Exmouth Town 1 Marine 1 (3-4 pens)

Match Report from Pete Crockett

PURNELL THE ROCK AS MARINE RIDE THE TIDE

It was a second successive Saturday in Devon for Swindon Supermarine – this time not a sodden and windswept Dartmoor but the sunny early autumn charm of seaside Exmouth.

However, unlike the tourists on the promenade clutching sticks of rock the visitors departed with something more nourishing: a place in the next round of the FA Trophy. For Exmouth Town, reduced to ten men for much of the second half, the tide of fortune went out too soon.

The opening quarter hour was no Riviera football. The contest was a midfield slugfest; the crowd’s attention momentarily being drawn to the parallel railway line where a diesel grumbled and hooted its way alongside the Exe estuary. Exmouth, urged on by their followers, harvested four early corners but offered no real threat on goal.

Marine stirred on twenty-one minutes when Dan Warre, busy and inventive, clipped a ball forward for Sid Gbla, only for home keeper Chris Wright to alertly predict the danger and smother the ball.

At once the hosts replied, Isaac McCue’s centre finding Ethan Slater whose scissors volley demanded only routine handling from Luke Purnell. On 29 minutes he was tested more severely. Ed Butcher’s left flank cross glanced off Marine defender Josh Grant’s head and seemed destined to be an own goal. However, the Marine custodian adjusted his footing and clasped the ball. Marine then instantly struck back Dan Warre cutting inside to fizz a shot into the side netting.

The opening goal came on 37 minutes when Exmouth’s Matt Wright flicked a ball into Ben Steer’s stride. Steer entered the penalty area and went down under Owen Foye’s challenge. With the penalty awarded up stepped ISAAC MCCUE who rolled his spot kick one way as Luke Purnell went the other. Marine might have equalised before the break, Dan Warre again bustling through but his shot skimmed wide.

The home team’s reprieve lasted just four minutes after the restart. In the 49th when Sid Gbla robbed a defender and squared the ball inside the box to Dan Warre from close range.

Dan spun and shot but saw his goal bound effort cannon off Exmouth’s Joe Belston and onto the upright, but the referee instantly pointed to the spot for a handling offence and in the ensuing storm of vociferating protest showed the penalised player a red card. DAN WARRE, calm amid the tumult, rammed his penalty in off the crossbar.

Now Marine had the man advantage and stretched play from flank to flank. Chances were being created. Josh Blyth’s header kissed the side netting before Tawana Changa’s curling drive was turned aside brilliantly by Wright.

Yet Exmouth, remained admirably obstinate with ten men. Late on the home team’s Mike Landricombe headed firmly drawing another fine Luke Purnell save. In injury time at the other end Frankie Monk’s 25-yard curled effort was competently handled.

So, to penalties it went. Marine, after Jamie Edge was cruelly thwarted by the upright with the first kick, were flawless. James Harding, Joe Selman, Tawana Changa, and Frankie Monk all netted clinically. Exmouth faltered. Twice Luke Purnell saved a penalty, only for retakes to be ordered and then converted. The assistant flagging as if he was auditioning to be a semaphorist at nearby Lympstone Command.

However, in penalty face offs with the home team’s Ben Steer and Aaron Denny the Luke Purnell’s nerve proved decisive, and he saved each of their spot kicks. In these two instances it was without any officiating interventions and Marine thus had their passage to the next round.

Afterwards manager Bobby Wilkinson praised the unity, tenacity, and character of his side. He declined to nominate a man of the match insisting that this accolade belonged to the whole team. This Marine result was, in all honesty, less a triumph of style than of solidarity, a footballing battle where resilience and tenacity mattered more than refinement.

The Marine team dug deep through the first half and earned the right to play with greater freedom after the break. They prevailed not through individual flourishes but through an admirable collective commitment. In some matches grit and graft carry far greater currency than footballing grace, this was one of those contests.

Attendance: UK

Managers:	Kevin Hill & Gary Pearce
Line-up:	Colours: Blue & White
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1.	Chris Wright [GK]
3.	Josh Cann			2.	Sam Morcom 57’
4.	Ollie Knowles
6.	Mike Landricombe (c)
7.	Aaron Denny
9.	Ethan Slater		61’
12.	Ed Butcher			8.	Callum Shipton 52’
15.	Isaac McCue	40’pen		10.	Luke Steer 72’
16.	Joe Belsten		50’
17.	Ben Steer			7.	Jack Kennell 87’
19.	Mark Wright			11.	Ben Griffith 72’

Editors Star Man: Mike Landricombe
Subs not used: None

Manager:	Bobby Wilkinson
Line-up:	Colours: All Yellow
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1	Luke Purnell [GK]
2	Sam Turl (c)		89’
3	Owen Foye		39’
4	Josh Grant
5	Josh Blyth			17	Olly Case 64’
6	Tawana Changa
7	Sal Abubakar			14	Frankie Monk 59’		64’
8	Jamie Edge
9	Dan Warre	50’pen
10	Sid Gbla			12	James Harding 71’
11	George Alston			15	Joe Selman 71’

Editors Star Man: Luke Purnell
Subs not used: Jonny Efedje