Molesey 3-1 Frimley Green - Official Match Report

Molesey’s steady climb up the Combined Counties Premier Division continued with convincing 3-1 win over Frimley Green.

Goals five minutes either side of half-time from Luke Elliott and Matt Baxter set the Moles on their way, and after a raft of missed second half chances Dale Marvell’s late header added the third.

Substitute Jermiele Johnson’s goal deep into stoppage time prevented a fourth consecutive clean sheet for the Moles.

The game was not without its controversy and was one to forget for the referee, who failed to send off Baxter for an ugly studs up lunge that connected just below Matt Griffiths’ knee just after Molesey had taken the lead, which then gave licence for a two-footed horror tackle by Green’s Lee Page on James McShane and lunge by Nick Thumbwood on the same player. All three deserved reds; all three received yellows.

Other than Joe Pratley-Jones’ re-introduction as full back it was the same Molesey side that had started the previous three games, and it was a quiet and evenly balanced opening half hour to the game, with Ross Chalke forcing a fine double save from Stuart Norman, whilst Baxter had a header ruled out for offside.

Frimley Green were compact, workmanlike and neat and tidy on the ball but lacked a genuine goal threat, however the Moles defence brought problems on themselves with two woefully executed offside traps, the second of which resulted in a terrific tackle by Pratley-Jones preventing Richard Ramsey a free shot at goal.

Those two aberrations aside, they defended magnificently and prevented Green an attempt on target until 85 minutes were on the clock.

Molesey turned up the pressure as the half went on, and Chalke was unlucky when his terrific leap to get on the end of McShane’s cross resulted in his header smacking against the bar, although he perhaps should have done better than to skew the follow-up harmlessly wide.

The opening goal arrived from a McShane corner to the far post that saw two Molesey players unmarked and the ball was played back into the danger zone for Elliott to smash the ball home from close range for his fourth goal of the season.

The Baxter incident followed two minutes later and after going in over the top of the ball he even had the temerity to accuse Griffiths of playing for it. If anything Griffiths did him a favour by making minimal fuss, and then didn’t return for the second half.

The ref might have been swayed by the constant protests and backchat from the Frimley Green players up to that point, or may have just wanted to give Baxter the benefit of the doubt. Whatever his reason for keeping him on the pitch, it was the wrong one.

Typically, it was Baxter who extended Molesey’s lead just after the re-start. Ollie Robinson had already seen a goal controversially ruled out for offside when Baxter grabbed his 15th of the season by blasting a half-volley past Norman from Pratley-Jones’ free kick. Again, the marking was questionable.

The Moles went on to dominate the remainder of the game. A linesman’s flag denied the Moles for a third time when Marvell’s effort was ruled out, and the same player hit the post later on.

McShane saw a goalbound effort blocked by a defender’s leg, and then placed a free kick straight into Norman’s arms.

Norman saved well from Marvell, injuring himself in the process, and Tom Windsor rounded the keeper but then managed to put the ball wide with the goal gaping.

The game turned ugly when Page went flying in two footed on McShane. Showing a red card should have been the easiest decision of the ref’s afternoon, but he chose to only brandish a yellow. McShane also picked up a booking for taking exception to the challenge.

Having already let two offences go, it was no surprise when Thumbwood’s lunge on McShane was also deemed worthy of just a yellow card.

Substitute Will Marlowe’s cross set up Marvell to head home Molesey’s third, and it was virtually the last kick of the game that Johnson popped up at the near post to give Frimley a consolation and deny the Moles a fourth clean sheet in the row – something they have failed to achieve during Steve Webb’s six and a half years in charge.

Next up for the Moles is another home clash against Hartley Wintney on Tuesday.