Hayes & Yeading 2 Marine 2

Match Report from Pete Crockett

Football can be a cruel old game

The return journey to Swindon was one where the coach was subdued. There was a frustration that this was a match where two points slipped from Marine’s grasp in injury time. It was like a metaphorical blow to the solar plexus that left one winded and wounded.

With two minutes of injury time elapsed the home team were awarded a free kick twenty-five yards from goal and in a central position. Had such a kick been awarded last season, when Marine were pushing for the playoffs, there would have been a wariness, but it would have been combined with a sense that the odds are it would be survived. When you are at the top such situations seem to see the shot clear the bar, strike the wall, be fired directly at the keeper, or slip wide of the upright.

Alas, when you are battling for points at the bottom the reverse applies and there almost feels an inevitability that circumstances will go against you. That the taker of the free kick will find the perfect effort to prevent you getting your just desserts.

Lo and behold that is what happened - the host’s Charlie Owen hit an excellent free kick just inside the upright to level the scores at 2-2. It was so cruel an ending made even worse by Marine being deprived, after that goal, by an excellent save from Dillon Addai when Henry Spalding’s well struck shot seemed destined to snatch a dramatic final minute winner.

The match itself was a game of three phases. Marine started sluggishly and for the first twenty minutes found themselves very much under pressure; the second phase was between twenty and eighty minutes when Marine looked the dominant team; and the final phase was the last fifteen minutes when Hayes and Yeading applied pressure, but Marine seemed defensively in control - until that dreaded free kick in injury time.

It was the hosts who bossed the game in that initial phase. Marine were struggling to get a foothold being rarely able to venture into their opponent’s half. The hosts took the lead when Mo Bettamer intercepted a Marine pass and found Ronan Silva who, in turn, played in Ayo Faniyan with a defence splitting pass. The striker advanced upon goal, he measured his shot to perfection, and Marine were one down in eight minutes.

In the early stages Hayes right-back Cole Brown was troubling Marine with some mazy runs down the right flank. He twice forced good saves from Fiachra Pagel - the first in the 6th minute with a low drive pushed around the post, and the second in the 28th minute when he cut infield, and the Marine keeper did well to get across goal to save.

As the first half progressed Marine started to pass the ball with greater fluency and to create chances of their own. One opening saw a Harry Williams shot well blocked by Dillon Addai with the under pressure follow up from the same player clearing the bar.

Minutes later Zack Kotwica played in Harry Williams with a well weighted pass, but the Marine striker’s shot bounced clear off the far post. Then a Ryan Campbell front post cross was back heeled by Dave Sims-Burgess at the front post, but the host’s keeper produced a sharp save diving to his right to parry the effort wide of the post.

Still the Marine chances kept coming and Harry Williams advanced on goal and was thwarted by a good sliding block by the hosts Paul Field. The resulting Zack Kotwica corner in the 44th minute saw the home team’s Will Salmon deflect a menacing corner into his own goal.

Marine started the second half with the same intensity that they finished the first. Hayes Will Salmon was dispossessed and Marine’s Michael Fernandes, after receiving a Harry Williams pass, struck a shot from fifteen yards that was too hot for the keeper to handle to put Marine 2-1 in front.

Hayes and Yeading piled on the pressure in the final fifteen minutes but really were struggling to prise open an obdurate Marine defence until that malevolent injury time twist of misfortune.

This was a tough result to take. However, feeling hard done by will not help players, management, or supporters. This was a good Marine performance that warranted a victory. It is tempting to put such a result down to bad luck. That though is an easy option – instead the belief needs to be retained that as a team you can turn around your luck.

After this performance I certainly feel more of a sense that those big vital wins could be just around the corner than I did after the previous Saturday’s defeat to Hendon.

There are certainly positives to build upon. Marine have lost once in five games; a useful point was secured away from home; Marine have taken four points out of a possible six against relegation rivals Hayes and Yeading; and the team’s performance was a good one with some of their slick fast passing being a joy to behold.

Those around the club now must dig deep into their resilience reserves; recognise that the team can secure more vital points as the season’s end approaches; and collectively dust down for the next match.

Whilst football can be a cruel, as in this match, it can also swiftly turn for the better – particularly if you keep striving to do the right things. Onto the next match – let battle commence!

Come on Marine!

Editors Hayes Star Man: Cole Brown
Editors Marine Star Man: Ryan Campbell

Attendance: 273

Line Ups

HAYES & YEADING UNITED

Manager: Mark Molesley
Line-up: 1. Dillion Addai 2. Cole Brown 3. Jack Williams 4. Sanmi Odelusi 9. Mohamed Bettamer (7. Charlie Hagan 64’) 12. Sam Faniyan 14. Paul Field 16. Ronan Silva (11. Billie Busari 78’) 17. Will Salmon 18. Max Hudson 20. Charlie Owens
Goalscorers: Sam Faniyan 8’, Charlie Owens 90+4’
Cards:
Sanmi Odelusi 51’
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SWINDON SUPERMARINE
Head Coach: Stuart Fleetwood
Colours: All Blue
Line-up: 1. Fiachra Pagel 2. Sam Turl 3. Ryan Campbell 4. Mat Liddiard 5. Ioan Richards 6. Jake Andrews (c) 7. Zack Kotwica 8. Liban Ibrahim (14. Joe Tumelty 65’) 9. Dave Sims-Burgess 10. Harry Williams (16. George Dowling 80’) 11. Michael Fernandes (14. Joe Tumelty 60’)
Subs not used: 12. Jamie Edge, 15. Matt Bower
Goalscorers: Will Salmom og 44’, Michael Fernandes 49’
Cards:
Sam Turl 45+2’’
None
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Match Gallery

Click here for Match Photo’s
Courtesy of Alex White Photography

Team Sheet

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Match Officials

Referee: Adam Marchant
Assistant Referees: Stephon Matthews, Phil Jones