Marlborough 3 Bath Buccs C 1
After a productive and encouraging pre-season, Marlborough men looked to begin their bid for promotion from their new berth in Central 1 league with the home game against Bath Buccs C. It was a hot and humid day (September 27) and they played in front of their legion of home fans.
Marlborough started the game in dominant fashion, showing excellent discipline with their defensive press and utterly stifling the opposition. Bath were forced to make high risk, speculative passes and any danger that presented itself was immediately snuffed out by the home side.
Marlborough were very much in the ascendancy and made several sharp moves forward which they were unfortunate not to score from – it seemed only a matter of time before the breakthrough would be made.
Much to their collective shock and disappointment Marlborough conceded a strange and bizarre goal completely against the run of play. Hopefully the mistakes of the past would not be repeated this season.
To the home fans’ great relief this simply served to spur Marlborough on further and they immediately resumed their disciplined, dangerous play.
The pressure told when they were awarded a penalty flick following a foul in a clear goal scoring position. The penalty was duly dispatched by Anil Sud making the score at half time 1-1.
The second half began in much the same way as the first half had gone. Marlborough worked tirelessly as a cohesive unit, with special mention going to the forwards, in shutting down any chance Bath had of mounting sustained pressure.
Mid-way through the second half Marlborough took the lead after a show of blistering pace and persistence by Will Hughes in reaching a speculative long pass. Hughes’ subsequent control and precision pass across the ‘D’ allowed young forward Will Radnedge to slot home his first goal for the first team.
Fully under the cosh and now behind in the game, Bath were forced to play higher up the pitch which Marlborough continued to exploit with several more near misses. The result was finally put to rest when Sud scored his second goal, this time from a short corner routine.
Marlborough controlled the remainder of the game to run out 3-1 winners – an excellent start to the season.
Will Hughes was named the T H White man of the match following a tireless, unselfish and inspiring performance in leading the forward line.
What happened to the cat? Lynne Truss at the Marlborough Festival of Literature
