Garnett will be bitterly disappointed to have what would have been a hard-fought win slip through their fingers in the last ten minutes of this match.

Sadly though, two defensive mistakes gave Marden Bridge a win that neither their football, nor sadly, their behaviour deserved. In truth all three of their goals could be put down to defensive mistakes of differing magnitude, and if you make basic mistakes then perhaps you don't deserve to win.

Following a scrappy opening, the pattern of the game was quickly established, Marden trying to use their height and strength, and pace up front with long balls over the top, Garnett trying to take a more measured approach. However the combative Marden gained the upper hand and stifled Garnett's passing. And from a long ball, the unfortunate Paul Miller misjudged the bounce of the ball, and the Marden forward took possesion 40 yards from goal. Despite his best efforts to recover, the forward was quick and strong, holding off Miller's attempts to tackle back and took his goal well, slotting it into the corner of the net.

The game then threatened to boil over, as tempers flared, and Marden began to throw their weight around. The Marden right back (incidentally wearing a Goalkeeper's shirt) felled A.Alexander and was rightly booked. A.Alexander, then put in a meaty, but late tackle in the midfield and was booked, and confronted by several visiting players. Soon after Miller, putting in his usual wholehearted commitment, went to ground putting in a tackle in midfield, and once the ball had gone, received a Keane-esque stamp from the Marden player - who to give him 'credit' (if such a word is appropriate), waited until the ball, and the referee were well away before acting. Then, whilst referee Les Mould's head was turned seeing to Miller's injury, a visiting player took it upon himself to impose added retribution to A.Alexander, with a vicious headbutt. One Garnett player, with Northern Alliance experience said, "they just seemed to all go mental for five minutes. I've never seen anything like it".

The break in play seemed to calm tempers, as half time drew nearer Garnett began to have more of the play, get into some good situations without ever really playing consistently well. Corcoran forced an excellent save from the keeper following good interplay on the left. However, the Marden defence held firm, and they still were looking to exploit a hesitant Garnett defence with the long ball.
At half-time, manager Pollard stressed the importance of not playing into the strengths of Marden, and getting the ball wide away from the congested centre battleground, and playing passing football, not getting dragged into a war in the middle. His words were rewarded with a much improved performance. Short passing movements, starting to impressively exploit the wide space were the order of the day with full backs Turner and Wonders taking up good positions to get the hitherto under-utilised Walker and Corcoran at the creaking Marden defence. Two goals of the highest quality were to follow, but not before the game turned ugly again, as the Marden centre forward approached Pollard on the sideline, threatening to 'splatter' his nose all over his face. Perhaps only the intervention of referee Mould saved the Manager's good looks, as Pollard said, "he certainly was a big lad".

However, shortly after, the Marden behaviour was tamed, as a superb passing move started by Turner, and involving Holmes, and Hopkins, saw CORCORAN put into space outside the area. Once he had shaken off the last defender, the outcome was never in doubt, such is his form at the moment, and his shot nestled in the corner.

Marden appeared to have given up the ghost, now, as Garnett swarmed all over them. Goal number two, again coming from the left, saw the energetic Walker, played into space behind the left back. He beat his man and squared precisely across goal, where HOPKINS made just enough contact to loop the ball into the net.

This looked like game over for the tired looking Marden, but disaster was to strike in the last ten minutes, as perhaps Garnett buoyed by their comeback, became overconfident. A hopeful long ball from the back, saw a breaking Marden midfielder get into the area, where he was excellently tackled by Miller. The referee, though uncertain of who the ball had touched last, awarded the corner. In fairness the big Marden midfielder fired a wickedly spinning ball into the six yard box, where the unfortunate Zengler, perhaps hampered by the injury sustained last week, was unable to collect the ball cleanly, and the ball deflected into the net.

From nowhere Marden were back in the game. Garnett seemed deflated, but pushed on for the winner. However, with men committed forward they were caught out by a long ball. The pacy young Marden forward (who had had an excellent game) was able to get in behind, and square, where in fairness, his partner, the big forward who had spent most of the game looking for an excuse to use his fists (despite him being a footballer of no small measure of ability), took his goal superbly. A much more chirpy Marden Bridge had suddenly snatched the victory, which neither their football nor behaviour deserved. The final minutes petered out for a disconsolate Garnett side.
In conclusion, Garnett conceded three goals which were all avoidable, despite the fact that all three goals did contain elements of real quality from the Marden players. Scoring four to win any game is always a big ask, but then again Garnett probably did have the possession and chances to do so. The overall standard of play they produced must stand them in good stead for the challenges to come, and if they can iron out the errors which have plagued the Reserves for the past season and a bit, and be that touch sharper and more clinical they will secure plenty of victories. However to have had what would have been a hard-earned victory snatched away in such a manner, from a team whose overall behaviour led one Garnett veteran of 10 years Corinithian league experience to comment that the game was 'the most distasteful' he had ever played in, was probably what galled the Green and Black lads the most.

Team: J.Zengler, M.Wonders, R.Turner, A.Alexander, A.Martin, P.Miller, L.Walker, B.Holmes MOM, G.Hopkins © 1, D.Robinson (M.Pollard), D.Corcoran 1