A day off on the Saturday as rail line engineering work meant replacement buses, the timings of which threw a couple of my connections out. This meant a three and a half hour journey each way suddenly became over four hours with waiting time, so I decided to shelve the trip until later in the season and to take a break from football on the Saturday.

So, onto the Sunday and I was umming and ahhing over whether to completely wipe out wandering over the weekend before making a late decision to head to Wokingham. It’s always a pleasure to visit the Sumas and as a bus takes me from home to not far from Lowther Road, there’s no worries with the travel for this one (buses actually seem to run on time for this route!)

With both teams promoted last season from the Development League, I think it’s fair to say both have struggled a little with the step up. Before this game both sides were yet to register a point at this early stage in the season, although both were showing signs of not being too far away from that first win.

A dull and dismal early autumn day with the constant threat of rain kicked off with the hosts on the front foot. Early on a nice left to right passing move across the pitch featuring Loren Alsford and Saima Edridara ended with the ball finding Charlotte Laughrey in space but her early shot from the edge of the area was dealt with well by Marlow keeper Hannah Stoyel.

A Loughrey corner from the right was missed by a couple of defenders before falling to Lorna Edwards in the area and her first time effort looped up and just wide of the post.

A goal wasn’t far away and it came from a great run down the wing by Alsford to the byline where she cut back inside and somehow managed to squeeze the ball across Stoyel and into the far corner from a very tight angle. 1-0

Marlow hadn’t really been in the game in the early stages but started to dictate the pace following the goal. Kate Addison slid a lovely ball through the defence for Sharon Muir to pick up, she knocked the ball sideways to Hayleigh Larkin but a slightly heavy touch allowed Phoebe Fenwick to nip in and clear the ball away.

From a corner that wasn’t cleared Larkin had another chance but saw her snapshot saved well by Amelia Matthews in the Sumas goal. Wokingham continued to try to find a way through the Marlow defence but keeper Stoyel looked comfortable sweeping up outside the box.

The visitors did find a way through around the half hour mark, a Larkin inswinging corner into the box was met firmly by the head of Lucy Dodwell-Bennett, completely unmarked as the defence stood static, and her header rocketed into the net. 1-1

They quickly went ahead for the first time minutes later, a lovely angled ball through the hosts back line was chased down by Muir and she cleverly lifted the ball over Matthews from outside the box. 1-2

Marlow were now looking dangerous with every attack, trying the diagonal ball through the backline, to pick out the runs, to good effect on several occasions. On one, Larkin again found space and fired a shot at Matthews who saved well low to her right.

H-T: Wokingham Town 1 Marlow Town 2

The second half started with that annoying fine rain falling which continued for much of the second half so I took refuge in the stand. After an end to end exchange, Marlow had the first chance. Another fine corner into the six yard box was met by the head of Britney Wilcox but she could only direct it wide of the target.

At the other end a nice run from Genevieve Richards found Loughrey in space who in turn played it on to Alsford, whose shot was well saved by Stoyel. A through pass for Alsford to run onto was fielded by Stoyel but just outside the area for which she received a yellow card. The free kick was fired under the wall and cleared off the line by a combination of Katie Wetenhall on the post and Stoyel diving across.

The same two were involved again minutes later when Alsford made another intelligent run and latched onto another pass through the middle of the Marlow backline. Stoyel came out to narrow the angle and made an excellent point blank range save.

Marlow made sure of the points when a lovely Larkin strike from 25 yards out sailed over the stranded Matthews and into the net. A superb finish. 1-3

They could have made it four when another inswinging corner from the left again found the head of Dodwell-Bennett but this time she could only head it wide of the far post. The final chance of the game went to the home side, some nice footwork from Edridara from a Caitlin Taylor pass took her inside the area but her effort went wide.

F-T: Wokingham Town 1 Marlow Town 3

It was a good game which ebbed and flowed from one box to the other. For Wokingham the standout players for me were Phoebe Fenwick who looks a pacy defender and was very good at covering at the back, and Caitlin Taylor who had a good game. For the visitors, Hannah Stoyel made several important saves and marshalled the area well as a sweeper keeper, Sarah Robertson who can pick out a pass and everything good for Marlow went through her, especially in the first half, and Hayleigh Larkin who was a constant threat up front and scored a quality goal.

Congratulations on a first win to Marlow and there were positive signs Wokingham’s first three points won’t be too far away. I wish both teams the very best of luck for the rest of the season.

To see pictures from the game click the button below and head to Andrew Batt’s matchday gallery.


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