Marlow's men march on with 4–2 win over Cardiff but women denied late by Oxford Uni

Callum White, scorer of Marlow’s opening goal on Sunday.

Picture courtesy of Ian Foster @IFSportsImages

--

Marlow’s men’s and women’s first teams collected four points from their two matches at the weekend, but it could so easily have been six with both teams controlling their matches for long spells.

The women’s first team took on Oxford University at Pound Lane and caught out their opponents in a frenetic start by taking the lead in the 11th minute through Lena Skyora’s superb finish from a narrow angle.

Oxford University levelled matters in the 30th minute from a penalty corner, keeper Alys Ramm managing to get her stick to the shot but not getting enough behind it to prevent the equaliser.

The tempo of the game remained high in the second half, with player of the match Kiera Allen exhibiting her range of dazzling skills to keep the visitors on the back foot. From a penalty corner, Lottie Porter’s drag flick was well saved by the Oxford University keeper, but the home side’s pressure was eventually rewarded when Elin Galvin scrambled the ball home from inside the D with 12 minutes left on the clock.

The university side took off their keeper with five minutes to play, a gamble which looked to be paying off when Marlow received a second yellow card, leaving the home side two outfield players short for the final minutes. And they managed to take advantage when they converted from a late penalty corner to make it 2-2.

The Reds will feel they were the better side and should have taken all three points, but this was still a decent point against an unbeaten Oxford University side. The draw leaves the side sixth in the Conference West. They visit fourth placed Trojans on Saturday.

The men’s first team were able to claim victory in their match on Sunday, defeating Cardiff 4-2 in a dominant display at Pound Lane.

Callum White put them on course for victory when he converted from an early penalty corner while Jayden Zamler’s brace and Tom Ferris’s third goal in as many games secured another vital three points for the Swans.

Cardiff managed to score twice late on as Marlow eased off the gas but otherwise, they were overwhelmed by their hosts who move up to fifth in the National League Conference West.

Marlow took the lead in the ninth minute when White’s flick found the top left corner of the net. They remained the better side for the remainder of the half without extending their advantage. But a deserved second goal arrived seven minutes after the interval when Zamler caught a rebound on the penalty spot and slammed in a split grip finish.

The visitors pushed back, and the game grew more chaotic, but when Tom Rees-Gray bustled 50 yards up the left side and drove the ball across goal, Zamler deflected in to make it 3-0. With 12 minutes to play, Ferris chipped in, finishing into an open goal and putting Marlow surely out of reach.

In the last five minutes, Cardiff earned two consolation goals, one of them through ex-Marlow man, Ben Lazarevic, leaving a final score line which flattered the Welshmen.

Marlow will look to take this momentum with them to South Devon next Sunday when they visit fourth-placed Ashmoor.