Marine 2 AFC Town 2

Match Report from Pete Crockett

Marine snatch a late point

Marine welcomed playoff chasing AFC Totton to the Webbswood Stadium on Saturday. Having lost their previous two matches to injury time winners Marine were desperate to get some points on the board from this match.

Marine started the more positive. With seven minutes elapsed Joe Tumelty was played in on goal. However, as he drew his foot back to shoot he slipped, and the chance was gone. Marine also went close three minutes later when Levi Irving, with his back to goal, turned sharply and his forceful shot from 12 yards struck the upright with a stentorian thud.

Four minutes later the visitors took advantage of a defensive mishap with Jordan Chiedozie outmuscling Marine keeper and a defender when a build up from the back went awry. Having secured possession he played the ball across to Juan Luque Prados who slotted into the vacant net from the centre of the goal and on the edge of the penalty box.

Two minutes later the visitors could have doubled their lead. Juan Luque Prados was set clear of Marine’s back four but he fired a firm shot from twenty yards which sailed, to Marine’s relief, well over the bar.

On the half hour mark a nigh duplicate defensive mishap to the opening goal that Marine conceded offered the host’s a chance to level things. Totton keeper Tommy Reid played the ball to the feet of Henry Spalding on the right edge of the penalty area. However, the Marine midfielder’s shot cleared the cross bar.

The match was now ebbing and flowing. With first one side and then the other attacking. In the 41st minute the Stags John Luque Prados cut into the right-hand side of Marine’s area. He whipped a firm shot on goal but debutant keeper Fiachra Pagel got down well to parry the effort wide.

Totton started the second half the quicker and two minutes in the lively Juan Luque Prados struck a firm shot on target that was saved by the well-positioned Marine keeper.

Marine were on level terms in the forty-ninth minute when a whipped cross from Ryan Campbell found Joe Tumelty at the front post who finished well with a left footed shot. Credit also to the referee for making excellent use of the advantage clause in the build up to the goal.

There was a momentary hope for Marine supporters that a victory for Marine was back to being a possibility. However, on 53 minutes the balance of the match swung back in the visitor’s favour. Marine surrendered possession softly in a dangerous area. The irrepressible Juan Luque Prados breaking clear a slip by a Marine defender and advanced upon goal and with only the keeper to beat. He finished adroitly to swiftly restore the Stags lead.

The game then went through a bit of a feisty spell with referee Dale Wotton being forced to brandish several yellow cards to calm things down.

On 70 minutes Totton went close to a third when riding a sliding tackle Zidan Akers cut inside from the right flank and powered a forceful shot that rattled the bar.

Now it was Totton who were posing the greater threat and with fifteen minutes of normal time remaining a good cross from Zidan Akers was met with a balletic scissor kick effort from Luke Hallett. The effort was on target but Marine keeper Fiachra Pagel did well to tip the effort over the bar.

As the match slipped into injury time the game seemed to be heading for an away victory with Totton looking defensively assured and a constant threat on the break.

However, the tenebrous mood of the Marine faithful was lifted in a dramatic finale. In the fourth minute of injury time Sam Turl won the ball on the right-hand side of the pitch.

The visitor’s appealed for a foul but the referee was unimpressed. The ball was worked across the park to Ryan Campbell overlapping on the left flank. He drove in a low cross-shot and Harry Williams tucked it home with a good opportunist’s finish.

Both sides will look back at this game and feel they could have secured more. Totton will feel at 2-1 they had sufficient opportunities to seal the match. Marine will feel that momentary defensive lapses made their task far harder than it needed to have been.

The host’s will though be pleased that having lost their previous two matches to injury time winners this time it was they who made the added time count.

The weekend’s results were not as Marine would have hoped and the team find themselves back in the relegation zone. However, it is very tight down there with only three points separating 20th and 14th place and a mere seven points between 20th and 12th.

The final third of the season will undoubtedly have many a turn and twist but, from a Marine perspective, the main thing is dig deep, keep playing good football, and retain the belief.

Come on Marine!

Editors Marine Star Men: Ryan Campbell
Editors AFC Totton Star Man: Juan Luque Prados
Attendance: 289

Line Ups

Swindon Supermarine
Head Coach: Stuart Fleetwood
Colours: Blue & White Hoops
Line-up: 1. Fiachra Pagel 2. Sam Turl 3. Ryan Campbell 4. Mat Liddiard 5. Ioan Richards 6. Jamie Edge (c) 7. Henry Spalding (12. Harry Williams 63’) 8. Liban Ibrahim 90’ 9. Dave Sims-Burgess 10. Joe Tumelty (16. Zack Kotwica 80’) 11. Levi Irving
Subs not used: 13. Billy Thomas, 15 Shea Mannings, 16 Brad Gray
Goalscorers: Joe Tumelty 49’, Harry Williams 90+4’
Cards:
Joe Tumelty 40’, Zack Kotwica 85’
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AFC Totton
Manager: Jimmy Ball
Colours: Gun Metal & Neon Yellow
Line-up: 1. Tommy Reid 2. Benny Reid (9. Scott Rendall 67’) 3. Jordan Ragguette (14. Ben Jefford 78’) 6. Luke Hallett 7. Joe Oastler (c) 8. Adam Tomasso 10. Ethan Taylor 12. Jordan Chiedozie (5 Charlie Kennedy 42’) 15. Sam Magri 18. Juan Luque Prados 19. Zidan Akers
Subs not used: 11. Matt Burrows, 20. Luke Bennett
Goalscorers: Juan Luque Prados 13’, 53’
Cards:
Jordan Ragguette 24’, Ethan Taylor 27’, Joe Oastler 57’, Charlie Kennedy 61’, Juan Luque Prados 71’
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Match Gallery

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From Alex White Photography

Team Sheet

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Match Officials

Referee: Dale Wootton
Assistant Referees: James West, Richard Wood