Shaftesbury 3 Marine 1

Match Report from Pete Crockett

MARINE EFFORT UNDONE BY LAPSES

For Swindon Supermarine the journey back from North Dorset must have felt like an exercise in rueful reflection.

This was a contest they might so easily have drawn, even won. Yet the opportunity slipped away - first in the space of a single frantic minute just before half-time and then through several squandered chances after the interval.

The early stages brought promise. On just eight minutes Jonny Efedje surged down the right and cut the ball back neatly to Dan Warre but the striker’s shot was easily gathered by Ben Taylor in the Shaftesbury goal.

Five minutes later Marine were punished. HARRY BAKER, afforded far too much space on the edge of the box, turned a player and struck a miss hit effort that bobbled awkwardly and seemed to deceive Luke Purnell creeping inside the far post. A scruffy goal to concede from a Marine point of view.

Marine rallied. George Alston, cutting in from the left, bent a curling effort narrowly wide, before DAN WARRE atoned for his earlier effort with a strike of the highest quality. On 27 minutes he cut inside from the flank and from at least 25-yards unleashed a thunderous drive across the goalkeeper and into the top corner of the net.

By then Shaftesbury were down to ten men with Jake Lovell being dismissed for a flailing elbow that struck Sam Turl in the face. Tempers frayed further, on the pitch and beyond it, as even a member of the home bench was shown a red card.

Then came Marine’s undoing. In first half injury time Josh Blyth’s errant pass left his side exposed. As the Shaftesbury forward who had intercepted shaped to shoot inside the box he was fouled. The referee, after much confusion, brandished a red card at Jamie Edge?

The disbelief of the Marine player at being carded was understandable as he had not committed the alleged offence. After consulting with one of his assistant the referee then dismissed Sam Turl.

The double whammy of a muddled handling of the offender’s identity and an apparent reluctance to implement the “double jeopardy” law left many of Marine’s followers in a state of befuddlement. In terms of the spot kick itself ALEFE SANTOS made no mistake in slotting home.

The home team whose players and management team could have been faced with a half time team talk on level terms and with a player down for forty-five sweltering minutes instead found themselves in the ascendant position. The momentum of the match had turned on its head in a moment.

Regarding the misplaced pass that set up this combination of pre half time misfortunes Josh Blyth knows he made a mistake. One does need to remember that we are still in the FA Cup because of his headed injury time goal at Alton two weeks ago and, just two days prior to this match, he had a magnificent game against Willand Rovers. To err is human and he is a good enough player to learn from this aberration.

After the break Marine pressed but their finishing betrayed them. James Harding, racing clear shot wide. Dan Warre was then denied by the home team keeper in a one-on-one, while Sid Gbla headed over from close range. With each miss the chance of redemption ebbed further away.

Shaftesbury, shrewd and resilient, sat deep and threatened on the break. Leighton Thomas squandered one opportunity after Brendan Holmes’ surging run, but with five minutes left LUKE BURBIDGE, chesting the ball between two defenders, advanced and finished with calm precision to settle the contest.

Marine creditably fought on to the last, Joe Selman drawing a fine save from Taylor in stoppage time, but by that time the battle was already lost.

The verdict is harsh but unavoidable: Marine’s defensive uncertainties at crucial moments combined with missed chances saw them punished by an opponent who knew how to take advantage of the errors they were offered.

Marine produced extended passages of attractive and intelligent football that in many respects warranted at least a point. However, against seasoned campaigners, who may well be among the front-runners come spring, you must take your chances and concede nothing cheaply.

Marine fell short on this front and thus left empty-handed. Time now to build on the positives of the performance, learn from the less pleasing, and prepare for the FA Cup tie at Tavistock Town.

NB – _Just a personal observation. Several Marine supporters were decidedly unimpressed at having to pay for an online programme with no printed copy available and, additionally, no team sheet was on offer. For many supporters, what was a “print your own” programme is bad enough. However, I do feel that to be charged for the privilege of using your own consumables if you want a hard copy is a little uninspiring. It is a fad I am glad we are not following at Marine.

Come on Marine!

Attendance: 256

Manager:	Jim Milligan
Line-up:	Colours: All Green
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1	Ben Taylor [GK]
3	Charlie Rayfield		70’	16.	Isaac Stanley 74’
4	Sonny Pike			5.	Charlie Burden 55’
6	Brendon Mundy		37’	2.	Liam Farrugia 66’
7	James Ward
8	Alefe Santos	45+1’pen
9	Toby Holmes (c)			19.	Leighton Thomas 66’
11	Luke Burbidge	85’
14	Jack Lovell		24’
18	Brendan Holmes		81’
20	Harry Baker	85’		10.	Jack Hoey 54’

Editors Star Man: Brendan Holmes
Subs not used: None

Manager:	Bobby Wilkinson
Line-up:	Colours: All Yellow
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1	Luke Purnell [GK]
2	Sam Turl (c)		43’
3	Tawana Changa
4	Josh Grant
5	Josh Blyth			15	Frankie Monk 56’
6	Olly Case
7	George Alston			16	Joe Selman 56’
8	Jamie Edge
9	Dan Warre	27’
10	James Harding			12	Sid Gbla 56’
11	Jonny Efedje			14	Sal Abubakar 56’

Editors Star Man: Dan Warre
Subs not used: Dayo Sonoiki