British Gas Business Football League

Premier Division

Saturday 25.10.2008

By Gareth Moorhouse (Swindon Advertiser)

Supermarine go top

Proud manager Mark Collier admits the bar has been raised at Hunts Copse after Supermarine soared to the top of the Southern Premier League for the first time in the club’s history. Saturday’s superb 1-0 win at Cambridge City sent Marine one point clear at the summit as the South Marston side extended their unbeaten league run to seven matches. Alan Griffin’s first-half strike was the catalyst for another terrific away day performance, and Collier revealed “the boys are buzzing” after their flying start to the season. He said: “All credit must go to the players. They have heightened the expectations now for the football club. “They don’t see it as pressure, just the enjoyment of playing at a good level of non-League football. “We are not naive enough to think we can go on some 18-match unbeaten run, but nobody is hiding the fact that this was another tremendous result. “There are a lot of smiling faces around the club at the moment.”

Supermarine’s transformation from Premier Division also-rans to promotion hopefuls in a few short months has been nothing short of remarkable. But with 30 games remaining until the Southern League medals are handed out in May, Collier is refusing to get carried away. “Of course we are pleased about it, but we said we would reassess things after 12 games, and we will do the same after 20 games. “Our objective was always to finish higher than last season and to get more points than last season, and that is still our objective. “We are a small non-League club in comparison to some others in the division, so we really are punching above our weight.” One of the so-called “big hitters” stood between Supermarine and another three points on Saturday. Cambridge City, demoted from the Conference South last season, started the campaign as favourites to bounce straight back, with a budget to match. Unbeaten in nine matches, the Lilywhites were at full-strength for the visit of Marine, who were missing Gary Horgan, Ashley Edenborough and Enoch Boateng. Captain Kyle Lapham made the switch from right back to centre half, with Sean Wood filling his captain’s regular slot.

Reshuffled they may have been, but Marine began the match in the ascendancy, Justin McKay twice testing the home goalkeeper. Marine stopper Matt Bulman was also busy, his flying save from Neil Midgley keeping the visitors on level terms. And when Griffin side-footed home from Mark Draycott’s flick after 35 minutes, Marine had a deserved lead. Cambridge threw on a third striker in the second half and began to dominate possession. But Supermarine carved out some more decent chances on the break, with Nick Stanley’s angled the shot 10 minutes from time the pick of the bunch.

After watching his side storm to a fifth away win of the season, Collier paid tribute to the players’ positive frame of mind. “Mentally we were right at it from the first whistle,” he said. “The big difference is this year the players are backing themselves and each other. “They are young, and although that brings inconsistency at times it also brings confidence. “We are not getting too far ahead of ourselves, but we are determined to enjoy it while it lasts. “We love having this winning feeling and we want to keep hold of it for as long as possible.”