AFC 1 MARLOW 3
AFC Dunstable 1 Marlow 3 (0-2 Half time)
Southern League Central Division 1
Creasey Park, Saturday 6th December 2025.
Attendance – 75
Match report by Richard Church.
Another decent performance but yet another defeat that leaves us bang in trouble one off the foot of the table. When are we going to get a break?!
A very good and fast start by AFC saw us dominate the early stages and put some real pressure on the visitors. We could actually have gone ahead in the first minute. A quick throw to Ike saw him scamper in to the box but his lobbed shot was just over the bar. Marlow came back in to game and started to exert a bit of pressure themselves – with 15 on the clock their number 10 had a double opportunity with two shots – the first one was blocked and the second one was tipped aside by Zack.
18 minutes in and AFC were awarded a free kick a little distance outside the box, Gigi hit it well and with power but straight at the keeper, but it was not a straightforward save for him. Eight minutes later and a break from Gigi down the left ended with a nice shot that was definitely on target but the keeper made a decent save. AFC on top at this stage but a sucker punch on 31 saw us go a goal behind following a goalmouth scramble – very much against the run of play. Six minutes later a glorious chance for the Marlow number 10 Mitchell Parker who managed to shoot over the bar when he really should have scored. Marlow did go further ahead on 39 when Flavio Junior played a speculative ball in to the area that evaded everyone and ended up in the corner of the net to double their lead. One more chance for AFC before half time when Gigi hit a shot with the outside of his left foot that went just past the post. 2-0 to Marlow at half time.
AFC again started the second half very much on the front foot and a lovely first time shot from Archie following a corner within 3 minutes reduced the deficit and put us back in the game. Unfortunately Marlow scored again a couple of minutes later to make it 3-1. A couple of half chances of note for the ODs - a run and shot from Ike on 54 – he tried to curl it but it was well read by the keeper and then on 66 a decent shot from Levi but straight at the keeper again.
As the second half wore on it became a bit of a stalemate with a lot of huff and puff but neither team able to dominate. Another couple of decent chances for AFC – Gigi with a nice shot on 82 against the crossbar and the rebound fell for Levi but his shot was deflected over the bar – very unlucky. One last opportunity for AFC with 7 to go with a Wits header at goal that was cleared away to safety.
So another disappointing result but definitely a better performance. No doubt that Marlow deserved the win but we created enough chances to have got something out of the game.
Man of the match as nominated by the AFC committee was Archie Long-Nicholls.
Team line up (subs in brackets); Zack Braverman, Felix Ofori, Carmichael Uchenna, Abel Kyeremeh (Axel Ampedu 76), Ben Lynch – Captain (Charlie Flanagan 64), Archie Long-Nicholls, Ike Okwusogu (Wits Mgoyo 76), Euan Warlow (Levi Nicholson 56), Micah Williams (Lewis Matthews 64), Gigi Gogia, Maks Jarzabek.
