Marlow bounce back after cup setback (From Bucks Free Press)

Blues make their points on league return

4:19pm Thursday 13th September 2012 in Local Sport

AFTER a disappointing FA Cup defeat to Thatcham Town, Marlow bounced back with three points against strugglers Highmoor Ibis at Oak Tree Road.

The Blues welcomed back Chris Hatton and Ian Davies on Tuesday night, writes Sam Goold Knibbs.

Davies marked his return with style in the first five minutes after he harassed Highmoor’s centre backs straight from the off.

A switch of play from winger Ben Gladwin, and a defensive slip from Jerome Coultress, allowed Marcus Mealing to make his way into the box unhindered - only to be fouled by the recovering defender which gifted Marlow their second penalty in successive games.

Davies stepped up and kept his composure as he lashed the ball low and hard into the goal for Marlow’s first.

Mark Bartley’s men had learnt a hard lesson from defensive errors and laid an impressive offside trap that the white’s strikers kept falling into.

Bartley’s side applied the pressure throughout the first-half, as the visitors failed to create any chances going forward.

The reward: a 20-yard screamer from Gladwin as he stole the ball in the middle of the park from a poor goal-kick.

After flying past three players, the young midfielder found himself in space and fired a powerful shot straight into the bottom-right corner which left the keeper bemused.

Highmoor continued to be caught offside and Marlow built on their early success.

Blue’s Captain Danny Lingwood thought he had made his way onto the score sheet in the dying minutes of the first-half after he produced a bullet-header from a corner that found the back of the net – only to be disallowed for a foul in the box.

As the whistle blew for the start of the second-half, the Berkshire outfit came out fighting and delivered a blow to Marlow after ten minutes.

A free-kick was rewarded for a foul on Devontae Romeo outside of Iain McCulley’s box. Jamal Forde- Small placed the ball into the top right-hand corner with a curling effort which silenced the home crowd.

Highmoor continued to create problems as their strikers began finding their way behind the back-four, and had a penalty shout denied by the referee after Forde-Small appeared to be tripped by Alex Salmon.

Salmon was called into action once more when he made goal-line clearance after the opposition began to apply even more pressure.

The Marlow manager began barking orders to his men to firm-up at the back and to push forward to finish the game.

Gladwin almost had a chance to get a second wonder-goal when he hit the crossbar after he attempted to lob the keeper from 25 yards after intercepting a pass.

Two minutes from added time, the Buckinghamshire-outfit seized their opportunity to finish the game as Davies crossed the ball into an unmarked Jamie Piercy for an easy header.

Marlow capitalized on a deflated opponent as Davies got his second of the game when he dribbled past keeper, Mitchell Parker, and slotted in from a tight angle off the post, right as the referee blew for full-time.

Marlow continue their undefeated run in the league which now seems them move 6th and only 3 points off top, and will be happy to put cup catastrophes behind them.

Marlow : Iain McCulley, Gary Smith, Aaron Baker, James Knight, Alex Salmon, Danny Lingwood, Chris Hatton, Ben Gladwin, Marcus Mealing, Richard Witt, Ian Davies. Subs: Matt David, Seve Mayberry, Dave Stevens, Jamie Piercy, Jorgen Eggleton.