Sporting Club Inkberrow 1 Marine 0

Match Report from Pete Crockett

INKBERROW’S ONE GOAL SINKS MARINE

Inkberrow edged out Marine in a match where a single first-half goal proved decisive, despite the visitors pushing hard for an equaliser in the second period.

The game opened brightly for Marine with the players appealing for a penalty for a handling offence inside two minutes, although it was correctly waved away. Soon after, Sid Gbla headed over from a Sam Turl cross.

Inkberrow responded on five minutes, when the lively Leo Brown turned his man and forced Luke Purnell into a smart low save. A minute later Marine threatened again through Sal Abubakar’s low cross, but two Marine attackers got in each other’s way.

From there, the match settled into a tense midfield battle, with chances at a premium. In the 20th minute, Leo Brown burst clear down the left for Inkberrow, only to blaze over the bar.

Two minutes later, his flick-on from a long throw caused danger, but no teammate arrived at the far post to apply the finish. Marine came close on the half-hour when Frankie Monk’s low cross just evaded three onrushing strikers.

The Inkberrow breakthrough came in the 35th minute: a corner from the left was netted by NATHAN BROWN with a near post header from a corner. The cold reality is the goal had looked highly likely on the balance of first half play.

Marine almost levelled four minutes later, but Dan Warre’s close-range effort was smothered by brave defending. Leo Brown meanwhile remained a threat for Inkberrow, dragging a shot wide on 42 minutes as the hosts continued to win possession high up the pitch.

Marine had one last first-half opportunity when a long ball over the top caused chaos in the Inkberrow defence. Agonisingly the loose ball bounced beyond the keeper, who was stranded in no mans land thirty yards from goal, and fell kindly to a solitary defender rather than any of the three advancing Marine attackers.

Marine upped the tempo after the break. In the 54th minute, Sid Gbla’s driving run was halted before he could shoot, while five minutes later Nathan Benson spurned a great chance for Inkberrow, firing over from close range.

Marine’s best spell came in the final quarter. On 73 minutes, a sweeping move saw Twanna Changa switch play to Frankie Monk, who found Sid Gbla, but the forward was again crowded out.

Inkberrow’s Jack Tolley then drew a comfortable save from Luke Purnell on 76 minutes. Two minutes later Marine substitute Dani Gonzalez shot wide following a penalty-box scramble. Marine then came agonisingly close in the 82nd minute when Dan Warre whipped a ball across goal, only for it to drift past the far post.

Inkberrow then nearly doubled their lead on 85 minutes when Jay Higgins-Pugsley latched onto hesitant defending, but his lob was off target. In the dying moments, Marine poured men forward, firing dangerous crosses into the six-yard box, but the bounce of the ball never fell kindly. Inkberrow held on, their first-half dominance and second-half resilience sealing the points.

For Marine, the second half performance in all honesty merited a point. Supporters need to keep faith with this young squad, who on another day might have taken something from the match. It was a game where a little more experience may have helped but that will take time to secure.

The team is still only nine weeks together – in the same way that one victory does not make you runaway favourites for success one defeat is not a harbinger of impending doom. Keep calm, carry on, and remember that the most meaningful lessons are often learnt in moments of adversity.

Many of the travelling Marine support felt intense frustration with the referee. Much of this centred around the referees non-interventionist approach when managing delaying tactics. Players sense officiating laxity when they adopt such approaches and, unsurprisingly, will exploit it if the official declines to act authoritatively.

In his post match comments, Marine manager Bobby Wilkinson felt that Marine’s first half fell well below expectations with Inkberrow dominating and deserving their lead. He believed the second half saw a marked improvement, as Marine created several chances but failed to convert.

He felt on a kinder day some of those created opportunities might have seen the away team score three or four. The manager admitted to delivering “home truths” at half-time, which sparked greater second half desire and energy, though the equaliser frustratingly never came.

He considered the goal we conceded was too soft, but this needs to be seen as part of the learning process for a developing side. Inkberrow’s cohesion and past success made them tough opponents, while Marine are still building. The manager thanked travelling supporters for their backing on a sweltering and ultimately disappointing Tuesday night.

Come on Marine!

Attendance: tbc

Manager:	Neil Guy
Line-up:	Colours: Green & White
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1	Gabriel Bajrami [GK]
2	Luke Bastable
3	Max Angelides
4	Gregor Guy (c)
5	William Coughlin			17.	Jacob Wakefield 85’
6	William Moore
7	Noah Rubio			12.	Louis Cook 70’
8	Nathan Benson	33’
9	Leo Brown		90’	14.	Tom Emblem 95’
10	Jay Higgins-Pugsley		76’	15.	Alex Griffiths 84’
11	Jack Tolley			16.	Jackson Preece 90’

Editors Star Man: Noah Rubio
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)		58’
3	Piotr Petrynski			12	James Harding 63’		90+10’
4	Josh Grant
5	Nick Rhodesl			15	Josh Blyth 80’
6	T’wanna Changa		67’
7	Sal Abubakar		32’	14	Dani Gonzalez 62’
8	Jamie Edge
9	Dan Warre		56’
10	Sid Gbla
11	Frankie Monks			17	Jonny Efedje 81’

Editors Star Man: Nick Rhodes
Subs not used: George Alston