Marine 3 Salisbury 3

Match Report from Pete Crockett

Honours even in Wiltshire derby

There was a pre match burr of anticipation around the ground. With the winter sun replaced by the genuinely warming heat of spring this was a perfect day to watch football. Those travelling up from south Wiltshire will have been hoping for a victory to enhance their team’s promotion push whilst those supporting the hosts will have been wanting points to assist in their club’s relegation struggle.

It was the away team who had the first shot of note when an Aaron Simpson effort from thirty yards whistled just past the far post. The visitors then forced a sharp save from a well-positioned Fiachra Pagel when Noah Coppin turned sharply and fired an effort on goal.

Marine opened the scoring when following a long clearance from keeper Fiachra Pagel the host’s Dave Sims-Burgess broke clear, he twisted one way, dropped a shoulder the other, and slotted home with assuredness.

The home team doubled their lead four minutes later when Michael Fernandes, having gained possession forty yards from goal, dribbled past defenders, and caught the keeper out with an adroit reverse shot.

The two goals seemed to fire up the visitors. As the pressure built it was no surprise when the visitors in the 30th minute pulled one back. Noah Coppin fed the ball wide to Jamar Smith who in turn managed, on the stretch, to find Ryan Penny on the edge of the area who curled in a perfect finish just inside the Marine keeper’s far post.

During this part of the match Marine’s back four were having to defend heroically. Their plight was not helped by some poorer defensive work by a few of the Marine players in front of them who were not tracking their runners effectively. This resulted in the back four far too frequently being outnumbered. It is at such times one can totally comprehend why Marine have conceded so many goals.

The visitors could and should have equalised when Josh Hedges was given the freedom of the Marine penalty area. His first shot was blocked, and his follow up effort was fired wastefully over the cross bar.

In this period of the match Marine were essentially on the ropes. It was thus unsurprising when with ten minutes of the half remaining Salisbury were on level terms. Springing the offside trap a low Dan Fitchett cross shot from the right was knocked in by Noah Coppin.

Just before half time Salisbury thought they had taken the lead when Dan Fitchett bundled the ball home in a goal mouth scramble following a Jamar Smith cross. However, after a lengthy deliberation between referee and assistant the goal was disallowed for offside.

At the half time whistle Marine supporters will have felt a conflict of emotions. Frustration to have surrendered a two-goal lead being combined with a relief not to be going in at half-time a goal down.

In the 47th minute Marine hit the woodwork when a deep back post corner was headed against the upright by Mat Liddiard. In fairness the angle was acute, and the Marine man did well to direct his effort towards goal. A few minutes later Marine’s Joe Tumelty fired a shot wide of goal.

In the 56th minute the Marine back four was split by a precision Dan Fitchett pass and Salisbury’s Josh Hedges, advancing one on one with the keeper, deftly clipped the ball into the back of the net to make it 3-2.

For twenty-five minutes after this goal Salisbury dominated possession but struggled to create clear cut openings with both Josh Hedges and Aaron McCreadie having efforts blocked. For all the visitor’s territorial advantage Marine were digging in deep to stay in the match.

Three substitutions in the final quarter of an hour of the match saw Marine start to apply a little more pressure. Liban Ibrahim added some grit and energy in midfield, Brad Gray added a physical presence up front to support Dave Sims-Burgess, and Matt Bower played a key role in Marine’s late equaliser.

With 90 minutes elapsed a Matt Bower cross from the left was flicked on at the front post by Brad Gray. Sam Turl timing his back post run to perfection converted with his right foot from close range.

In injury time a highly disputable free kick was awarded to Salisbury outside the box. A good effort from Salisbury’s Rich McIntyre hit the far post and bounced clear. With that the final whistle blew to bring to an end a highly entertaining afternoon.

At the end of the match those with Salisbury affiliations will have travelled home from the match feeling their team threw away two points. The visitors certainly seemed overly content to defend their lead in the final ten minutes and this, in turn, enabled Marine to build the attacking momentum to secure an equaliser.

Those of a Marine disposition will have been pleased to see their team dig deep when under pressure and to show the tenacity and spirit to keep going against a top end of the table team. At 3-2 down entering injury time this was very much a point gained.

Easter Monday’s match at Didcot Town is a massive game – come on Marine!

Editors Marine Star Men: Sam Turl
Editors Salisbury Star Man: Dan Fitchett
Attendance: 585

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 (15. Matt Bower 60’) 6. Jake Andrews (c) 7. Zack Kotwica (17. Brad Gray 72’) 8. Joe Tumelty 9. Dave Sims-Burgess 10. Michael Fernandes 11. Henry Spalding (17. Liban Ibrahim 65’)
Subs not used: 12. Jamie Edge, 14. George Dowling
Goalscorers: Dave Sims-Burgess 20’, Michael Fernandes 24’
Cards:
Jake Andrews 68’, Joe Tumelty 90’
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Salisbury
Manager: Brian Dutton
Colour: All Yellow
Line-up: 1. Ryan Gosling 2. Aaron Simpson (16. Richard McIntyre 82’) 18. Jamar Smith 3. Josh Sommerton 5. Sido Jombati (c) 6. Jack Ball 17. Ryan Penny (19. Jaden Perez 67’) 8. Aaron McCreadie 9. Dan Fitchett 11. Noah Coppin (12. Charlie Gunson 35’) 14. Josh Hedges
Subs not used: 13. Alex Rutter (GK), 15. Wayne Robinson
Goalscorer: Ryan Penny 30’, Noah Coppin 35’, Josh Hedges 58’
Cards:
Dan Fitchett 45’, Sido Jombati 75’
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Match Gallery

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Courtesy of Alex White Photography

Team Sheet

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Match Officials

Referee: Richard Walker
Assistant Referees: Sam Lomas, Aaron Baker