Chippenham Town 4 Marine 3

Wiltshire Premier Shield Final | Tuesday 16th April 2024

Posted by Keith Yeomans on April 17th 2024

`Match Report from Pete Crockett`

Marine lose Premier Shield Final goal feast!

Normally finals of a competition are fiercely contested affairs in which both teams play their strongest line ups. That was not the case in this instance. Chippenham Town started with an academy side with only skipper Dan Ellison and keeper Will Henry being first team players. The “Bluebirds“ also named several first team squad players on their substitute bench.

Meanwhile Marine rested seven of the team who beat Basingstoke Town on the previous Saturday with one additional positional change with Liban Ibrahim switching from midfield to right back. From a Marine perspective this was perfectly understandable with two vital league matches looming in their battle to stay in the Southern Premier League.

The first twenty minutes of the match was slightly disjointed as both sides not only strived to suss out their opponents but also sought to adjust to their own team’s changes. The ball was often turned over by passing errors rather than won through zesty tackling or zealous pressing.

However, once the goals started to be scored the match became a much more entertaining spectacle. In the 20th minute Marine created an opening but Will Henry rushed out well to block Brad Gray’s effort.

With 27 minutes elapsed Marine took the lead. A Liban Ibrahim low cross to the front post was anticipated well by Michael Fernandes who netted at the front post.

On 32 minutes Marine doubled their lead. A corner was cleared to the edge of the Chippenham penalty area and Zack Kotwica drilled a well-placed low shot into the back of the net.

The Marine lead was halved in the 36th minute when Chippenham’s Dan McAllistair broke clear of the Marine defence and beat Billy Thomas with a composed finish into the bottom corner of the goal.

Just before half-time Marine could have had a third when a Liban Ibrahim cross was headed on target by Brad Gray. It was a good effort thwarted by an excellent piece of keeping by Chippenham’s Will Henry.

The second half continued to be an open game with both sides playing some positive attacking football. Chippenham had a shot on target from Pele Kouisseoue that was well blocked and Marine’s Jake Andrews curling free kick was saved by a well-positioned Will Henry.

Marine got a third when in the 55th minute Michael Fernandes got the better of the Bluebirds Dan Ellison and advancing on goal finished his chance with assured composure. The Marine man nearly got a hat trick when a near post effort was saved by Will Henry in the Chippenham goal.

The game was now really open and more goals always seemed likely. It was Chippenham Town who scored next when with 62 minutes gone a Caine Bradbury effort took the cruellest of deflections off Matt Bower to beat Billy Thomas in the Marine goal. On such moments of good fortune are the course of a match changed.

The momentum was now very much with Chippenham Town and four minutes later they equalised when a deep right-wing cross was netted by Leighton Tuodola who got between keeper and defender to net at the back post.

What transpired to be the winning goal was one worthy of winning any final. In the 78th minute Caine Bradbury passed to Tyreke Johnson who some twenty-five yards from goal hit an unstoppable shot into the far top corner.

The remainder of the game rather drifted as both sides, perhaps disjointed by a plethora of substitutions, struggled to establish any real rhythm or prolonged periods of pressure. However, there was one final moment of footballing quality when in injury time a well struck Jake Andrews free kick, that was heading for the far top corner, was well saved by Will Henry.

Congratulations to Chippenham Town who took advantage of a wicked deflection to get back in the game when 3-1 down and to Tyreke Johnson whose goal was most certainly worthy of winning any final.

All in all an entertaining evening with the match played in a good spirit by both sides and well managed by officials who adopted an unobtrusive approach and allowed the game to flow. All credit to the two teams who gave the spectators an enjoyable evening.

For Marine the end of season focus is now on two very important league games.

Come on Marine!

Editors Marine Star Man: Michael Fernandes
Editors Chippenham Star Man: Will Henry
Attendance: 530

`Line Ups`

CHIPPENHAM TOWN Club badge
Manager: Gary Horgan
Colours: All Blue
Line-up: 1. Will Henry 2. Leo Rendell 3. Leighton Tuodolo (12. Isaac Davies 63’) 4. Jac Poffley (20. Will King 72’) 6. Joah Hall 8. Ethan Cannings 9. Darren McAlastair (16. Caine Bradbury 60’) 13. Max Nichols (7. Tyreke Johnson 72’) 14. Pele Kouisseoue (18. Nat Williams 83’) 15. Dan Ellison (c) 17. Harlee Vozza
Subs not used: 1. Alex Avenell (GK), 5. Nelson Ero, 10. Owen Allison, 11. Sam Hughes
Goalscorer: Darren McAlastair 36, Caine Bradbury 62’, : Leighton Tuodolo 66’, Tyreke Johnson 78’
Cards:
Jac Poffley 63’ Yellow Card
None Red Card
None Yellow & Red Card