Marine 3 Hayes & Yeading United 2

Match Report from Pete Crockett

MARINE WIN FIVE GOAL THRILLER

On a day where the first chill of winter arrived Marine warmed the spirit of their supporters with a 3-2 victory against long time bogey team Hayes and Yeading. The American travel writer Paul Theroux once said, “winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” Marine followers will certainly feel there is strong evidence of a recovery.

They will also recognise that to play with recent fluency great efforts will have gone into match preparation by the coaching staff and the players. This victory continues a good run of form which has seen Marine lose only one league match in their last seven. The team has also secured seven points from a run of three home matches.

Marine created their first opening in the second minute when Jake Andrews chipped free kick from 40 yards was helped towards goal by Dave Sims-Burgess but the ball was just beyond the reach of a stretching Levi Irving and was gathered by the visitor’s keeper Jacob Adams.

Minutes later Marine had a left sided corner. Jake Andrews swung it into the crowded goal mouth. The visiting keeper found himself caught out by the flight of the ball. Toby Raison, beyond the back post, directed the ball towards goal and a swivelling Sam Turl saw his effort hacked off the line.

As would be appropriate for a railway town like Swindon Marine were working up a head of steam - it was thus unsurprising when they opened the scoring. In the 9th minute Liban Ibrahim threaded a pass to Levi Irving. From 12-yards out the Marine striker controlled it deftly with his right foot and fired home with his left. A quality finish.

With thirteen minutes elapsed Hayes and Yeading had their first chance of note when Michael Fernandes slid a pass into the left side of the box finding Ronan Silva, with one touch to his left he created a shooting angle and fired a shot across goal. Conor Brann in the Marine goal got down sharply to his left to parry the ball towards the far post and Ryan Campbell cleared the ball to safety.

A few minutes later the visitor’s Michael Fernandes shot from twenty-five yards. His scuffed effort crept through a body of players but was easily gathered by Conor Brann.

With just over half an hour of the match gone Marine were awarded a free kick just outside the box on the right corner of the penalty area. The angle was inviting for a tantalising cross-shot. Jake Andrews obliged - his left foot effort sliding inside the far post and Marine celebrated doubling their lead. However, the celebrations were curtailed by the assistant flagging for offside against one of the onrushing attackers.

It would be fair to say the home support were not overly enamoured with the decision. However, watching it on video post-match one can see both the assistant’s dilemma and why Marine felt perturbed. Minutes later the Marine support were further agitated when an off the ball incident saw Levi Irving pick up an injury and the offending opponent go unsanctioned.

In the 38th minute Hayes and Yeading worked the ball to Ronan Silva in the Marine penalty area. Fifteen yards out and parallel with the back post he dragged the ball onto his left foot and fired a shot at goal. However, the ball was gathered easily by a perfectly positioned Conor Brann.

On 42 minutes Hayes and Yeading had the ball in the net. Michael Fernandes threaded a pass into the feet of Steven Ngunga who slotted home assuredly. However, the flag was raised instantly and the goal disallowed.

In first half injury time the visitors did equalise. Some fifty yards from goal Ronan Silva passed to Omar Rowe who then knocked the ball from a central position to Cole Brown on the right flank. He in turn found Steve Ngunga who lofted an in swinging cross into the Marine six-yard box. Michael Fernandes got a yard ahead of a Marine defender Sam Turl to guide the ball home with his left foot.

Marine then had one final effort on goal. Zack Kotwica knocked the ball into central midfield and Joe Tumelty in turn fed a pass into the path of Liban Ibrahim whose effort from twenty-five yards was comfortably held by the visiting keeper.

On 48 minutes Marine created their first opening of the second half. Just outside the area Jake Andrews picked up a defensive clearance and fed a pass into Zack Kotwica’s diagonal run from the right flank. Taking one touch for control the Marine player fired a shot on target from an acute angle but it was well saved.

Three minutes later the visitor’s Samuel Faniyan played a ball into the path of the advancing Cole Brown. His shot, on the stretch, was cleanly hit but well wide of the post - rattling the stand behind the goal with a metallic thud.

With 53 minutes showing on the stadium clock Marine restored their lead. Liban Ibrahim surged down the left wing. His lofted back post cross saw a defender caught under the flight of the ball. Marine’s Dave Sims-Burgess powered a downward header from a narrow angle towards goal which the keeper, scrambling across his goal line, could not save.

Marine were now looking menacing going forward and three minutes after the goal Zack Kotwica fed a pass into Levi Irving on the right side of the area. Joe Tumelty then made an excellent overlap which was spotted and the ball played into his path. From a tight angle the midfielder’s effort was on target but the keeper saved with his feet at the cost of a corner.

On the hour mark a headed clearance from Toby Raison was nodded on by Zack Kotwica. Levi Irving dragged the ball to the left of his marker and surged towards goal. His shot cleared the bar but that does not diminish from the skill shown to create his opening.

