Stephen Walker's treble helps hosts Scarborough Athletic battle back to beat in-form Marine 4-1
A brilliant second-half fightback on a cold and breezy afternoon saw Boro come from behind to net a superb 4-1 win against in-form Marine, to end the Merseyside team’s nine-match unbeaten run.
Despite the score, this was a close-fought affair, but with striker Richie Bennett starting a two-game suspension, Stephen Walker led the Boro line, and contributed a clinical hat-trick to seal the points for Jono Greening’s side, writes Steve Adamson.
The visitors shaded possession and created the better chances in the opening 45 minutes. Finlay Sinclair-Smith and the impressive Jack Hazlehurst both fired wide and skipper Bobby Grant shot straight at Ryan Whitley, while early Boro attacks saw Harry Green dink a shot wide then Green charged into the area, but was tackled by Bailey Sloane, before Marine went ahead when a Hazlehurst corner was headed in off the underside of the bar by centre-back James Butler.
The visitors went close when Andy Scarisbrick shot narrowly over, Alex Purver blocked a Hazlehurst volley, and a Hazlehurst strike was held by Whitley.
As the interval approached Boro, with Purver dictating midfield, began to get on top. A neat back-heel from Walker sent Dom Tear racing through, and he laid off to Green, whose shot was blocked by James Brown, but the equaliser arrived just before the break. Sam Reed passed to Alex Brown wide left, and his cross into the area was met by a thumping header from Walker, which flew past keeper Max Metcalfe.
Whatever Greening said to his players at half-time had the desired effect as Boro upped a gear, and were ahead within three minutes of the re-start, when a right-wing corner from Luca Colville (Boro’s first of the match) was powerfully headed home by Walker.
Marine went close, a Butler shot was blocked by Mackenzie Maltby, then a Leigh Whelan shot deflected into the path of Josh Wardle on the six-yard line, but Whitley made a superb point-blank save.
It was now a terrific game, both sides creating chances, Colville fired inches wide before he began the move that led to Boro’s third goal, passing forward to Tear, who raced into the area and was fouled by Butler, Walker sending the spot-kick into the bottom right corner to complete his hat-trick.
A Colville corner clipped the top of the bar, then Marine had chances, an Owen Robinson free-kick struck the Boro wall, Harvey Gregson glanced a header into Whitley’s arms and Sinclair-Smith fired against the right-hand post.
The excellent Kieran Weledji tackled Grant as he ran clear and Butler glanced a header wide, but Boro added a fourth goal when a ball into the goalmouth from Green was diverted into the net by the unlucky Butler.
Colville fired into the chest of Metcalfe, Green was tackled by Adam Thomas as he raced clear and Lewis Maloney fired over as Boro ended the game on top.
BORO - Whitley, Duckworth (Waldron 78), A. Brown, Maltby, Weledji, Purver (c), Reed (Maloney 74), Tear, Walker (Thornton 84), Green, Colville, unused subs - Bancroft, Mulhern.
MARINE - Metcalfe, Whelan (Fielding 62), Wardle, J.Brown (Thomas 62), Butler, Gregson (Murphy 75), Sloane (Shaw 62), Hazlehurst, Grant (c), Scarisbrick (Robinson 36), Sinclair-Smith
REFEREE - Tom Wilson
GOALS - BORO - Steve Walker 44, 48, 58 (pen), James Butler 74 (og); MARINE - James Butler 25
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 11 (6 on target) MARINE 13 (6 on target)
CORNERS - BORO 3 MARINE 6
OFFSIDES - BORO 2 MARINE 3
YELLOW CARDS - Alex Purver (Boro), Adam Thomas (Marine)
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Stephen Walker
ATTENDANCE - 1,310 (58 away).