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Marlow F.C. U23s

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Mike Bidmead Suburban League Challenge Cup

Jersey Bulls U23s

Tuesday November 1, 2022

Alfred Davis Memorial Ground

Mike Bidmead Suburban League Challenge Cup

Match Report

With 35 entries this season six teams were drawn to play in the first round. Jersey Bulls, finalists to Aldershot Town U19s last season, were second out of the hat and therefore had to travel to the Alfred Davis Memorial Ground in Marlow.

This is the fourth ground of the historic club. They moved in in 1928 and named it after their long serving secretary who had died four years previously. The wooden grandstand was erected two years after they moved in.

Alfred Davis was a leading sporting administrator. He was a Vice President of the Football Association from 1908, chairman of the F.A. Amateur Cup Committee and a member of the F.A. international selection board. Davis was also the honorary secretary of the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire County F.A. from 1895.

In addition to his football positions, Davis was on the committee of the Amateur Rowing Association, member of both the County Council and local District Council as well as a Justice of the Peace. He was also the rowing correspondent for The Times. His finest footballing moment came in 1908 when he was coach to the Great Britain team that won the gold medal at the London Olympics.

The club has an equally impressive history. It was formed at a meeting at the nearby Compleat Angler Hotel in 1870 and the following season competed in the first-ever F.A. Cup losing to neighbours Maidenhead in the first round. One of their players was Cuthbert Ottaway England’s first captain. In 1882 the club reached the F.A. Cup semi-finals. In 1897 and again in 1900 they made the last four in the Amateur Cup.

From 1908 they spent most of their time in the Spartan League before joining the Athenian League in 1965 at Division Two level before being promoted to Division One in 1971.

When the Athenian League was disbanded in 1984 they joined Division Two of the Isthmian League, being promoted to Division One in 1987 and then the Premier the following season. In 1992 the club reached the third round of the F.A. Cup for the first time in exactly a hundred years but lost 0-6 to West Bromwich Albion.

They repeated the feat the following season and were drawn at home to Tottenham, but the match was switched to White Hart Lane where they lost 1-5. Two seasons later they reached the third round again, defeating local rivals Oxford United before a capacity 3,000 in the first round, before losing 0-2 at Swindon Town in the third.

The club remained in the Isthmian League’s Premier Division until being relegated in 1995. Two seasons later they were relegated again. In 2004 they were transferred to Division One West of the Southern League, and were later transferred to Division One Central. In 2012 they were relegated to the Hellenic League.

Marlow won the Hellenic League Premier Division at the first attempt to return to the Southern League before being transferred to the Isthmian League in 2018.

On a distinctly autumnal evening Jersey kicked off attacking the Oak Tree Road (entrance) end. Despite the wet and windy weather the pitch was in good condition.

Jay Dos Santos tested Max West, the newly signed Marlow ‘keeper, with an early free-kick which West gathered at the second attempt before Darryl Mvalo could pounce.  Another diagonal one ten minutes later was headed into the side netting by Charlie Brennan from beyond the far post.

It was Dos Santos who broke the deadlock shortly afterwards. Harry Scott put in a low cross after a run down the right. It was partially cleared but Dos Santos won the contest for the loose ball, advanced and from the edge of the “D” scored with a shot that went in off the foot of the right post.

Marlow responded with a couple of long-range shots midway through the half. However, neither the livewire Rico Zondo or Leon Isaac’s attempts unduly concerned Pierce Roche in the Jersey goal.

Sammy Henia-Kamau made a run to the left byline but there was no one there for the tap it in and from the subsequent corner Marlow launched a counter attack that Josh Coutanche eventually quelled. Mvalo put a twenty-yard shot over before a delightful Dos Santos through ball put Henia-Kamau clear down the left, though his chip across the goal eluded Scott.

In added time Jersey spurned three good chances. Henia-Kamau dragged a cross shot just wide of the right post before successive poor clearances were seized upon. From the first Scott set up Mvalo near the penalty spot but he missed on the right and then Carvalho from twenty yards put his attempt wide on the other side.

Jersey continued to dominate in the second half but still had difficulty in breaking through the Marlow defence.

Scott put a shot over, West saved at the feet of Carvalho and Scott scuffed a shot wide after Carvalho pulled the ball back from the left byline.

Approaching the hour Henia-Kamau had a shot saved by West at the foot of the right post before Josh Coutanche controlled a long crossfield free-kick and rattled the bar with a powerful shot that West may have got his fingertips to.

Lewis Muller gave Roche an easy catch and the newly introduced substitute Patrick O’Toole squandered an opportunity from a dozen yards.

In the last ten minutes Leandro Vieira was just wide with a long range attempt before his long clearance enabled substitute Luke Coutanche to beat the offside trap. He rounded West but was pushed wide and defender Nyero Lule was able to get back to clear his shot off the line.

A Henia-Kamau shot was pushed away for a corner before he eventually settled the match in the final seconds. A rare Marlow corner was headed clear by Sutcliffe. Max Rivers won the ball in midfield and fed Dos Santos whose nicely weighted pass found Henia-Kamau twelve yards out right of centre to drill home the second goal.
Marlow U23 0;
Jersey Bulls U23 2 (Jay Dos Santos 14, Sammy Henia-Kamau 90+5)

Attendance – 39

Programme – none

Marlow – Max West, Valentino Manuel, Stanley Woodley, Cole Gough (c), Alfie Corrick, Nyero Lule, Leon Isaac, Daniel Giles, Lewis Muller, Thomas Craft, Rico Zondo.
Substitutes – 12. Adam Maadini (for Manuel 77), 13. Danny Walden (for Corrick 66), 14. Demarni Simpson (not used), 15. George Muchirahondo (not used), 16. Raphael Dennie (for Craft 66), 17. Lucas Wynn (for Muller 66), 18. Tayfun Sen (for Giles 33)

Harry Pelling (Manager), Zack Rogers (Assistant), Adam Galbraith (Physio.)

All Lightish Blue; GK Green (Black shoulders)/Black/Black

Jersey Bulls – Pierce Roche, Leandro Vieira, Josh Coutanche, Jay Dos Santos, Sammy Sutcliffe (c), Charlie Brennan, Harry Scott, Max Rivers, Darryl Mvalo, Miguel Carvalho, Sammy Henia-Kamau
Substitutes – 12. Patrick O’Toole (for Mvalo 66), Luke Coutanche (for Scott 81) only two substitutes

Black & White halves/Black/Black; GK All Green

Paul Renton (Manager), Dan Seviour (Coach)

Formations
Marlow U23 (4-4-2 R to L) 1; 2-5-6-3; 7-10-4-8; 9-11
Jersey Bulls U23 (4-1-4-1 R to L) 1; 2-5-6-3; 4; 7-10-8-11; 9

Referee – Tony King (Ascot). Secretary of the Suburban League, his first Jersey game as a match official

Assistants – Trevor Beard (Aldershot) on the dug-out / grandstand side. Also at his first Jersey game

Steve Simpson (Wycombe) on the far side. On the line for our Suburban Cup semi-final win at Sheerwater last season

Cautions – Jay Dos Santos (JB) 80, Stanley Woodley (M) 90+1

Corners – Marlow (2) 3: Jersey Bulls (2) 8

Player of the Match Award – Jay Dos Santos

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