Alton 1 Marine 1

Match Report from Pete Crockett

TEN MEN MARINE REFUSE TO LEAVE THE FA CUP

Marine scored an injury time equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw with Alton FC. This means the Hampshire team will travel to the Imagine Cruising Stadium for a replay on Monday evening.

In his post match comments Marine manager Bobby Wilkinson noted that despite playing with 10 men for 65 minutes his team showed immense character, resilience, and passion. They did this despite losing their captain early, a centre-back in the warm-up, and making enforced changes due to injury and cards.

He was proud with how his players battled until the final whistle. He pointed out how tactical shifts saw wingers replace full-backs, yet he opted to keep two forwards up front, confident his side would outwork the opposition.

He felt his players’ fitness and determination earned them a last-minute equaliser. Special praise went to Josh Blyth, whose patience and hard work were rewarded with a superb headed goal, a testament to the club’s youth pathway.

The manager expressed pride in his squad’s spirit and unity, especially considering they have only been together seven weeks. He thanked the fans for their incredible support, dedicating the result to them and looking ahead with excitement to the home replay.

In terms of the match it was played on a very tricky 3G surface with an unpredictable and unpredictable bounce. The two sides took time to adjust during a scrappy opening spell. The first real moment of danger arrived on ten minutes when Alton’s lively forward Alex McAllister powered through three challenges before being brought down on the edge of the box. The free kick came to nothing.

Marine goalkeeper Luke Purnell was soon called into action, first denying Zach Rugman on eighteen minutes and then producing a fine airborne stop to tip away Alex McAllister’s effort.

The breakthrough for Alton came in the 22nd minute when a long throw into the box found ALEX MERRYFIELD who glanced his header across goal to nestle inside the far post with the diving Luke Purnell just beaten with the pace of the header.

Marine supporters behind the goal thought they had a way back seven minutes later when Dan Warre went down in the box, but appeals for a penalty were waved away. Moments later the visitor’s task was made harder when Dani Gonzalez was shown a straight red card for a heavy challenge on Zach Rugman. The referee was very well positioned to make the call.

Despite being reduced to ten men Marine almost equalised before the interval when Sid Gbla flicked on a corner that Josh Blyth, at full stretch, narrowly fired high and wide.

Alton continued to threaten after the break, with Alex MacAllister again instrumental. His clever pass released Josh Millo whose shot was smothered by Marine’s defence before the striker himself was denied by Luke Purnell’s safe handling. At the other end Josh Blyth tested the home keeper with a firm strike from distance, though it was comfortably saved.

The ten men of Marine were starting to exert pressure in the top third of the field. After the multitude of enforced tactical reshuffles the Marine players were starting to click.

The defining moment of the half occurred on 77 minutes when Alton’s Alex McAllister drove at goal and struck a low shot towards the inside of the far post. Marine’s Luke Purnell produced an outstanding fingertip save to keep Marine alive. That stop proved vital as ten man Marine then threw men forward with brio in the closing stages.

Deep into stoppage time Marine’s persistence was finally rewarded. Dan Warre saw his header brilliantly saved by Adam Melville as the he dived down to push it away from the bottom corner, but minutes later Marine levelled in the 93rd minute. From a Jamie Edge corner JOSH BLYTH outjumped the home team defenders and directed a superb header across goal and inside the far upright. Cue celebrations from the travelling support!

The final minutes saw ten man Marine pressing for a winner, but Alton’s keeper stood firm with one last important save before the referee brought a fiercely contested encounter to an end.

The character Marine displayed in overcoming so many obstacles says a great deal about their willingness to dig deep in adversity. This was a banana skin of a game at the outset. Marine faced a side in form playing on a very tricky surface they know well. Then circumstances in the first half saw several tactical adjustments required.

The first following Nick Rhodes injury in the warm up; the second the replacement of T’Wanna Changa who was at risk of a second yellow card; the third when Dani Gonzalez was sent off; and the fourth when Sam Turl had to be substituted due to an injury.

This number of adjustments would test a side that had been together for several years. To face this in forty five minutes as a team who has been together for a mere seven weeks was going to be a real test of character. Teams with a lesser spirit would have buckled. It is therefore totally justifiable that Marine manager Bobby Wilkinson was so proud of his team.

Now on to the replay - COME ON MARINE!

Attendance: 286

Manager:	Kevin Adair
Line-up:	Colours: White & Black
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1	Adam Melville [GK]
18	James Liddiard
3	Louie Rogers
4	Ed Dryden	24’
5	Alex Merryfield
6	Zack Rugman
7	Adam Poynter		86’
8	Matt Benham
9	Alex MacAllister
10	Owen Tanner			14.	Angel Zapata 69’
17	Josh Millo			16.	Jouani Paulo 85’

Editors Star Man: Alex MacAllister
Subs not used: 12. Liam Marshall, 15. Jacques Roberts, 2. Joe Wotton, 11. Isaac Nash, _20. Casey Balfour

Manager:	Bobby Wilkinson
Line-up:	Colours: All Yellow
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1	Luke Purnell [GK]
2	Sam Turl (c)			17	Jonny Efedje 45’
3	Piotr Petrynski			12	George Alston 76’
4	Josh Grant
14	Dani Gonzalez 62’		37’
6	Tawana Changa		9’	12	Josh Blyth 22’	90+3’
7	Sal Abubakar
8	Jamie Edge
9	Dan Warre
10	Sid Gbla
11	James Harding			16	Joe Selman 46’

Editors Star Man: Luke Purnell
Subs not used: 18. Brooks Leipus, 20 Lucas Myers [GK],