The Whites in the end made light work of brushing visitors Marlborough to one side in this fairly one sided Wilts Premier league fixture.
With Devon Arnold and Will Waterson leading the line and Olugbenga Hakeem Jubrill, and Dewi Sion Benham on either flank there was enough attacking pace on show to frighten many teams higher in the ranking than our visitors from up the road. It was that pace and no short measure of skill that saw the deadlock broken on 12 minutes when a ranging pass from Max Allen standing in at centre back tonight, that found Arnold in the left channel gave the in form striker a chance to test the opposition defence. He beat the first man and cutting inside he appeared to take the shot earlier than the keeper anticipated, result was 1 v 0, it usually is when he gets in that situation.
It took just another 5 minutes for new first team signing Benga (for short) to announce his arrival to those supporters watching last night. A fine solo effort resulted in 2-0 and the whites were firmly in control of this game. Or so it looked. On 34 minutes in a rare Marlborough attack by then a shot from just outside the box took a huge deflection to send whites stopper Dan McCarthy the wrong way, and give the visitors hope.
That hope lasted exactly 10 minutes. A ball into Devon Arnold in the right sided channel saw the striker turn his marker and get away. Sion was cutting inside as Devon had taken his space, but found by Arnold a twist and a turn later he got his shot away from all of 25 yards that seemed to travel through the open hands of the keeper to end up in the corner of the net. 3 – 1 and breathing space which would allow the home side to play with a lot more freedom in the 2nd half.
The whites were out early after the break but once the whistle went for the start it took just 23 seconds and not a touch from a Marlborough player before the lead was extended to 4-1. 5-6 passes, a cross into the box which initially fell behind no 9 Arnold, but when facing away from goal, what do you do? Back heel it of course. A cheeky finish so quick into the 2nd period ended the game as a competition on the night.
In the 51st minute another good move from the home side saw a rare commodity, Arnold completely shanked a shot at goal, but when your luck is in, it’s in. Will Waterson somehow got onto the attempted strike but some 4 yards wide of the goal and little more than a few feet from the bye line and somehow struck into the back of the net. Technically giving his strike partner another assist, however we won’t be entering that in the season stats. 5v 1.
Come 81 minutes into the game a good whites move seemingly ended with a ball into the box from the right hand side which fell some 20 yards in front of then winger Devon Arnold. However the defender wanted far too much time on the ball and you do not get that against this side. Arnold closed him down and stole the ball to go one on one with the keeper. When your confidence is sky high there is likely only one outcome, yep Goal. 6 -1.
The last goal of the night on 86 minutes came when our no 9 of last season Ed Timperley got his goal when coming off the bench.
Final score was 7-1.
This was another vastly changed side in a season in which after just 7 games 30 different players have had to be used. A few weeks of more constant availability and a few less injuries wouldn’t go a miss. A return during this period of 5 wins and 2 defeats is in the circumstances not the end of the world, although it’s already clear that the 5-6 teams that are expecting to be in the final shake up will depend on the results between each other.
Saturday the Dev travel to Royal Wootton Bassett Dev. Currently 2nd in the league on 25 points and a goal difference of + 47. This will be a massive test of who we are, we hope to get a few back from injury for this big fixture, but already know we have lost a couple of key players from last nights squad.
Salisbury moved up to 7th in the table with up to 5 games in hand on those above them.
Written by Mark Winter