Marine 1 Malvern Town 3

Match Report from Pete Crockett

MALVERN TOWN CONTINUE THEIR GOOD RUN OF FORM

On an afternoon when scudding autumn clouds played tricks with the shadows Swindon Supermarine discovered the tough truth of football’s learning curve. Against table topping opponents Marine played with heart, with glimpses of verve, and yet were undone 3–1 in the final reckoning.

The contest began with promise. The home team’s Sal Abubakar, ever eager, cut inside from the left and drove a low shot towards goal, only to be thwarted by Seth Locke’s sharp save at his near post.

Malvern’s reply was swift and pitiless: with seven minutes elapsed Ben Baxter’s clipped cross, Joe Bullock’s guided volley, and the ball was buried beyond Luke Purnell. Clinical, concise, merciless.

Marine were stirred into response and scored an impressive equaliser on 30 minutes. Frankie Monk, all jink and swagger, conjured space on the left before delivering a cross of artistry. SID GBLA rose as if borne aloft, his header was firm and true.

Yet the visitors struck again before half-time. Joe Tumelty’s pass split the defence and Piers Walton finished coolly. Although the home support behind the assistant were very surprised that an offside flag was unraised?

In the second half Marine toiled gamely. The home team’s Joe Beardwell, who was involved for his first game of the season after injury, seemed to have been set clear only to be denied by a mystifying call from the assistant. Then the Malvernian dagger on 78 minutes: Luke Salter’s cross from the right found Joe Tumelty whose looping finish put the game out of Marine’s reach.

Malvern looked every inch promotion contenders - compact, incisive, and fluent. Cohesion of that kind is not conjured up overnight; Malvern’s solidity and sharp finishing will have been forged from familiarity, repetition, and battles shared. They were quite simply the better team on the day.

There were areas of promise for Marine: Sal Abubakar’s menace, the industry of full-backs Sam Turl and Owen Foye, the bright debut of Zach Rugman, the return of injured players, and the excellent build up play to set up Sid Gbla’s goal.

Sometimes in football you will be defeated by an adversary who are, quite simply, further on in their team development journey. There is no shame in losing to such an opponent. The reality is that every defeat can plant seeds for future success.

This was not a match that Marine lost through a lack of character, effort, or endeavour – it was a match that was lost because Marine were, on the day, less effective than their opponents. The journey to improvement sometimes entails losing, learning, and moving on to the next challenge. As Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose, I either win or learn.”

Come on Marine!

Attendance: 293

Manager:	Bobby Wilkinson
Line-up:	Colours: Blue & White Hoops
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1	Luke Purnell [GK]
2	Sam Turl
3	Owen Foye			12	Joe Beardwell 73’
4	Josh Grant
5	Nick Rhodes			17	Ciaran Walsh 73’
6	Zach Rugman
7	Sal Abubakar
8	Max Hemmings (c)			14	George Alston 76’
9	Dan Warre		54’
10	Sid Gbla	30’
11	Frankie Monk

Editors Star Man: Sam Turl
Subs not used: 15 Tawana Changa, 16 Dayo Sonoiki

![Club badge](/media/SEASON%202025.26/GALLERIES/Malvern%2027.09.25/Malvern_Town_FC_logo.png

Manager:	Lee Hooper
Line-up:	Colours: Claret & Sky
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1.	Seth Scott [GK]
2.	Levi Francis			15.	Elliott Lewis 90+2’
3.	Ben Baxter			17.	Harry Clark 67’
4.	Dion Molyneux
5.	Charlie Johnson
6.	Mile Ferguson
7.	Piers Walton	36’		14.	Sam Clark 56’
8.	Joe Bullock	9’
9.	Ryan Brunt			12.	Luke Salter 67’
10.	Joe Tumelty (c)	78’		16.	Ben Hayes 85’
11.	Matt MacDonald

Editors Star Man: Levi Francis
Subs not used: None