AFC Totton 2 Marine 1

Match Report from Pete Crockett

STAGS END MARINE’S UNBEATEN RUN

Marine’s five match unbeaten league run came to an end in a close defeat to high flying AFC Totton. It would be fair to say that Marine left the Snows Stadium feeling that they were worthy of a point from a hard-fought game.

The Stags started at a furious pace and penned Marine in their defensive third of the pitch winning three corners in the first eight minutes. From the third of these CHARLIE AUSTIN tapped in a rebound after Joe Oastler’s initial header was parried by Marine keeper Dan Brabham.

In the 14th minute the hosts got their second. A swift break from a Marine corner saw TOM BLAIR break clear. He played a one-two with Charlie Austin and advancing into the left side of the Marine area drove a low shot inside the far post. Marine heads could have dropped. Instead the visiting players started to establish a foothold in the match passing the ball with assuredness.

The match was competitive but not dirty. However, referee Jacob Wright issued a series of cautions. Michael Fernandes was booked for dissent at the midpoint of the half whilst with thirty minutes elapsed Totton’s Tega Agberhiere was yellow carded for pulling down Sam Turl.

Just before half time Marine players and supporters were nonplussed not to be awarded what appeared the clearest of clear-cut penalties. Michael Fernandes dribbling wizardry on the right-hand side of the box saw him get away from his marker. The already cautioned Tega Agberhiere then mistimed his challenge felling the Marine player.

To the consternation of those of a Marine disposition the official instead of blasting his Acme Thunderer and pointing to the spot caressed an invisible spherical object to imply the home team defender played the ball. A gesture so out of kilter with the observed reality of Marine’s followers behind the goal that it merely rubbed proverbial salt into a wounded sense of injustice.

Marine started the second half in lively fashion and a low driven cross shot from Michael Fernandes was agonisingly just beyond the reach of the advancing Harry Williams. A few minutes later it was the home team players and supporters turn to feel aggrieved by an officiating decision when Luke Bennett was red carded for allegedly diving after a coming together with Marine’s Liban Ibrahim.

It would be fair to say even those of the staunchest Marine disposition had a sense that the arbiter’s decision was, in this instance, decidedly harsh. As an aside I have seen a couple of cautions issued for alleged diving this season. In both instances I felt the referees involved have rather made a rod for their own back.

Firstly, it takes an exceptionally good referee to discern with total confidence a deceitfully cheating dive as against a loss of footing, a genuine coming together, or a self-protective evasive action to ride a tackle. Secondly, is such an incident not better managed by an observation in passing by the referee along the lines of “I think you tried to con me just then do it again and I will be carding you.”

To return to the match itself in an instance the balance of the match was changed. Marine now had a chance to apply intensive pressure on ten-man Totton. On 69 minutes Marine thought they had got themselves back in the game. A Michael Fernandes free kick deflected off the wall into the path of Harry Williams who struck the ball into the roof of the net. As the attacker reeled away to celebrate a look of incredulous disbelief fell across his face as he saw the assistant’s flag raised for what must have been a decidedly tight offside call.

The final twenty minutes saw Marine apply hellacious pressure on a resolute Totton defence. The trickery of Michael Fernandes was proving particularly troublesome to the host’s defenders and in the 78th minute he forced Ryan Gosney into a sharp save. On 81 minutes a Michael Fernandes ball into the box found DAVE SIMS-BURGESS who confidently powered a shot into the top left corner from close range to reduce the deficit to one.

The Totton area was now being laid under siege as efforts from Olly Mehew and Michael Fernandes went close. On 87 minutes a dipping shot was very well gathered by home keeper Ryan Gosney with both Harry Williams and Dave Sims-Burgess swooping into the six-yard box to convert if the ball eluded the keeper’s grasp.

Then on 90 minutes Marine nearly fell victim to a swift counterattack. Substitute Ben Jefford broke clear down the left flank he drove a low cross to Toby Stephens who put his effort over the bar. In the five minutes of injury time Marine applied intense pressure and in the final seconds a Lucias Vine effort from twenty yards agonisingly went inches wide of the far post.

From a Totton perspective their victory was sealed on the back of a storming start and resolute defending in the last half hour when under intense Marine pressure. Ryan Gosney’s keeping was impressive, they were defensively strong, and Charlie Austin’s goal and assist tipped the game in their favour. Meanwhile Marine have played worse this season and won games. After the initial twenty-minute storm they defended well, passed with assuredness, and genuinely troubled a strong Totton side.

Michael Fernandes was the pick of the Marine players - his dribbling skills were a constant threat, his assist for the goal laudable, and he should have had a chance to convert a penalty in the first half after he induced a clumsy challenge inside the box from a home team defender. From a Marine viewpoint there was no shame in this good performance against a very strong AFC Totton. The players need to take the positives from this match into next Saturday’s home match against Walton & Hersham.

Come on Marine!

Totton Star Man: Charlie Austin
Marine Star Man: Michael Fernandes Attendance: 1287

Line Ups

AFC TOTTON
Manager: Jimmy Ball
Colours: All Blue
Line-up: 1. Ryan Gosney 2. Joe Oastler (c) 5. Charlie Kennedy 12. Luke Hallett 8. Adam Tomasso 11. Charlie Austin (7. Toby Stevens 78’) 15. Roddy Collins 16. Luke Bennett 18. Tony Lee (3. Ben Jefford 85’) 19. Tom Blair (9. Scott Rendall 70’) 20. Oghenetega Agberhiere
Subs not used: 4. Owen Pelham, 6. Sam Magri
Goalscorers: Charlie Austin , Tom Blair
Cards:
Oghenetega Agberhiere 30’, Tom Blair 62’, Luke Hallett 71’
None
Luke Bennett 59’, 63’

SWINDON SUPERMARINE
Head Coach: Stuart Fleetwood
Colours: All Yellow
Line-up: 1. Dan Brabham 2. Sam Turl 3. Ryan Campbell 4. Jake Lee 20. Nick Peare 6. Anton Dworzak (17. Lucias Vine 81’) 7. Zack Kotwica 8. Gabe Reivers (14.Olly Mehew) 9. Harry Williams 10. Michael Fernandes 11. Liban Ibrahim (16.Dave Sims-Burgess 64’)
Subs not used: 12. Jamie Edge 14. Lucias Vine
Goalscorers: Dave Sims-Burgess 82’
Cards:
Michael Fernandes 22’, Harry Williams 55’
None
None

Match Gallery

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Courtesy of Alex White Photography

Post Match Teamsheet

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Courtesy of Southern Football League

Match Officials

Referee: Jacob Wright
Assistant Referees: Kabir Rai, David Money