Bartley blasts 'embarrassing' defending as Marlow fall Into relegation places

Marlow have dropped into the Southern League Central Division relegation places on goal difference after a couple of underwhelming results against Hitchin Town (4-1) and Thame United (4-0) this week.

Blues boss Mark Bartley felt he had gone some way to correcting some of the issues that had been impacting his side in the early weeks of the season as they were beaten narrowly by Hadley before winning 2-1 away at Northwood last week.

But Hitchin Town and Thame United managed to expose those defensive weaknesses once again as they claimed comfortable wins over the Blues on Saturday and Tuesday.

Bartley’s side were very much second best against Hitchin, and a dismal first half showing at Oak Tree Road saw them trail 4-0 at the interval thanks to goals from Callum Kane (11'), Liam Brooks (28'), Taylor Rhiney (34') and Callum Nicolson (45').

The Blues managed a second half consolation goal through Harvey Maudner in the 61st minute, but this only came after Hitchin striker Rhiney was sent off in the early stages of the second half.

Bartley was also unhappy with his side’s display at Thame United on Tuesday, admitting the Blues had been ‘miles off it’ in his post match interview.

The visitors conceded twice before the break when Harry Alexander slotted home for Thame from the penalty spot and Daniel James West made it 2-0 in first half stoppage time.

The Blues challenge fell away in the second half as Mark Thomas Riddick (56') and Louis Walsh (83') found the net for the hosts. The result at Meadow View Park leaves Marlow 19th in the table, now inside the relegation places on goal difference, ahead of Saturday’s tough looking trip to fourth placed Ware.

Bartley said: “I don’t think it was that tough to swallow because today we were just miles off it. I’ve said this to the players in there, but the last couple of games have been the most embarrassing that I’ve seen us defend. There is no desire to defend the box and ultimately, if you don’t have a desire to defend your own box, you’re going to concede goals. We conceded four again today, so that’s two games in a row.”

He added: “I don’t want us to go out there and kick people, but that’s just not how Marlow sides are. We were terrible today and, again, I’ve just had this conversation with the players.

“That will never happen again and some of them will have played their last games for us because I didn’t enjoy watching that.”