Hayes and Yeading then had a half chance when a left-wing cross was diverted to the back post by a visiting striker. Steve Ngunga tried to divert the ball back towards goal, but his header sailed over the bar to the relief of the Marine support.

By this point Hayes and Yeading were struggling to create clear openings and their efforts on goal were invariably from distance - with one such effort posing greatest danger to the dozing pigeons in the trees behind the goal.

With twenty minutes of normal time remaining the visitor’s Samuel Faniyan received the ball with his back to goal. Closely marked by defenders, and eight yards from the target, he pivoted sharply and got his shot away, but it was well wide.

On seventy-five-minute Zack Kotwica fed a precise ball down the line for the overlapping Sam Turl. The full back, bandaged from an earlier head wound, darted to the dead ball line and knocked a cross into the box. Whilst a defender intercepted he was unable to clear and the ball fell into the path of Marine’s Levi Irving who, on the stretch, got a right foot shot on target that was pushed wide by the keeper.

With five minutes of normal time remaining Marine’s Levi Irving clipped a delectable right-wing cross to the front post. This was met by a diving Dave Sims-Burgess who glanced a well-placed header from beyond the front post into the inner side netting of the far upright. This was not an easy header, but its execution was perfection, and gave Marine a deserved two goal buffer.

In injury time the visitor’s secured a late consolation goal when a Luke Gambin shot seemed to take a cruel nick off the heel of Jake Andrews and then another cruel deflection off the shin of Toby Raison. The double glances wrong footing Conor Brann in the Marine goal.

This was an excellent Marine performance and on clear cut chances created Marine deserved their victory. Hayes and Yeading had their moments in the first half but, apart from the deflected consolation goal, struggled to create many meaningful efforts on goal in the second.

Marine players should reflect on this performance with collective pride. The back four were solid with central defenders Mat Liddiard and Toby Raison looking assured. Full backs Sam Turl and Ryan Campbell meanwhile defended resolutely and were a constant threat going forward. Conor Brann produced another good shift between the sticks with one particularly strong save in the early exchanges.

In midfield Marine looked impressive. Jake Andrews was classily imperious; Liban Ibrahim a bundle of tenacious energy; and Joe Tumelty splendiferous with the ball at his feet. The two wide men in Zack Kotwica and Levi Irving were a constant thorn in the side of the Hayes and Yeading defence but also put in strong shifts in tracking back. Meanwhile Dave Sims-Burgess did what good goal scorers do – he finished his two chances with admirable assuredness.

Additionally, Marine were also in a position to have quality to bring off the bench with George Dowling returning from injury; Henry Spalding offering an abundancy of skills; and Brad Gray giving his usual gusto, know how, and experience.

Marine are now looking a formidable unit. It is pleasing to see both the quality of football they are playing and the confidence returning after a testing start to the season. There is still much work to be done but with only one defeat in seven matches also a great deal to be positive about.

Come on Marine!

Editors Marine Star Man: Levi Irving
Editors Hayes Star Man: Michael Elias-Fernandes
Attendance: 227

Line Ups

Swindon Supermarine
Head Coach: Stuart Fleetwood
Colours: Blue & White Hoops
Line-up: 1. Conor Brann 2. Sam Turl 3. Ryan Campbell 4. Mat Liddiard 5. Toby Raison 6. Jake Andrews 7. Zack Kotwica (12. Henry Spalding 77’) 8. Liban Ibrahim 9. Dave Sims-Burgess (14. Brad Gray 86’) 10. Joe Tumelty (15. George Dowling 86’) 11. Levi Irving
Subs not used: 13. Louis Evans
Goalscorers: Levi Irving 9’, Dave Sims-Burgess 53’, 85’
Cards:
Zack Kotwica 45+6’, Dave Sims-Burgess 82’
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HAYES & YEADING UNITED

Manager: Mark Molesley
Line-up: 1. Jacob Adams 2. Cole Brown 14. Paul Field 5. Marvin Ekpiteta 3. Charlie Standard (18. Luke Warner-Eley 27’) 4. Sanmi Odelusi (10. Luke Gambin 70’) 16. Roman Silva 8. Omar Rowe 20. Michael Ellas-Fernandes 12. Sam Faniyan 19. Steven Ngunga Subs Not Used: 11. Ben Heath, 15. Eric Ameyaw, 17. Amos Nasha Junior
Goalscorers: Michael Ellas-Fernandes 45+4’, Omar Rowe 90+6’
Cards:
Sam Faniyan 7’, Sanmi Odelusi 58’, Roman Silva 80’, Omar Rowe 87’
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Match Highlights

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Courtesy of Mike Wray from Supermarine TV

Match Gallery

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Courtesy of Alex White Photography

Match Gallery

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Courtesy of Rob Mashford Photography

Team Sheet

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Match Officials

Referee: Richard Walker
Assistant Referees: Edward Hall, Peter Doolan