Marlow 9, Abingdon Town 1

ABINGDON Town, depleted by injury and unavailability, crashed to one of the heaviest defeats in their history last night.

Marlow, without a single point in Ryman League Division 2 this season until this game, took advantage of some poor defending to record a massacre.

Without five regular first team players, Abingdon were once again the architects of their own downfall.

But there were mitigating circumstances. First-choice keeper Colin Fleet withdrew just before the match with the recurrence of a hip injury, throwing youth team keeper Jonathan Beames into the fray.

"Jonathan did quite well in the circumstances," said Abingdon chairman Phil Evans. "There was just some woeful defending in front of him."

Town were also without Mark Tovill, Roger Charles, who is awaiting a knee injury, and flu victim Keith Holmes.

A hat-trick from Robert Gibson, and further goals from Grant Goodall, Dale Godfrey (2), Robert Anson and Ian Manley (2) led to the miserable night for the Abbots, who trailed 5-0 at the break.

However, Abingdon still scored the best goal of the night, when Mickey Tighe netted with a terrific shot into the top corner from 30 yards.

Abingdon Town: Beames, Douglas, Harwood, Jones, Rodney, McMahon, McNamara (Ferguson) Tighe, Twine, Price, Didcock.

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