Swindon Supermarine bounce back with victory over North Leigh

Swindon Supermarine travelled the short distance down to Witney to take on North Leigh on Bank Holiday Easter Monday looking to put the disappointment of Saturday behind them.

Manager Lee Spalding opted to freshen up the starting eleven with Brad Hooper and Joe Tumelty in for James Harding and George Dowling.

Supermarine started brightly going up the slope and an early chance for Harry Williams was well saved by keeper Adam North. Zack Kotwica was pushed in the back on 6 minutes but the refer waved away the appeals. Terrific skills by Williams bamboozling the home defence set up Tumelty on goal but he steered the effort wide of the post. Then came a rare home attack and nearly the opening goal in the 16th minute– a header from Jordan Thomas off the post before being cleared by Turl.

Both Amer Awadh and Kyle Anderson were booked in quick succession for fouls on Hooper and Campbell. From the latter Marine were to open the scoring. Tumelty’s inswinging free kick found Kotwica at the back stick and he used his knee to steer the ball inside the post to make it 1-0 – 13 for the season now for the attacking Zack.

Tumelty then had a free kick chance saved by North before a handball in the box by Malcolm Nicholls saw the referee point to the spot. Harry Williams stepped up and made no mistake sending the keeper the wrong way on the half hour – 36 goals for the campaign now.

Former Marine man Michael Hopkins was forced off with injury – replaced by Niko Nenonen-Millar with a few minutes left in the half but Swindon would have been pleased with their first half efforts.

The second half saw a different challenge with the huge slope and the wind making it hard to control the ball on the bobbly surface. Henry Spalding blasted a swerving effort wide early doors before Jack Alexander saw yellow for a lunge on Brad Hooper as he was going through for a shot on the edge of the box. Williams hit the free kick high and wide. But Marine were pressing well and only a double save from North kept the score at 2-0. First stopping Tumelty’s shot and then Williams follow up right on the line.

A rare home attack then saw North Leigh pull a shock goal back against the run of play. Adriel George was given too much time on the edge of the box and blasted left footed past Charlie Searle. 2-1 and game on! The goal gave the hosts the boost they needed and manager Spalding opted for changes to try and get a grip on proceedings once more. Dowling replaced Hooper and Harding for Williams with the hope that fresh legs would change the flow.

However it the Miller Men were now giving it their all for a leveller. Sam Turl saw yellow for a foul in the corner and then the hosts won themselves a penalty in unusual fashion.

Ty Duffus appeared to be clipped in the box defending an attack but in going down pulled back the ball with his hand. The ref decided there had been no foul and awarded a very harsh spot kick.

But this was to be emergency loanee keeper Charlie Searle’s moment. Jordan Thomas stepped up to blast the ball home but Searle got his body in exactly the right spot to block it and then for a follow up saved the rebound shot spectacularly from Nicholls before Liddiard blasted the ball away.

A corner was then cleared off the Marine line from a corner as it was all hands to the pumps. Jamie Edge was booked for dissent having not won a clear free for a foul on him before Searle denied Thomas once more with a routine save.

Swindon nearly made it 3-1 after a mixup at the back saw Spalding and Harding combine only for North to ride his luck and make another stop. Despite some late pressure in added time Marine saw out the win and took home a battling three points in difficult derby conditions.

The win keeps the slimmest of playoff hopes intact with Poole and Chesham needing to lose next weekend in order to give Swindon a chance.