Third Round ~ Saturday 31.01.2009

Marine are Shake-n

By Owen Houlihan » Swindon Advertisier

MARK Collier perhaps allowed himself a wry smile when he considered that the architect of the goal that heralded the end of Swindon Supermarine’s glorious FA Trophy run once plied his trade just a few miles down the road from Hunts Copse. After a first half in which the Southern League outfit had posed questions of their illustrious Blue Square Premier Ebbsfleet, it was cruelly ironic that a former Swindon Town man would contribute to their eventual undoing.

Ten minutes into the second half, ex-County Ground winger Ricky Shakes let fly with a drive that Marine keeper Matty Bulman could only parry out for Michael Gash, pictured, to follow up and give the Kent side the lead. Four minutes later, a corner was deflected on to the crossbar for Gash to poach his 11th of the season and send the holders marching into the quarter finals.

To their credit, Marine refused to capitulate in front of a huge crowd of 3,750, 100 or so of whom had travelled from Wiltshire. And Collier could only reflect on the gulf in experience between the two teams, that had ended his men’s brave resistance. “It’s been a magnificent cup run for us and eventually we came up against a very good full-time side with bags of experience that signed about five players from higher up in the transfer window,’’ he said. “If we’d scored in that first half, maybe it would have been a different game. We were a bit disappointed to concede the first goal and from then, you are chasing the game but we had a go at it.’’ Ashley Edenborough could have started home nerves fluttering shortly before half-time but shot weakly at keeper Lance Cronin after getting himself in a good position.

Edenborough again and Alan Griffin had further chances but Gash’s speed brace settled it.

Collier added: “It’s been a great time for the club. We’ve put some money into the accounts and hopefully they will come back and see us again.”