Marine 3 Winslow United 1

Match Report from Pete Crockett

Marine Turn Up the Firepower

The first faint breath of autumn had arrived at the Imagine Cruising Stadium, rustling the leaves and gently warning those reluctant to surrender summer that another footballing season was already gathering pace. Into this changing landscape came Winslow United for the second meeting between these sides in the space of three days.

Both sides arrived somewhat patched together. Marine manager Bobby Wilkinson was deprived of several players and obliged to reshuffle his pack considerably. Yet those summoned into Marine colours responded splendidly. Winslow had problems of their own, not least the formidable demand of a fourth match in eight days.

Ninety-five goalless minutes in Buckinghamshire had apparently exhausted football’s appetite for restraint. Within six minutes of the replay we had two goals. The visitors struck first after four minutes. Marine failed to clear their penalty area of an aerial bombardment. Lynton Goss kept the danger alive and ABDUL KAHN was unmarked at the back post to fire home.

Two minutes later Marine were level. Cheldon Valere drove in a low corner and BRAD HOOPER rifled the ball beyond Jake Strong the Wimslow goalkeeper. After Saturday’s famine, suddenly a feast!

Dan Warre almost made it 2-1 on nine minutes, firing narrowly over after a slick Marine break. Winslow responded in the sixteenth minute when Goss escaped down the right and crossed dangerously towards the unmarked Ty Deacon, only for Olly Case to intervene with perfect timing tackle.

Marine’s eighteenth minute riposte was immediate - and glorious. Zach Rugman delivered an inch-perfect cross. DAN WARRE peeled off cleverly from his defender and met it with an exocet of a volley which flew beyond the goalkeeper. It was the sort of finish which looks wonderfully simple but only because the striker has performed something technically very difficult exceptionally well.

Thereafter came a lively exchange of attack and counterattack, each defence standing firm. On the stroke of half-time Hooper nicked the ball away before tumbling in the penalty area under a challenge. There were appeals, though not especially optimistic ones. The referee waved them away and was right to do so.

The second half began at a thunderous pace, with no quarter asked and precious little offered. Marine’s Joe Shepherd demonstrated the physical demands of the evening by rising instantly after a blow to the solar plexus which caused almost everyone in the Yuasa Stand to inhale sympathetically on his behalf.

Then, on 53 minutes, came Marine’s third. Gabe Reivers and Tawana Changa exchanged crisp passes down the left before the latter delivered one of those crosses forwards dream about: behind the centre-backs, yet tantalisingly beyond the goalkeeper. BRAD HOOPER had read the geometry perfectly, ghosting between defenders and heading home for 3-1.

From there the nature of the contest changed. Winslow increasingly sought the shortest route towards goal, using their height and sending a succession of high balls into the Marine penalty area. It became, at times, an aerial bombardment. Olly Case and Miles Ferguson might reasonably have requested tin helmets. Instead they simply headed, blocked, and cleared almost everything dispatched in their direction.

The visitors nevertheless had their moments. Ethan Flannagan saw an effort plucked from the air by Joel Halliday on 70 minutes. Khan then cut inside and bent a dangerous shot towards the far corner, Halliday saved well, and Case produced a perfectly timed block as Winslow sought to convert the rebound. With eight minutes remaining Jack Smith fired narrowly wide.

Marine, meanwhile, resisted the temptation to become adventurous merely for adventure’s sake. They defended their advantage with discipline, industry, and considerable competency.

At the final whistle the young Marine supporters behind the goal delivered their verdict noisily and enthusiastically. They had encouraged the side throughout and players and management made a point of showing their appreciation afterwards.

Winslow will ruefully reflect that their best opportunity to progress came on their own ground, when Marine were below their best and The Ploughmen had the chance to secure the tie. Yet even at 3-1 down in the replay they showed admirable spirit. Across the two matches, right-back Jack Smith and centre back Ethan Flannagan were particularly impressive.

For Marine this was, above all, an excellent collective performance. The difficulty in choosing a player of the match told its own story, with everyone asked offering a different candidate. Brad Hooper, with two goals, had an obvious claim, while numerous others had compelling cases of their own. In the end, after considerable rumination, the choice fell to Miles Ferguson, whose commanding defensive performance just shaded it.

Football can occasionally resemble a heavyweight contest. There are periods when the first requirement is simply to stay on your feet, absorb the punishment and wait for the chance to strike back. When it comes, the good sides make it count. Marine weathered the blows at Winslow; in the replay, when their moment arrived, they landed the decisive punches. Now a mouth-watering home tie with Weymouth awaits.

Come on Marine!

Attendance: 279

LINE UP’S

MARINE

Manager:	Bobby Wilkinson
Line-up:	Colours: Blue & White Hoops
No:	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1.	Joel Halliday (GK)
2.	Sam Turl (c)
3.	Tawana Changa
4.	Olly Case
5.	Miles Ferguson
6.	Zach Rugman
7.	Cheldon Valere			14.	Lucas Wilkinson 85’		94’
8.	Brad Hooper	6’,53’		18.	Dayo Sonoiki 88’		93’
9	Dan Warre	19’		12.	Jordan Annear 83’
10.	Joe Shepherd
11.	Gabe Reivers		24’	15.	Jamie Edge 80’

Subs not used: 16. Ryan Alexander, 17. Jamie White
The Editors Star Player: Miles Ferguson

WINSLOW UNITED

Manager:	Alex Woodfine
Line-up:	Colours: Pink, Black, Black
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1.	Jake Strong (GK)
2.	Jack Smith
3.	Jack Rowe			17.	Levi Nicholson 72’
4.	Ethan Flanagan
5.	Ryan Freshwater (c)
6.	Harry Stratton			15.	Ed Odley 80’
7.	Scott Valentine			14.	Toby Smith 61’
8.	George Kerr			12.	Alex Munroe 57’
9.	Ty Deacon		30’
10.	Lynton Cross
11.	Abu Khan	4’

Subs not used: 16. Jason Okumi, 17. Emmanuel Adebooyega,
The Editors Star Player: Ethan Flanagan