Marine 3 Marlow 1
Pitching In Southern League Premier Division | Saturday 23rd November 2024
Match Report from Pete Crockett
MARINE EXTEND UNBEATEN RUN TO FIVE
Those stoical souls who turned up on such a wretched day deserve immense credit for their fortitude. In such wretched conditions the players needed some time to adjust to the tricky conditions. There was an element of the two teams sparring to suss out the other’s modus operandi for the first ten minutes of the match.
On 13 minutes Marlow’s Stefan Brown broke clear of the Marine defence. He fired a close range shot at goal and home team keeper Luke Purnell made an excellent save to push his effort wide of the post.
From the resultant corner kick an excellent cross was met my Marlow’s HARRY HOATH who having escaped his markers powered a back post header into the back of the net. The goal sparked Marine into an increased urgency. For the next fifteen minutes they pretty much dominated possession. Some of the build-up play was slick but the final ball into the penalty area was too often wayward.
Then in the 30th minute things clicked. Sam Turl won the ball on the halfway line. He in turn found Liban Ibrahim who fed the ball through to MICHAEL FERNANDES on the left flank. The wide man left defenders in his wake, cut inside, and finished with a polished assuredness inside the keeper’s near post.
Marine were now dominating possessions and disconcerting the visitor’s defence. It was thus no surprise when Marine scored their second on 37 minutes. Gabe Reivers threaded an inch perfect pass into the path of OLLY MEHEW. The Marine number 11 advanced towards goal and confidently slid the ball past the dive of the advancing keeper. Another quality finish.
On 45 minutes Marine nearly scored a third. A ball over the top saw Harry Williams get ahead of his marker. The ball bounced in the penalty arc. As Marlow keeper Aaron Watkins advanced The Marine striker, on the stretch, lifted the ball over him. The effort bounced just wide of the post.
The sixth minute of the second half saw the visitor’s Will Gutierrez- Ramirez show some excellent footwork to get into a shooting position. However, courageous defending saw his effort blocked. With 53 minutes elapsed Marine’s Olly Mehew cut in from the right flank. He looked to curl a cross into the advancing path of Harry Williams at the back post. However, a defender’s outstretched foot deflected the cross shot just beyond the Marine striker’s reach.
On 63 minutes Marlow went close again with Will Gutierrez-Ramirez nearly capitalising on some sloppy defensive play from the home team. Intercepting a misplaced pass he glided past the Marine defence but blasted his effort over the bar from a good position.
As so often happens after a near miss at one end it becomes a double whammy when the opposing side then go up field and score themselves. In the 64th minute Marine’s Olly Mehew jinked down the goal line and hit a low cross to the front post. Harry Williams then back heeled an effort on goal that was parried by the visiting keeper. GABE REIVERS then showed a goal scorer’s instinct being the quickest to latch on to the loose ball to make it 3-1.
On 70 minutes Marine keeper Luke Purnell made a sharp save from the visitor’s Naheer Nawaf. Getting down sharply the Marine keeper landed awkwardly and injured his shoulder. After physio assessment it was clear he was going to be unable to continue. Faced with no keeper on the bench an outfield player would have to don the keeper’s jersey. Centre back Liam Angel came off the bench and stoically took on the challenge.
For the remainder of the game Marlow applied pressure but Marine did an excellent job in protecting their substitute keeper. Indeed, in this period Marine had the clearest chance when Gabe Reivers placed his header just wide of the post.
In abject weather both team’s deserve credit for seeking to play passing football in difficult conditions. The game was also played in an excellent spirit. Credit also to referee Dan Maylon and his assistants who managed the match in an assured and unobtrusive manner.
Marlow kept going to the end and a couple of their players caught the eye. Harry Hoath defended solidly; Will Gutierrez Ramirez showed some classy touches; and Naheer Nawaf looked lively at front. A word of praise also for the Buckinghamshire team’s band of travelling supporters who stuck with their team throughout.
For Marine this was a good team performance. Conceding early the team kept their nerve and played their way back into the game with some good passing football. Three players put in particularly good displays that made them contenders for the Marine Player of the Match.
Sam Turl defended exceptionally well. He won a plethora of tackles, made some top rate interceptions, and looked a threat going forward. Good defenders have that knack of being in the right place at the right time. However, that “knack” is about being astute and tactically aware. It accrues from hard work and a good footballing brain.
Gabe Reivers scored one and set up another. For a young player he has a good engine, is difficult to knock off the ball, and has that admirable knack of getting himself in goal scoring positions. His pass to play in Olly Mehew for the second was genuine quality. Well weighted to such a degree that the advancing striker did not have to break stride to control it. That was a quality piece of football.
Olly Mehew produced his best performance in a Marine shirt. He finished the second goal with laudable composure. He also set up the third with a jinking run cutting in from the right flank. He was a constant thorn in the side of the visitor’s left back. There were a couple of instances where his close control of a dropping ball in a swirling wind was a joy to behold. He just shaded it for me - it was brilliant to see him grow in confidence as the match progressed.
Although those three caught the eye there were a host of other Marine players who also put in a strong shift. This victory was very much about a unity of team spirit. Marine are now five games unbeaten in the league and are showing some genuine quality. Next Saturday sees them face a difficult away match at AFC Totton. This offers the Marine players the chance to go toe-to-toe with a promotion chasing opponent. This team has no need to fear anyone as, when at their best, they can give any opponent a tough match.
Marine Star Men: Olly Mehew
Marlow Star Man: Will Gutierrez Ramirez
Attendance: 195
Come on Marine!
Line Ups
SWINDON SUPERMARINE 
Head Coach: Stuart Fleetwood
Colours: Blue & White Hoops
Line-up: 1. Luke Purnell (17.Liam Angel’) 2. Sam Turl 3. Ryan Campbell (c) 4. Jake Lee 20.Nick Peare 6. Liban Ibrahim 7. Zack Kotwica 8. Gabe Reivers 9. Harry Williams (12.Dave Sims-Burgess 80’), 10. Michael Fernandes (15.Jamie Edge 73’) 11. Olly Mehew
Subs not used: 14. Lucias Vine, 16. Anton Dworzak, (14. _Lucias Vine 86’)
Goalscorers: Michael Fernandes 30’ 
, Olly Mehew 37’ , Gabe Reivers 65’
Cards:
None 
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MARLOW 
Manager: Mark Bartley
Line-up: 1. Aaron Watkins (c) 2. Elijah Oladunjoye 3. Josh Masters 4. Harry Hoath **5.**Seb B’Aversa 9. Stefan Brown 16. Josh Smith 17. Will Gutierrez-Ramirez 19. Momodou Jallow 11. Naheer Nawaf 14. Toby Raggett
Subs not used: 6. Chilbulkem Nzeh, 15. Justin Dass, 20. Zak Mitchell
Goalscorer: None
Cards:
Harry Hoath 56’, Josh Master 82’
None
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Courtesy of Alex White Photography
Post Match Team Sheet
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Courtesy of Southern Football League
Match Officials
Referee: Dan Maylon
Assistant Referees: Ed Hall, Gary Wroe
