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http://www.afcdiamonds.com/marlow-fc-v- ... th-october

I went to a game at Marlow back in 2011 when we were without a senior club. The ground is very characterful and has been their home since 1928 - I don't think it's changed much in that time! An excellent view is available from the top of the picturesque main stand which opened in 1930.

The pitch at that time was really terrible, bobbly with long grass. I think the club was falling on hard times at that point in time and actually got relegated to Step 5 that season. They came back very quickly though.

BartonRaz wrote: ↑Mon Oct 16, 2017 2:34 pm I went to a game at Marlow back in 2011 when we were without a senior club. The ground is very characterful and has been their home since 1928 - I don't think it's changed much in that time! An excellent view is available from the top of the picturesque main stand which opened in 1930.

Indeed it is:

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Another big away victory! The mystery home form appears to be striking us again. Can we play the rest of the season away?

AFC Rushden&Diamonds‏ @AFCRD
FT: Marlow 2-4 Diamonds. Braces from Farrell and Smith secure the three points for the Diamonds.

https://twitter.com/AFCRD/status/920389146878857218

Good result but it's a shame that we can't win like that at home. A similar story last season and our indifferent home form really hurts our attendances.

I think the scoreline tonight hides some real issues. We were second best by a distance until the two goals in the first half - we could easily have been three down by then - although the penalty was pretty bizarre, as it was the sort of challenge that no ref would have given had he known it was in the area - the linesman didn't see it as a foul, but advised that the challenge was inside the box - tricky to tell since the lines were so faint. We then should have sealed the game before half-time, and let Marlow get back in it for much of the second half. Darryl Smith showed the sort of direct play and finishing we'd been lacking to give us the cushion we clearly needed. Credit to Ben Farrell for getting forward for his two goals - but we still need someone who can run with the ball through the middle as an attacking midfielder, rather than just pumping high balls forwards when not using the wings - maybe Darryl Smith could be tried in that role on Saturday, with Hoban and Gyasi on the flanks.

It wasn't perfect but it was a win and after recent performances I'd have snapped your hand off if offered that before kick-off. We could have caved in after going 1-0 down early on but didn't do so.

Another excellent performance from Blaize Punter and in the short time Darryl Smith was in the field he made a mockery of the fact he hasn't even made the squad in recent league matches. That's now 6 league goals for him despite limited opportunities. To be honest I thought he was poor in pre-season but have been very impressed with him every time I've seen him in competitive matches.

Guess it's why we all love the game, I stood very close to Formic for most of the 90 minutes yet it would appear watched a different game and that statement is not a critical one just the way it often is with football. For me they were not a bad side going forward but bloody dreadful at the back. They had a decent amount of the ball early on but it resulted in little more than a couple of simple saves for Ben and a couple of balls flashing across the face of goal being comfortably watched out by our defence, any other half chances if being critical it may have been possible to remove at source if Ben dominated his 6 yard box more from set plays. The pen was a joke, would as stated, never have been given if the Ref had thought it was in the area, and he looked suitably embarrassed when the lino pointed out if you have given a free kick then it's a penalty. Following a rant by some of us a Marlow supporter did inform us the lines had been marked that morning, shame they did it with a sherbet fountain, as from some angles they were impossible to see. For me we then dominated the rest of the half and could/should have had the game wrapped up by the break. Second half was mostly us in the ascendancy with flashes from them on the break apart from the first 15 mins when they had their best spell of the game, yes at 2-1 you are always concerned but once the 3rd went in it was game over, shame we switched off from the last kick corner as 4-2 for me flattered Marlow. A few to many daft free kicks given away, some through being caught the wrong side of the man, but an equal amount given by an official who was the only person in the ground seeing it that way, that said he was dreadful from the start so why give him the opportunity. Always have a problem when an official knows the entire opposition by name and wanders around the place looking very familiar, especially when the home team are adamant it's the first time they have had him. Highlight of the night was during the keeper injury break which was a result apparently, of him having his head in his hands and dropping it, the No 5 kindly offering to fight anyone prepared to hop over the railing then used the keepers water bottle to spray anyone within 10 yards, only to then be told by a team mate to appologise given one of his targets was Chairman Ralph, muppet, that's the No 5 of course.
A good 3 points, and worth remembering Hartley Wintney's only defeat this season was 3-0 at Marlow back in August, move on to Saturday and hopefully get a winning run going.