Sport in Marlow Weekly Round-up

Welcome to this week’s roundup of sporting action from around Marlow. We are keen to include as wide a variety of sports and clubs, so if you want to be featured, please contact our sports reporter Cameron Beazley-Clarke via our contact form.

Marlow Town Women’s Football Club

Marlow Town Ladies visited Wroxton Ladies FC on Sunday and came away with all three points in a 4-2 win thanks to two well taken goals from Sharon Muir, a penalty from Becca Meller and a superb strike from Vikki Green from the edge of the box. 

Marlow Football Club

Dave Tarpey fired home in the 90^th minute on his club debut to snatch a 3-2 win against Uxbridge.

League table:

Marlow Hockey Club

Women’s results

Marlow women’s 1s travelled to play Oxford Hawks 2 in a top-of-the-table clash with both teams having won all 7 of their previous games. The reds came away with all three points in a tense 2-0 victory.

The first 15 minutes were very even with Marlow securing most of the possession but not managing to score.  Ellie Lane had the first real chance of the game but Hawks defended well. 

Hawks had their chances too with a great first-time pass into the Marlow defensive circle but nobody could get on the end of it.  A brilliant tackle and subsequent pass from Rachel Clarke travelled the length of the pitch for Marlow but the ball was lost before it reached the circle.

Lauren Hilditch showed her skill in the 23rd minute with a superb interception and captain Rachel Goodwin fired the ball past the Hawks keeper for the visitors to take a 1-0 lead.  

Hawks changed their formation in the second half to try to respond to being behind and were far more aggressive in their style of play.  

The Marlow defence held firm with some exceptional tackling from Mabel Daw and numerous saves from keeper Alys Ramm.  

Marlow also had their chances and earned a penalty corner. The delivery from Milly Conibear was deflected through the keeper’s legs by Vic Allen to double Marlow’s lead.  

It was a nail-biting last 15 minutes as Hawks continued to try and find a breakthrough. The final whistle ensured that Marlow earned the three points and went clear at the top of the league after a well-fought match. 

League table:

The women’s 2nds were edged out 2-1 by a strong and experienced South Berkshire 1sts. 

After a shaky opening 10 minutes littered with errors, Marlow grew into the game. 

Working the ball down the wings, Marlow created circle entries but couldn’t convert their first corner and S. Berks threatened on the break. 

The opposition went ahead slightly fortuitously early in the second half as a shot deflected off a Marlow stick into the back of the net. 

Marlow stuck at their task and Emma Buxton was rewarded for her performance in midfield with an equaliser when she smartly lifted over the keeper at a corner. 

The away team re-took the lead with a fierce backhand shot from the top of the D, which proved enough to take the three points. 

League table:

Other women’s results:

• 3^rd Team lost 5-1 away to Oxford 3s,
• 4^th Team lost 1-0 away to Wycombe 2s,
• 5^th Team won 3-0 away to Wallingford 4s
• 6^th Team beat Reading Phoenix 2s 2-1, and
• 7^th Team lost 3-0 away to Reading Phoenix 3.

Men’s results

Marlow Men’s first team travelled to Staines on a cold and miserable day and came away empty handed after suffering a 4-0 defeat.

Marlow started the stronger and pressed Staines high up the field. Staines struggled to get out of their half and resorted to long balls over the top. These were well defended by a stubborn Marlow defence. 

Sam North had a few of opportunities from penalty corners but the Staines defence held firm.

Although Marlow were on top for much of the first period, they struggled to create any meaningful opportunities on goal. 

Relentless pressure from the forward line helped Marlow win the ball back on several occasions but chances were few and far between. A Staines penalty corner routine resulted in a reverse stick finish into the bottom right corner. Staines 1, Marlow nil.

Staines scored a second goal two minutes later when a quick counterattack was finished off by the Staines forward. Marlow were caught out again by another fast attack from Staines and the third goal was scored similarly to the second. 

Staines began to control the midfield as Marlow looked tired and were running out of ideas. Another Staines goal was scored in the 60th minute to put the game beyond doubt.

There was still more action to be had as a penalty stroke was awarded after Sam North stick tackled the Staines player who was in the act of shooting. Goalkeeper, Ivor Crampsie, saved the subsequent stroke onto the post which received a loud cheer from the Marlow bench.

League table:

The 2nd team secured three points to move up to 6^th in the table after an emphatic 7-0 victory against Oxford Hawks 3s.

Hawks had the upper hand for the first 15 minutes but were well marshalled by the Marlow defence.

After that Marlow came back into the game, took control of the midfield and pressured the visitors’ defence until Lloyd Francis finished a nice passing move to open the scoring.

Marlow continued to press and shortly before halftime were awarded a penalty corner which Dave Harding converted with an accurate strike into the corner of the goal.

Almost directly from the start of the second half, Jonny Mee put Marlow three up and Ollie Green added another from close range.

The game continued with Marlow firmly in charge and passing the ball around very accurately with several impressive individual performances.

Lloyd Francis completed his hatrick with two opportunist goals while Hawks managed a consolation goal from one of their rare attacks.

The final score was 6-1 to Marlow and three well-deserved points. 

League table:

Other Men’s results:

• 3^rd team lost 2-0 to Sonning 2s,
• 4^th Team drew with Yateley 2s 2-2,
• 5^th Team beat Stoke Green 3-2,
• 6^th Team lost 5-2 away to Reading Phoenix 3s, and
• 7^th Team lost 4-1 against Sonning.