park with second half  defensive lapses allowing Andy Hoskins the opportunity to grab both goals in a 2-0 win.

Playing on a heavily sanded pitch and with both teams desperate for the points the game was never destined to be a classic and so it proved as neither side were able to string any passes together.

The game was played at a frantic pace throughout with a strong Shortwood  side restricting the home team to few chances, shutting down the play across the whole field throughout the 90 minutes, and themselves looking to get the ball forward quickly at all times.

Pretty it was not but effective it proved to be.

Marlow lined up without regular midfielders Dan Pedley and Ollie Flint, both serving suspensions and the work rate of both players was sorely missed against powerful opponents.

Marlow began brightly with Callum Coull and Jon Mason prominent in the early play.

It did not take long though for Shortwood to threaten the Marlow goal with Murray saving from a corner and Middleton clearing a shot off the line.

Shortwood used the long throw to put increased pressure on the home team throughout the game and it was from such a throw that they nearly opened the scoring on 15 minutes as the ball was volleyed over from a flick on.

Marlow were seeing plenty of the ball but were unable to create any chances despite the non stop action from Lewis Brown, often being caught off side as the Shortwood back line pushed up.

The away team piled on the pressure as the half progressed and only some desperate defending kept the score blank.

Marlow created some half chances with Doswell being tackled as he attempted to shoot and Middleton seeing a shot blocked from Browns cross on 36 minutes.

Mason then fired a free kick into the defensive wall, the same player firing at the keeper as the half ended scoreless.

HT0-0

Marlow must have felt an upset was on the cards as they began the second half, stringing some passes together before Johnstone fired wide for the away team when well placed on 47 minutes.

United continued to apply pressure as they looked to open the scoring only to fall behind on 50 minutes.

They failed to defend a Shortwood corner on the left and were made to pay as the away team opened the scoring.

The ball was played to an unmarked Bennett who had all the time in the world to pick out Hoskins in the area, the Shortwood captain heading home from around 6 yards.

United almost snatched a dramatic equaliser from the kick off with Brown turning on the right of the area, his shot skidding across the six yard box and skimming the far post in what proved to be their best chance of the game.

The referee enraged the home supporters in not awarding a free kick as Nick Flint was felled from behind as he cleared from within his own area, Callum Coull receiving a booking on the hour for repeating a similar offence!

At 0-1 United were still in the game but that all changed on 80 minutes as a disastrous clearance by Murray from a simple pass back gifted Hoskins his second goal, firing into an empty net from 12 yards.

That effectively sealed the points for the away team and they came close to adding a third goal as Marlow pressed forward in the closing stages, hitting the bar when it looked easier to score and forcing a fine save from Murray as the game drew to its conclusion.

Team

C Murray, R Britnell, I Green, N Flint, L Ovens, J Mason, M Doswell, R Middleton, C Coull, G Wiltshire, L Brown.

Subs

Doug Buchanan for M Doswell 71 minutes

Alan Hale for G Wiltshire 83 minutes

Scot Benyon for Ross Middleton 83 minutes

Booked

Callum Coull

Lee Ovens

Scores

C Murray  5

R Britnell  6

I Green  5

N Wiltshire  7

L Ovens  7

J Mason  7

M Doswell  7

R Middleton  6

C Coull  6

L Brown  7

G Wiltshire  5

Subs

D Buchanan  6

A Hale  5

S Benyon  5

 MOM

 LEWIS BROWN