Winslow United 0 Marine 0

Match Report from Pete Crockett

Marine Dig Deep to Earn Another Cup Night

Marine’s journey through the Buckinghamshire lanes eventually deposited players and supporters at the homely Elmfields Gate, where Winslow United, fortified by two successive promotions, have arrived in the Southern League Division One Central.

There was an unmistakable air of the affluent Home Counties about the afternoon. Beyond one touchline came the occasional clonk of croquet mallet upon ball. On the pitch proceedings would prove rather less genteel.

For five minutes or so Marine looked comfortable, passing the ball neatly to feet and suggesting that their more patient style might prevail. It proved deceptive. Winslow, the Ploughmen, soon began to impose themselves through a more direct approach, moving the ball quickly into the attacking third and asking persistent questions of the Marine defence.

Thus emerged the pattern of the afternoon: two contrasting footballing philosophies. Marine sought to play crisply through the thirds; Winslow preferred the shortest route towards Joel Halliday’s goal. For much of the first half it was the home method which proved the more effective.

The host’s Scott Valentine fashioned the first clear opening, bearing down on goal before dragging his shot wide. Soon afterwards Winslow had the ball in the Marine net, Ty Deacon apparently supplying the final touch, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Marine struggled to establish their usual rhythm. Levi Nicholson struck a volley over the bar for the hosts before, five minutes from the interval, Marine suddenly thought they had stolen ahead. Some neat football released Dan Warre, who calmly sat the goalkeeper down and rolled the ball into the net. Alas, an assistant’s flag had already adjudged his run to have begun from an offside position. Before the interval Marine required Halliday to make an excellent point-blank save.

Winslow resumed their pressure after the break. Valentine bustled towards the penalty area only to encounter disciplined Marine defending, but on the hour came perhaps the moment of the match. Deacon produced a splendid overhead kick which seemed destined for the net. Halliday moved his feet, stretched with remarkable elasticity, and somehow palmed it over the bar. A great save.

From the resulting corner came a frantic scramble, finally ended by Olly Case clearing from the line.

By now this had ceased to be an afternoon for aesthetes. Sleeves were metaphorically rolled up, tackles acquired greater force, and yellow cards appeared with increasing regularity. Marine, unable to dictate the match, showed another quality: an admirable willingness to endure it.

Rhys Tyler produced an excellent block with 20 minutes remaining before Marine finally threatened seriously at the other end. Tawana Changa made progress down the right and both Warre and Conor McDonagh saw efforts charged down. The block from Warre’s strike was exceptional. The forward caught the ball sweetly only for Ethan Freshwater to hurl himself into its path like a human cannonball. It was defending of considerable courage and quality.

Nine minutes from time Valentine struck the post amid another goalmouth scramble and Marine survived once more.

The closing minutes brought further Winslow pressure, but Marine’s defence, as it had throughout the match, refused to yield. Halliday collected or punched crosses with authority, while Case and Jowan Partridge were commanding in front of him. Full-backs Sam Turl and Tyler worked tirelessly to restrict deliveries from the flanks.

They were protected by Zach Rugman, Joe Shepherd and Changa, who displayed the less decorative but equally necessary virtues of midfield play: tenacity, discipline and a willingness to scrap for possession. Further forward, Marine’s attackers spent much of the afternoon feeding upon crumbs, but continued to work and defend from the front.

At the final whistle Winslow could reasonably feel that their greater possession and pressure might have earned them victory. Marine, with equal justification, could point to a dogged defensive performance which earned them the right to have another go.

Case, last month’s player of the month, and Partridge, after his player-of-the-match performance on Monday, were magnificent. But Marine’s outstanding performer was Halliday. His saves mattered, but just as impressive was the authority with which he dealt with the succession of balls arriving into his penalty area.

Manager Bobby Wilkinson conceded afterwards that Marine had not played well in the first half, but he took considerable satisfaction from the character shown after the interval.

Sometimes football offers no opportunity to be fluent. There are afternoons when the passing refuses to flow and when survival, rather than style, becomes the necessary art. The important thing then is to remain in the contest. Marine did precisely that.

And so the ties outcome remains unresolved. Winslow must now travel to the Imagine Cruising Stadium on Monday for their fourth match in eight days, while Marine have home advantage and another opportunity to impose rather more of their own personality upon proceedings.

The croquet mallets can remain in Buckinghamshire. The Cup tie comes to Wiltshire.

Come on Marine!

Attendance: 252

LINE UP’S

WINSLOW UNITED

Manager:	Alex Woodfine
Line-up:	Colours: Blue, White, White
No	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1.	Jake Strong (GK)		78’
2.	Jack Smith
3.	Jack Rowe		67’	6.	George Kerr 76’
4.	Ethan Flanagan
16.	Ryan Freshwater (c)		78’
18.	Harry Stratton
7.	Levi Nicholson			19.	Toby Smith 79’
8.	Scott Valentine
9.	Ty Deacon		78’
10.	Lynton Gras
11.	Abu Khan		83’

Subs not used: 5. Alex Munroe, 12. Ed Odley, 15. Jason Okumi, 17. Dan Wolley,
The editors Star Player: Jack Smith

MARINE

Manager:	Bobby Wilkinson
Line-up:	Colours: All Yellow
No:	Player	Goals	Card	No	Substitute	Goals	Card
1.	Joel Halliday (GK)
2.	Sam Turl (c)
3.	Rhys Tyler
4.	Olly Case		77’
5.	Joe Partridge
6.	Zach Rugman
7.	Sal Abubakar			18.	Brad Hooper 61’		90’
8.	Tawana Changa
9.	Dan Warre			15.	Cheldon Valere 87’
10.	Joe Shepherd
11.	Gabe Reivers			12.	Conor McDonagh 61’

Subs not used: 14. Lucas Wilkinson, 15. Miles Ferguson, 17. Jamie Edge, 20. Josh Blackwell

The editors Star Player: Joel Halliday