'They need to forget about me, I've forgotten about them' (From Bucks Free Press)

Marlow boss give former club both barrels

11:40am Friday 8th February 2013 in Sport By Alan Feldberg

MARLOW FC did their work against Reading to remain in total control of the Hellenic League, and then launched a scathing assault against their beaten opponents.

Blues boss Mark Bartley left Reading for Marlow during the close season, taking a raft of players with him.

Some of those have since returned to Reading, bad blood still seeps out the scars.

After watching his side win 5-1 thanks to a hat-trick from Ian Davies plus goals from Michael Bartley and Marcus Mealing, Bartley said: “We were much better than them.

“It was a pleasing win and I certainly didn’t lose any sleep pushing them one step closer to the trapdoor.

“A lot of things had been said by their board in the week before the game which I wasn’t pleased with.

“They accused people of leaving for money, they were phoning players and contacting them on Facebook saying I was getting rid of everyone at Marlow because I had some money to spend and they should go back to Reading...

“There was a lot of mud-slinging and I think they’ve concentrated so much on me they’ve forgotten about the predicament they’re in.

“They need to forget about me, I’ve forgotten about them.

“But they’ve only focused on the two Marlow games and we’ve got six points from them and they’ve got none.

“They’re now second bottom of the league and they might not be able to get themselves out of it.

“I think they’ve rested on their laurels for the last couple of years and now the chickens are coming home to roost.”

Meanwhile, Marlow go from strength to strength. While they were beating Reading their title rivals Wantage were dropping points against Wokingham and Abingdon.

That’s four games without a win now for Wantage, giving Marlow a 12-point gap before their trip to Wokingham tomorrow.