Match Report:

Armthorpe Welfare (Away) | Saturday 28th August 2010 3pm | FA Preliminary Round | Result 2 - 4 (Win)

Scorers: Brunskill, Wood, Waterfield, Seaton

With Dom Gamble and Andy Swalwell both away on holiday, Josh Myers came back into the midfield, and Mitchell Morris made his first start for the club at left back.  18-year-old Myers was also given the responsibility of wearing the captains armband for the very first time.

Marske almost led in the opening minutes of the game after Lewis Wood won a corner.  Dale Mendum’s cross sailed straight into the net but the referee ruled it out for an infringement. 

Craig Fletcher got past Lee Donachie too easily on nine minutes leaving Neil Waterfield to make a saving tackle in the box.  Mendum hit the first shot of the game from the resulting break, but the ball headed straight towards goalkeeper Jamie Green.

A minute later Mendum had to be helped off the field after taking a knock, and was replaced by Rob Jones.

Armthorpe broke the deadlock after 16 minutes following a neat passing build-up.  The ball was played into Sam Jones’ feet, who was allowed to turn on the edge of the box and pick a shot into the bottom corner.

Armthorpe went in search of a second goal, but for the next quarter of an hour Marske defended well and had a couple of shots from distance their selves through Danny Brunskill.

Marske found an equaliser just after the half hour mark when Brunskill showed excellent strength on the edge of the penalty area, and after riding four or five challenges, smashed a shot on the turn into the roof of the net.

The game turned in a midfield battle, with Myers and John Seaton battling away well to break the bits up the middle of the park.

Marske led on 43 minutes after winning a throw in wide on the right.  The cross into the box created a scramble in the six yard box, and Wood managed to scramble the ball over the line.

Half-time:  Armthrope Welfare 1v2 Marske United

Bruno Holden had a good shot from the corner of the penalty area soon after the restart as Welfare showed their attacking intent shooting down the slope.

Ben Muirhead was given time to cross from the right on 50 minutes.  Darren Mansaram beat Waterfield to the ball but his header went wide of the post.

Immediately after, Jones did well to win a corner at the other end.  Seaton received it short and crossed for Waterfield to power home his first goal for the club with a header.

Marske came close to a fourth on 58 minutes as Donachie picked out Brunskill in space.  Brunskill found Seaton who delivered an excellent cross for Jones to run onto.  He was first to the ball but headed wide as he was taken out by the keeper.

Armthorpe slowly got a foothold on the game, winning a succession of corners and it seemed only a matter of time before they pulled a goal back.

And it inevitably came on 73 minutes when Mansaram curled the ball straight into the net from a corner.

Marske responded quickly and regained their two goal lead on 76 minutes.  Jones received a clearance on the half way line and made up ground before setting up Seaton who scored with a terrific finish from just outside the box.

Two minutes later Craig Fletcher was given space on the edge of the box and after turning past his marker hit a goal bound shot that Danny Dixon turned expertly around his post.  The resulting corner then had to be scrambled off the line.

After soaking up plenty of pressure, Marske should have scored a fifth with seven minutes to go as Brunskill did well to win the ball on the half way line.  After making up ground he played in Jones whose shot was parried by Green.  Adam Gell picked up the loose ball but a defender got back to deflect his shot over the bar.

On 85 minutes Jones raced to beat Green to a clearance into the Armthorpe half and got to the ball first with his back to goal before being brought down by the goalkeeper.  Despite being the last man in a one-on-one situation, the ref deemed a yellow card sufficient.

Welfare could have pulled a goal back in injury time as James Walker raced clear with just Dixon to beat but blazed an early shot well over.

Full-time:  Armthorpe Welfare 2v4 Marske United

Marske progressed through to the first qualifying round with by far their best performance of the season so far.  The players showed their class going forwards, defended well under pressure at the back, and battled hard in midfield.

Teams:

Armthorpe Welfare:  Green, Muirhead, Sibenge, Walker, Watson, Buck, Jones, Morley, Holden, Mansaram, Fletcher.  Subs:  Dyson, Tilley, McFarlane, Wilkinson.

Marske United:  D.Dixon, Donachie, Morris, Myers, Waterfield, Taylor, Gell, Seaton, Brunskill, Wood (Bradley), Mendum (Jones).  Not Used:  Roberts, O.Dixon, Dalton, McGowen.