It was the dream start for Newbury, but it stung the opposition into life. They started to force Newbury back deep into their own half. Laura Ainscough in the Newbury goal, was called upon on several occasions, to either clear the lines behind her defence, or pull off a number of key saves. The Marlow pressure told however after 13 minutes when Abi Canvin escaped her marker and shot past Ainscough to level the scores at one apiece.

Ten minutes later and Newbury were forced into their first change in personnel, after Kela Gunnlaugsdottir picked up a leg injury and was replaced by Maria Rodrigues. The remainder of the first half, was played mostly in Newbury territory, with a number of Marlow corners, but the home defence held firm and the contest was closely tied at one all at the half time break.

Newbury shuffled the pack again at half time, with Nicole Beesley replacing Rodrigues on 46 minutes. Again Newbury started brightly, with Beesley linking up well with Caroline Harkness and laying on a shooting opportunity for Creese. The effort just wide of the upright. Further Newbury chances fell to Reed, Creese and Beesley and the home side were really upping the tempo. With Sam Atkins and Lorna Parr now dominant in midfield, it was the former who made a good interception in the 54th minute, winning possession for Reed. She played in Creese, who bore down on goal, but saw her shot fizz wide.

Just two minutes later and it was Creese who again had Newbury’s best chance. This was after good work on the flank by Beesley. Creese had run across her marker to the near post, meeting Beesley’s cross with a header just over the bar. Sadly for Newbury it was to be a missed opportunity that they would later rue. Marlow were now really riding their luck, but like all good teams, they somehow managed to hang on and stay in the game.

Another glorious chance for Newbury and Creese came in the 71st minute. This time her effort was on target, with the Marlow keeper only able to parry the shot, but fortunately for her it clipped the far post at the base and somehow wriggled away to safety.

As the match entered the final period, Marlow were able to break out and they forced their first corner of the second half on 77 minutes. The initial cross was cleared by Newbury, but not quite far enough and a second cross came into their area. With the defence stretched, the cross reached a Marlow attacker, who had stolen in at the back post and she headed her side in front, to give the visitors a 2-1 lead, totally against the run of play in the second period.

The momentum had now swung in Marlow’s favour and they hit the bar with another lofted shot a few minutes later, before sealing victory with a third goal from distance after 88 minutes.

With the match ending 3-1, it had been an extremely close contest, finely balanced for large periods and a game which Newbury deserved to take something from. Sadly they were again left empty handed, but their display was full of heart and passion, and although the result saw Marlow leap frog Newbury by 2 points, Newbury Ladies still sit in fifth place in the Southern Region Women’s Premier Division as they head into 2016.

Match report by Sue Hewett