United will now play Old Bradwell United of the Spartan League in the final at a venue and date yet to be announced. The final will yet again be an all step 7 affair as the last step 6 club, Sandhurst Town were vanquished by the North Bucks Spartan Leaguers.

The match v Newbury Town was always going to be a tight and tense affair, semi finals always are, and fine margins decide such contests but I don’t think anyone would deny United’s success over the 90 minutes.

Town came as underdogs but United were not fooled by that and were very aware that they were playing a top Premier Division side dressed up in Division One clothing and United’s mentality proved to be successful on the day.

Credit to Newbury however as they will rue a super save from the United ‘keeper followed up by a penalty save, fine margins indeed although to temper that United did have openings that should have been capitalised upon and a first half goal controversially ruled out for offside.

One shouldn’t underplay United’s achievement in reaching a third successive final in what is effectively the ‘champions league’ for step 6 & 7 clubs, now all they need to do is win the damn thing!

United’s reserves brought 3-points home from Goring following an emphatic 4-1 win to ease any relegation worries.

Around the Premier Division yesterday United’s main contenders Cookham Dean and Woodcote both won 1-0 against Woodley Utd Royals and Wraysbury respectively. Other games were cancelled due to waterlogged pitches.

But the day belonged to United, many teams and players will never appear in a county senior final so for Marlow to achieve this yet again deserves praise of the highest order and Messrs Pritchard, Romeo and Dickens can justifiably be pleased with themselves as United, tactically, were spot on.

I’ve mentioned often the strength in depth that is contained in the United squad and this was put to the most severe of tests on Saturday. The previous match against Mortimer saw 3 United players sent off leading to suspensions and any hope that these players would be available were thwarted when United’s scheduled next game with Wokingham was called off due to snow. A further injury meant United were four players down but the squad is strong as demonstrated yesterday and the replacement players eased seamlessly into the team but one position that did cause concern was the loss of the first choice ‘keeper , to lose a player in such a critical position is always concerning but a 5-star performance from Alex Partridge again demonstrated this strength in depth.

I wouldn’t usually pick players out especially as Saturday was about a complete team performance but, and I’m sure his colleagues won’t mind, Alan Mckie was exemplary at centre back nullifying what many, including me, considered Newbury’s greatest threat, a first-class performance indeed.

So, for the second consecutive season its an all step 7 final which is indicative of the difference between step 6 & step 7, that difference generally being floodlights as there are clearly many teams at step 7 who are more than a match for their so called higher level opponents.

United’s reserves travel to Richings Park for a Second Division encounter this Saturday but with no first team game, bizarrely, this Saturday United can afford to bask in a little glory for a few days before taking the trip to either Hellenic Premier Ardley United or Wantage Town to play for a place in the semi final of the Reading Invitation Challenge Cup, which may well be next Tuesday providing the Ardley v Wantage game goes ahead this Tuesday evening. United will go into this game as massive underdogs against their step 5 opponents but who dares wins!

Following this United host Woodcote SR at the Alfred Davis on Saturday 23 February.