Bartley's sleepless night after Marlow's 'gutless' derby defeat

Mitch Parker missed a second half penalty for the Blues. Photo: Theo Edwards

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Mark Bartley admitted he’d struggle to sleep after watching Marlow’s abysmal second half display in last night’s (Tuesday) derby with Flackwell Heath.

The Blues just about matched their in-form visitors in the first half at Oak Tree Road, but as the rain teemed down in the second half, they succumbed to another demoralising defeat – their fifth straight loss in the league.

You sense the manager is struggling to put his finger on where things are going wrong for the Blues at present. After a brief recovery – and a string of positive results – his side are now spiralling down the Southern League Central Division table once again, and last night’s result leaves them nine points above the drop zone.

Fourth from bottom Leverstock Green also have two games in hand over Marlow, so it’s not completely out of the question the Blues could yet be sucked into another relegation battle.

Having come into last night’s clash off the back of four straight defeats – where the Blues managed to score just twice while conceding 10 – they were clearly shorn of form and confidence. But in the pelting rain they managed to match their visitors in the first half, and Bartley came off feeling his side had just about ‘stuck to the plan’.

That plan was torn to shreds after the interval though after Jack Shakespeare raced through to slot home the Heathens opener in the 50th minute. The hosts could have responded immediately when Shamar Moore was brought down in the box and the referee pointed to the penalty spot, but Mitch Parker’s penalty was well saved by Slough Town loanee Henry Upstell, and the Heathens capitalised on their reprieve.

Ben Stallard hammered them two goals to the good in the 74th minute while Bruce Nsang and Lucas Wynn caught Marlow on the counter as the hosts poured forward in desperation in the latter stages of the game.

Having given his players a dressing down, Bartley emerged to speak with club media after the final whistle, and he didn’t hold back.

“I’m furious,” he said.

“It was a gutless performance. First half I thought we basically stuck to the plan. We came in at 0-0. Admittedly we had to make a couple of changes, but I don’t feel it should have impacted the team in that way.

“At half-time I think we were even, but to concede the goals we conceded in the second half, nah, it’s not acceptable to me.

“I’m furious at that, it was a gutless performance from us in the second half. There was a lack of accountability from us at various times in the half where we conceded the goals and I think we got what we deserved.

“To do it in a game like that, which is one of our local derbies, it hurts a bit more. It will be a long night for me; I probably won’t sleep much tonight and that’s where we are.”

The result leaves Marlow 17th in the table on 29 points, now seven behind Flackwell who’ve leapt up to 12th on 36 points. It also leaves them just nine points above the drop zone with Leverstock Green having two games in hand over them.

Weather permitting, the Blues will return to action at home to Northwood on Saturday, however, the Oak Tree Road surface looked pretty cut up after last night’s derby clash in the driving rain. Flackwell are set to host Rayners Lane on Saturday.