By Pete Martin
Salisbury returned empty-handed from a wet North Wiltshire as they were defeated 1-0 by Swindon Supermarine. There were 2 changes from the home defeat to Poole Town; Josh Sommerton and Lucas Tomlinson replacing Nessum Kherbouche and Devon Arnold.
The game had survived a morning pitch inspection and the conditions meant it was always going to be tough to play much free-flowing football and that proved the case in the early stages. There was a sniff of goal in the 5th minute for Salisbury skipper Dan Fitchett but home keeper Josh Gould was quick off his line to claim the ball. The first threat from Supermarine arrived after 11 minutes and saw a long throw flicked on with striker Harry Williams firing well over the bar. For large parts of the half, the game was very attritional, neither side able to exert much control or offer too much attacking threat. On 26 minutes Salisbury were awarded what looked like a soft free kick just outside the area and Brandon Goodship stepped up to draw the only save of the half from either keeper; Gould getting across well to his right and beating the ball away. Just 2 minutes later Swindon had their best chance of the half, Henry Spalding shooting narrowly wide following a quick break after the Whites gave the ball away in midfield. As the rain started to fall the rest of the half was a bit of a nondescript affair; no lack of effort from either side but no real quality, to ensure the teams went in level at half time.
With heavy rain falling during the break, there was a further pitch inspection during half time. Despite some heavy patches in places the pitch was deemed playable and it was the Whites who started the half on the front foot, although they were unable to test Gould. On 55 minutes Supermarine gave a reminder of their capabilities, Williams heading wide when well placed. Salisbury immediately responded; Goodship curling an effort just over before Fitchett was just unable to get on the end of Calvin Brooks’s low ball into the box. On the hour mark, however, Swindon grabbed what proved to be the only goal of the game. A defensive slip from Salisbury let Supermarine in and a Williams ball was played perfectly into the path of Spalding who slotted the ball home from the right-hand side of the box. Salisbury’s heads didn’t drop and they could have bounced back 2 minutes later with Lucas Tomlinson seeing his effort deflected narrowly wide when fed in by Fitchett before another dangerous ball in by Brooks was unable to be converted by a Whites player. As the rain continued to fall and the pitch cut up more and more, it was Salisbury who were seeing more of the ball. The Whites, however, were unable to test Gould in the Swindon goal; the home keeper not having a save to make in the 2nd half. As the game entered the final stages, Salisbury were unable to carve out the chance required and Supermarine held on for 3 points in what had been a tight game.
With next Saturday’s scheduled opponents Harrow Borough in FA Trophy action, the Whites have a blank weekend next week, although they do travel to Highworth Town on Tuesday 10th January for a Wiltshire Premier Shield game, before resuming league action on Saturday 21st January when they welcome Gosport Borough to the Ray Mac.
Team: Benfield, Brooks C, Gillela, Roberts, Sommerton, Carmichael( Lawerence), Yang, Brooks M(Lee), Tomlinson(Arnold), Goodship, Fitchett.
Unused Subs: Gunstone-Gray
