Marine 2 Basingstoke Town 2

Match Report from Pete Crockett

FOUR GOAL THRILLER AND HONOURS EVEN

In my early 1970s school days one of the memories I recall was being dragooned into school assemblies to sing hymns. As I sat to write this report the words of one of those hymns came to mind – “he who would valiant be against all disasters.“

Marine found themselves down to the bare bones in playing resources with the following unavailable or injured – goalkeeper Luke Purnell; centre backs Liam Angel and Nick Peare; midfield players Anton Dworzak and Jose Marquez; and forward Dave Sims-Burgess.

The eagle eyed will say some of those players were named on the bench. Indeed they were but it was never intended they would play. In reality the Marine bench consisted of a fit Liban Ibrahim and the new signing Lucas Vine who had not started a competitive match this season.

Marine opened the scoring on 23 minutes. A long ball from Jake Lee saw Harry Williams outpace the back four, take it around the visiting keeper, and slide into an empty net. Five minutes later he was substituted after he picked up a knock and this gave new signing Lucas Vine his Marine debut within the half hour mark.

On 38 minutes Swindon Supermarine doubled their lead. Michael Fernandes played in debutant Lucias Vine who finished well from close range.

In first half injury time the hosts got one back. A corner was deflected to Basingstoke skipper Billy Upton at the back post and he slammed a half volley past Dan Brabham in the home goal. The home defenders and a section of the crowd appealed for offside, but the flag stayed down, and the Basingstoke player goal stood.

A minute into the second half the visitors were rightly awarded a penalty after Namdbi Nwachuku was adjudged to have been felled in the box. Liam Ferdinand’s penalty and follow up effort were both well saved by the home keeper Dan Brabham. The keeper’s recovery for the second save was particularly impressive. On 50 minutes the visitor’s hit the post from a Jack Ball header and Daniel Warre’s effort on the rebound was well saved by the impressive Brabham.

On 80 minutes the visitors equalised with an own goal when the unfortunate Liban Ibrahim sliced the ball into the roof of the net from a few yards. A couple of Basingstoke players tried to claim the goal but when the game was finished it was confirmed that Lib’s had unfortunately scored their equaliser.

With no fit substitutes to fall back on and fifteen minutes remaining Marine players dug deep. The Marine defensive third was under siege and the home team players were having to dig into their last dregs of energy reserves. They battled, blocked, threw themselves into challenges, and put in a heroic shift. This was not necessarily the prettiest football Marine will play but it was the most courageous.

The above still does not tell the whole story of the match. The hosts had two goals disallowed, the visitor one, and both teams hit the woodwork once. It was that eventful a match. In terms of Marine players the whole team deserve praise. Keeper Dan Brabham handled crosses confidently, saved both a penalty and the rebound, and made numerous other excellent saves.

Full backs Sam Turl and Ryan Campbell were determined in the tackle and a constant threat going forward. Centre backs Jake Lee and Ioan Richards seemed to be carrying knocks after thirty minutes but defended magnificently. They showed character, courage, and quality to stave off wave after wave of attacks.

In the midfield Jamie Edge screened the back four well until substituted with concussion. Zack Kotwica worked like a trojan. Gabe Reivers put in an excellent shift on his full debut and was unlucky to be denied by the inside of the post following an excellent move from a free kick. Liban Ibrahim came on for the last twenty minutes and showed real grit too.

Michael Fernandes set up the second and caused the visitor’s defence concerns when he ran at them with the ball at his feet. His pass to set up the second goal was excellent. Harry Williams took his chance well and Lucas Vine scored on debut and looks like he could be an excellent signing once he gets into full training. Ollie Mehew I felt played his best game since joining the club and was denied a goal by what seemed a tight offside call.

Basingstoke Town are a good side who have only lost one league match this season. With Marine’s injury list this might feel to them to be two points dropped. With Marine’s decimated squad this certainly felt to the home supporters like a point gained. The applause the players got from sections of the home support at the end of the match was indicative that their followers appreciated the player’s efforts.

As Marine manager Stuart Fleetwood said in his post match interview: “I thought this was a performance of grit and determination. We had only two fit outfield players on the bench. Every man was absolutely excellent I thought they put in so much effort. Good to see Lucas Vine score on his debut… We gave a 17-year-old Gabe Reivers his full debut, and I thought he was absolutely excellent. Then you have Dan Brabham who has done well in every game he has played in – it is very rare you get a number two who is that good and he saved a penalty and the save from the follow up was an even better save.”

Normally I only treat myself to a decent wee dram to mark a Marine victory. This time I will break with that protocol. This battling Marine performance deserves toasting with one of my better malts.

Come on Marine!

Marine Star Men: Dan Brabham, Gabe Reivers
Basingstoke Star Man: Jack Ball
Attendance: 279

Line Ups

SWINDON SUPERMARINE
Head Coach: Stuart Fleetwood
Colours: Blue & White Hoops
Line-up: 1. Dan Brabham 2. Sam Turl 3. Ryan Campbell (c) 4. Jake Lee 5.Ioan Richards 6. Jamie Edge (12.Liban Ibrahim 80’) 7. Zack Kotwica 8. Gabe Reivers 9. Harry Williams (16.Lucias Vine 30’) 10. Michael Fernandes 11. Olly Mehew
Subs not used: 13. Luke Purnell 14. Liam Angel, 15.* Anton Dworzak
Goalscorers: Harry Williams 25’ Lucias Vine 39’
Cards:
Jamie Edge 37’, Sam Turl 45+2’, Ryan Campbell 48’
None
None

BASINGSTOKE TOWN
Manager: Dan Brownlie
Colours: Red & Black Stripes
Line-up: 1. Simon Grant 2. James Clark 3. Alek Kokoszka 4. Rudy Applah-Allen 5. Jack Ball 6. Billy Upton (c) 7. Max Smith (15. Flynn Bolton 70’) 8. D’Andre Brown 9. Nnamdl Nwachuku 10. Liam Ferdinand 11. Daniel Warre (16. Jon Efedje 58’)
Subs not used: 12. Josh Grant, 14. Simon Dunn, 17. Curtis Angel
Goalscorer: Billy Upton 45+1’ , Liban Ibrahim 80’own goal
Cards:
Alek Kokoszka 66’, James Clark 78’, Flynn Bolton 80’
None
None

Match Gallery

Click here
Courtesy of Alex White Photography

Post Match Team Sheet

Click here
Courtesy of Southern Football League

Match Officials

Referee: Adam Wilson
Assistant Referees: Ali Hajisli, Fraser Lewis