Marine 5 Corsham Town 2

Match Report from Aleck Everard

MARINE SURVIVE SCARE TO WIN WILTS PREMIER SHIELD

Swindon Supermarine finished their season on Tuesday night with a trip to the County Ground, home of Swindon Town Football Club to take on Corsham Town of the Hellenic League in the Wiltshire Premier Shield Final. Manager Lee Spalding opted for a double change from the final league game of the season, with Conor McDonagh returning up top and George Dowling in midfield with Harry Williams and Brad Hooper starting from the bench.

Corsham’s Aysa Corrick test the Marine defence and Martin Horsell early on
Photo © Motionsport Photography / Match Album

It was a nervy start from both sides before Corsham’s Gary Higdon had the first big chance for the Quarrymen putting his shot wide after nine minutes. With some competitive and committed challenges both sides were showing they wanted this win. Kieran Phillips put keeper Brown under pressure on nineteen minutes as he juggled the ball on the goal line but held on before Marine started to to play some neat and controlled football.

Henry Spalding opened the scoring for Marine
Photo © Motionsport Photography / Match Album

Conor McDonagh came close on twenty-one minutes, putting the ball over the top of the bar but with their football now flowing it was HENRY SPALDING who opened the scoring a minute later. A low strike from outside the box squirmed away from the Corsham keeper Rob Brown and over the line for his thirtieth career goal for the club. Soon afterwards Corsham’s Matt Jenkins broke through forcing Marine keeper Martin Horsell into a save but the flag was then raised for offside.

Conor McDonagh shot came off a Corsham defender for our second goal
Photo © Motionsport Photography / Match Album

Marine had a stroke of fortune on the half hour mark. Matt Britton’s shot was palmed away by Brown to the feet of CONOR McDONAGH who put the ball back into the danger area for it to deflect in off a defender to make it 2-0 Marine who now seemed to be coasting. Nathan Davis was booked for Corsham and all seemed to be well heading into the half time break. But Corsham won a late corner deep into injury time and with a perfect execution unmarked GARY HIGDON powered in a perfect header and suddenly it was game on!

Corsham’s Gary Higdon rises the highest and heads in Corsham’s first goal
Photo © Motionsport Photography / Match Album

Corsham came out flying at the start of the second half buoyed by the late first half goal. Matt Jenkins should have levelled close in on forty-eight minutes but somehow fired high from in front of goal. Jamie Edge saw yellow for kicking out soon afterwards before Lewis Hall almost slipped in a dangerous area but recovered superbly to win a last ditch tackle and then almost set up Conor McDonagh for a quick break. It was no shock that the Corsham equaliser did arrive on fifty-nine minutes, and it was from another corner. The cross into the goalmouth wasn’t dealt with and Matt Jenkins headed goalward and the ball was flicked in by AYSA CORRICK just a few feet from the goal line to shock Marine, 2-2.

Aysa Corrick gets the last touch to score Corsham’s equaliser
Photo © Motionsport Photography / Match Album

Once again it was down to the Marine management team to try and turn the game back around and just after the hour the introduction of Harry Williams and Brad Hooper for Conor McDonagh and George Dowling was designed to do just that. And boy did it work! Martin Horsell had to be sharp to keep out a low shot at his near post on sixty-seven minutes before the goal of the game arrived with twenty minutes to go.

Harry Williams scored Marine’s third goal
Photo © Motionsport Photography / Match Album

A superb break and cross in from Henry Spalding was headed home into the bottom corner by the diving HARRY WILLIAMS, probably his best goal of the season and his fifth in the competition to make it Marine 3 Corsham Town 2. Kieran Phillips then broke away and outpaced the chasing defenders as he attempted to seal the win but keeper Rob Brown saved well with the legs to deny the Bristol Rovers loanee.

The players celebrate Kieran’s goal and Marine’s forth on the night
Photo © Motionsport Photography / Match Album

Marine appealed in vain for a penalty soon after when Williams appeared to be pushed over just inside the box before Corsham’s Aysa Corrick had to depart with time running out after picking up a nasty looking ankle injury causing the game to be delayed for significant period and Marine took full advantage of the extra time adding two further goals to the scoreline late on as fitness levels seemed to have told.

Henry Spalding’s second and Marine’s fifth goal came in injury time
Photo © Motionsport Photography / Match Album

First KIERAN PHILLIPS sealed the deal with a minute left on the clock with a trademark neat finish close in for his 17th of the season after good work from Williams had set him up and then after Zack Kotwica had replaced Ryan Campbell, Kieran Phillips set up HENRY SPALDING in front of goal and he made it 5-2 after turning inside a defender and with a lovely low curling effort past the Brown in the Corsham goal.

Chairman Jez Webb and some of the players with the Wilts Premier Shield
Photo © Motionsport Photography / Match Album

So Marine went home with the Wilts Premier Shield, a deserved win no doubt but a very spirited display from Corsham Town who can head home with their heads held high. A great end to the campaign for Marine who finished the season with five straight wins and eight wins in the last ten games and we look forward to a good 2022/23 season in August.

Manager Lee Spalding, skipper Mat Liddiard and assistant manager Charlie Griffin
Photo © Motionsport Photography / Match Album

Attendance: +500 (estimated)

Line Ups

Swindon Supermarine
Manager: Lee Spalding
Colours: All Blue
Line-up: 1. Martin Horsell 2. Matt Britton 3. Lewis Hall 4. Jamie Edge 5. Mat Liddiard (c) 6. Tyrone Duffus 7. Henry Spalding 8. George Dowling (14. Brad Hooper 67’) 9. Kieran Phillips 10. Conor McDonagh (15. Harry Williams 63’) 11. Ryan Campbell (12. Zack Kotwica 89’)
Subs not used: 16. Tom Sharpe
Goalscorer: Henry Spalding 23’, 90+6’, Conor McDonagh 30’, Harry Williams 70’, Kieran Phillips 89’,
Editors Star Man: Kieran Phillips
Cards:
Jamie Edge 54’, Lewis Hall 59’, Harry Williams 75’
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Corsham Town
Managers: Kieran Baggs
Colours: Red & Black
Line-up: 1. Rob Brown 2. Matt Swann 3. Leon Greenland 4. Chris Allen 5. Mark Cooper (c) 6. Sean Keet 7. Brandon Mundy (11. Matty Morris 46m) 8. Nathan Davis 9. Gary Higdon 10. Matt Jenkins (19. Ryan Bath 73m) 17. Aysa Corrick (14. Baldwin Igbinabaro 86’)
Subs not used: 12. Lee Rogers 13. Joe King (GK)
Goalscorer: Gary Higdon 45+1’, Aysa Corrick 58’
Editors Star Man: Aysa Corrick
Cards:
Nathan Davis 38’, Matt Swann 45+2’, Aysa Corrick 77’
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Supermarine TV

Match highlights to follow

Match Officials

Referee: James Welch (Wiltshire)
Assistant Referees: Dan Spyer (Wiltshire), George Lloyd (Wiltshire)
Fourth Official: Brian White (Wiltshire)