Marine

Marine

(Blue & White)

Holgate 16, Wells 27

Eastwood Town

(All White)

Stevenson 46

Competition

Date

Saturday 6th November 2010

Audio Match Review with Mark Collier available on request

Audio Match Review with Ben Wells available on request

Audio Match Review with Kyle Lapham & Mark Scott available on request

From Nick Taylor at Swindon 105.5

Listen to 'The Leisure Show' which is on each Saturday morning 10-12 noon on Swindon 105.5 (FM frequency in the Swindon area. You can also listen online at www.swindon1055.com) with a feature on Swindon Supermarine, plus a variety of other local sporting and leisure events each week.

Match Report courtesy of Ned Payne >Swindon Advertiser (Click pictures to enlarge)

Boss Mark Collier hailed the battling qualities of his side after they survived a second-half onslaught from Eastwood Town to book their place in the second round of the FA Cup. With Marine 2-0 up at half time thanks to Ashan Holgate and Ben Wells (pictured below), Eastwood boss Paul Cox threw on giant striker Matt Rhead after the break, as the Badgers adopted a more direct style of play. And the visitors put their Southern League Premier Division opponents under sustained pressure in the final quarter, having earlier pulled a goal back through Lee Stevenson, as they attempted to level matters with a route one approach.

But Marine coped admirably with the deluge of long balls as defenders, midfielders and forwards alike launched clearance after clearance, with the South Marston outfit holding on to record an historic 2-1 victory. And Collier told the Advertiser afterwards: “We knew they had a lot of size and physicality, and at one point in the second half I thought we were playing the Harlem Globetrotters.

“We knew they would come strong at us and we had to stand up and be counted, which we did collectively as a group of people and we’ve got our rewards. “It’s a cup tie and you can’t always play pretty football, but when the chips were down we stood our ground and had a right go at it, so full credit to everybody. “It’s emotional. I’m absolutely elated for the players and everybody associated with the club.”

In front of a crowd of nearly 1,200 at the Webb’s Wood Stadium, Marine took a deserved lead after 16 minutes when winger Nick Stanley smashed a speculative effort towards the right corner, and after John Danby could only parry, front man Holgate steamed in to poke home the opener. The hosts got lucky when Lee Stevenson directed just wide of an empty net from 35 yards, after Mark Scott had fluffed his clearance, before Marine extended their advantage.

The lively Stanley rampaged down the left flank before picking out Wells in the centre, and after his first shot was blocked by stopper John Danby, the former Weston-super-Mare midfielder lashed the rebound into the bottom left corner. Scott saved well from Stevenson and Chris Allen fizzed a wonderful strike a fraction over the bar, before Eastwood brought themselves back into it two minutes after the break. Leigh Henry chopped down Badgers skipper Michael Simpson some 20 yards out, and Stevenson blasted a low strike into the net with the aid of a deflection.

In the final 20 minutes, Eastwood piled on the pressure and were desperately unlucky not to level on three occasions. First Scott, in his final game on loan from Swindon Town, made an outstanding flying save from Stevenson’s sweet volley, and then the stopper tipped Lindon Meikle’s header just over the bar with five minutes remaining.

The closing minutes were characterised by frantic defending as Eastwood threw the ball into the box time after time, and from one of these attacks, Rhead saw his shot bounce back off the post, but Supermarine ultimately survived a compelling tie.

Disappointed Eastwood manager Paul Cox said afterwards: ”You can’t afford to go into half time 2-0 down and expect to win a football match. “In the second half they pulled their sleeves up, but take nothing away from Swindon, their desire and application was immense.”