Marlow Youth (30/03/2003)
2002 - 2003 Season, Hithercroft Under 16s



This game, our final match of the season, was due to be an away match at Marlow but as Marlow had allowed us to switch our home game to their ground at the beginning of the season this one was played at the Pedestal. We had all thirteen players available for this game as Phil Taberer and David Blackman had both recovered from their injuries. The weather was sunny and dry with a slight breeze and the pitch was firm following a week of dry weather.

The game kicked off promptly at 11 am with Hithercroft wearing their second strip of red shirts to avoid a colour clash. Andy Morgan and Matthew Laughlin were ‘on the bench’ for the first half. Both halves involved end-to-end play but the outcome reflected the finishing of the two sides with many of the Hithercroft shots being half-hearted, taken from too far out or off-target but with Marlow relying on taking the ball down the wings and then sending crosses into the centre. Hithercroft began with two corners on the right, both taken by David but nothing came from either of them, the ball being cleared on both occasions. Shane Globe then tried a shot but that was blocked by the Marlow defence. Then Marlow’s No4 took a corner from the left and his curving shot came down onto the top of the crossbar. Marlow then sent a cross from the right that went over Phil Taberer’s head but Phil Lines used his to nod the ball clear. After 14 minutes Marlow’s No5 took the ball from the right wing, turned inside and struck the ball from 20 yards out that just beat Phil as he dived to his right and this provided Marlow with their opening goal. Three minutes later the ball was again brought down the right wing by the visitors and, as they centred the ball Dan Birch let it bounce and then jumped up to head it over the Hithercroft keeper for a 2-0 lead. One minute later Marlow added to their scoreline from just inside the 18-yard box, sending a hard shot past Phil whose dive wasn’t long enough to reach the ball. In the 20th minute Marlow’s No4 brought the ball to the bye-line and crossed it for their No5 to put the ball into the home team’s net. Five minutes later Marlow increased their lead to 5-0 with a diving header by their No12 but then Hithercroft hit back. David played the ball down the middle, Dewayne Dublin took the ball on but a Marlow defender, in an attempt to clear the ball over his own crossbar, put the ball into his own net to bring the score to 5-1 at 11.26am. In the 38th minute, from a throw-in, Marlow played the ball down the right and it was crossed into the goal area where Phil Taberer pushed the ball out but only to Marlow’s No12 who put it into the net to give the visitors a 6-1 lead at half-time.

For the second half Hithercroft were playing into the sun and, just after the kick-off gained a corner on the right. David sent the ball across to Dewayne to have a shot at goal but the Marlow goalkeeper blocked the ball on the line with his feet and the opportunity was lost. In the 4th minute of the half Dan Birch fired the ball across from the left wing and, unfortunately, as Phil Taberer dived to collect it the ball rebounded under his arm and was turned into the Hithercroft net making Marlow 7-1 up. Dewayne had a couple of opportunities but both of his shots went wide of the Marlow goal. At 11.55am Andy went on to replace Chris Terry and one minute later Marlow had added to their collection when Dan Birch ran through the middle to score. Shane provided a long throw into the Marlow goalmouth but Dewayne headed the ball to the right of the upright. In the 16th minute Dan Birch again took the ball down the left wing and then crossed it into the 18-yard box from where the No12 headed the ball home for a 9-1 lead. Shortly afterwards Matthew came on to replace Phil Lines. Hithercroft had some more chances when Shane tried a first-time shot from a ball on the right but was off-target and then David overhit a corner that passed over everyone’s heads and went out for a goal kick. Shane later took a corner from the left that was pushed back out by a defender for another corner and Shane sent this one across to Matt who, although he got a foot to the ball was unable to direct it into the net. Shane later had a shot from about twenty two yards out but the ball went high over the crossbar, the game ending with a 9-1 win to Marlow.

Hithercroft had contained Marlow more in the second half, conceding only half of the number of goals that they had done in the first half. They had also shown a little more committment and this may have been as a result of the ‘ticking-off’ that Pam had provided at the interval. This game brought our most unsuccessful season to a close with both our cup games and all fourteen league matches being lost. However, I prefer to think of the season as having provided us with a 100% record (even though they were losses).

Referee: Ian King

Hithercroft scorer: Marlow defender (o.g)