AFC Marlow faced league rival Old Oak FC yesterday at Shelley Road, High Wycombe. Both teams went into the match equaling each others results since the start of the season by both playing 10 games each winning 8, drawing 1 and losing 1. The only thing that separated the two teams was the goal difference with old oak having a six goal advantage going into the game.
AFC Marlow made changes from the team that faced Masters FC before Christmas with Matt Dutton starting at right back ahead of Grant Oxlade. Jonny Watts played from the left wing which made room for Jamie Piekielniak to partner James Turner in attack. Old Oak started the game with 1 striker and played 3 in the centre of the park in a 4-5-1 formation.
Both teams had shots on target in the first 30 minutes, before Jay Turner opened the scoring with a tap in from an Adam Brooks low cross. Old Oak FC then grabbed an equaliser through some sloppy defending from a set piece. Jay Turner than latched onto Matt Dutton's pass to add a second after racing clear of the Old Oak defence. Jake Saunders added a third with a perfectly placed header into the top corner of the net from Dean Oxlade's corner to make it 3-1 to AFC Marlow.
At half time, AFC Marlow changed formation to a 4-5-1 formation to defeat the lead they had and brought on Michael Skeath who replaced Eric Talma at left back, to make his delayed debut for the club.
AFC Marlow played down hill in the second half which made it near impossible at times for Old Oak to attack the Marlow goal. And after about ten minutes of the restart, winger Adam Brooks forced an Oak defender to clear the ball against him which feel to Jay Turner who unselfishly squared the ball across the six yard box for Jamie Piekielniak to tap in from a few yards to make it 4-1.
Michael Skeath then marked his debut for the club with a great solo goal which saw the left back start his run from his own half past a number of Old Oak players before placing a side footed shot into the bottom left hand corner. Old Oak's Left winger than grabbed one back when his miss hit of a left footed cross chipped goalkeeper Callun Akerman at his near post.
Richard Vere then replaced an injured Adam Brooks who had run himself into the ground. Jay Turner then completed the scoring & grabbed his sixth hat trick of the season by getting on the end of a Richard Vere through pass to firstly outpacing the centre half then round the keeper before placing the ball into an empty net to take all three points.Grant Oxlade then replaced Jamie Piekielniak with 8 minutes to go.
I would personally like to thank all our supporter's for coming to watch yesterday's game in the freezing cold.
Man of the match was awarded to Adam Brooks, who didn't have the best first half of football but really ran his socks off in the second.
Next weeks game:
Fixture: Home vs AFC Liberal
Venue: Gossmore Lane
Kick Off: 10:30