Larkhall Athletic 3 Marine 2

Match Report from Pete Crockett

LARKS ASCENDING AS MARINE PAY FOR SLUGGISH START

For the travelling Swindon Supermarine supporters perched high on the terraces at Plain Ham this was an afternoon divided into thirds. A sloppy opening, a brief revival of rhythm, and a final period of exasperation that left Bobby Wilkinson’s side well beaten in spirit if not in scoreline.

Larkhall were sharper, faster, and more inventive from the start. Within six minutes Marine’s lethargy was punished. A loose clearance invited Ryan Beckinsale to shoot across goal; the referee, to Marine’s surprise, awarded a corner.

From it came a moment of well-drilled simplicity: a short routine drew a defender out of position, and EBEN TAYLOR arrived unmarked to thump the ball home from the edge of the box. The home side’s celebration was of a plan perfectly executed; Marine’s defenders were left glancing at each other, five yards from the man they had all lost.

The pattern was set. Larkhall buzzed, Marine laboured. Ryan Beckinsale’s cross was headed over by Dawid Regula, and only the assured hands of Luke Purnell kept the scoreline respectable as the Larks continued to press. Marine’s passing, so often neat and progressive, was off-key with the ball too often given away cheaply, whilst presses were off the pace, and composure lacking.

It took until the half-hour mark for Marine to show any menace. A decent free kick found Olly Case, whose header deflected over, and from that moment some assurance returned. The visitors began to move the ball more purposefully. Yet even as Marine improved Larkhall remained the likelier scorers. Ryan Beckinsale again went close stealing the ball from Luke Purnell and forcing a tight-angled effort across the face of goal.

In stoppage time Marine nearly nicked an equaliser: Josh Grant’s deep cross was met by the head of Zach Rugman whose effort drew a fine save from former Marine keeper Liam Armstrong. It was enough to suggest that Marine might make a game of it after all.

For a brief bright spell after the interval Marine looked decent. On 53 minutes, George Alston’s sumptuous delivery from the right was met by SID GBLA who glanced his effort into the far corner. The away fans behind the goal dared to believe; the Marine players suddenly looked transformed.

Hope, though, is a dangerous currency. On the hour Marine surrendered possession high upfield. One ball over the top, and DAWID REGULA was away into the yawning gap between defence and keeper. His shot — more mishit than measured — looped high over Luke Purnell and under the bar. Fortunate? Certainly. Preventable? Absolutely.

Larkhall sensed blood. Ten minutes later MAX WILLIAMS made it three sweeping in a crisp finish after Marine yet again too easily surrendered possession. From there the game stretched and Marine struggled. Marine chased shadows and left spaces; Larkhall attacked with relish.

When Olly Case clattered into a challenge on 75 minutes a penalty was inevitable. Dawid Regula’s spot-kick was saved brilliantly by Luke Purnell, who then denied him again from the rebound and he later saved efforts from both Dawid Regula and Matt Williams. The goalkeeper’s heroics were the only reason this contest did not become a hammering.

By the time Fareed Salifu’s persistence led to ZACH RUGMAN’S half-volleyed consolation goal deep into injury time the game was long lost. The 3–2 scoreline lent Marine a veneer of competitiveness they had not quite earned.

After the match Bobby Wilkinson’s assessment was brisk and honest. _“A frustrating day,” he said. “We got back into the game at 1–1 and then switch off to concede two poor goals. Very frustrating.” He was not wrong.

For the Marine supporters who made the trip to the outskirts of Bath this Marine performance proved the perils of a slow start and offered a reminder of football’s cruel symmetry: if you gift goals you get punished.

The six match form table offers perspective - three wins and a draw from the previous six. However, this one was a performance to file under “learning curve.”

No need for sackcloth and ashes but a little soul-searching required. Against a tidy and well-drilled Larkhall side Marine were second best in too many duels, too loose in possession, and too easily exposed defensively. The saving grace was Luke Purnell whose excellence prevented what could have been a rout.

Come on Marine!

Attendance: 205

Manager:	Ollie Price
Line-up:	Colours: All Blue
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1.	Liam Armstrong [GK]
2.	Lewis Graham
3.	Jack Goodall
4.	Sam Boulton (c)
5.	Ewan McMillan	8’
6.	Will Banks
7.	Max Williams	70’		16.	Spencer Dimond-Hall 90+4’
8.	Alex Camm		76’	17.	Milo Murgatroyd 81’
9.	Dawid Regula	60’
10.	Ryan Beckinsale			14.	Sam Tisdale 90+2’
11.	Eben Mortimer-Taylor			12.	Jack Camm 65’

Editors Star Man: Sam Boulton
Subs not used: 15. Asa White

Manager:	Bobby Wilkinson
Line-up:	Colours: All Yellow
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1	Luke Purnell [GK]
2	Sam Turl			14	Josh Grant 44’
3	Tawana Changa			15	Jamie Edge 68’
4	Olly Case
5	Josh Blythe			12	Fareed Salifu 68’
6	Zach Rugman	90+6’	63’
7	Sal Abubakar
8	Max Hemmings (c)			16	Dayo Sonoiki 81’
9	Frankie Monk
10	Sid Gbla	53’	40’
11	George Alston

Editors Star Man: Luke Purnell [GK]
Subs not used: 17 |Jonny Efedje