Evo-Stik Southern, West

Swindon Supermarine 1 Slimbridge 1 (Match abandoned)

A competitive Evo-Stik Southern, West clash, played in awful weather conditions, was abandoned late in the second half due to serious injury to Slimbridge striker Marley Thomas when the game was poised at 1-1.

A club statement said: "Fortunately the injury turned out to be ligament damage with no break. 

"All at Slimbridge AFC would like to thank the medical staff at Swindon Supermarine for their fantastic assistance in helping Lucy look after Marley. We wish Marley well for a speedy recovery."

Slimbridge started the game well putting some early pressure on the home side, however it was Marine who had the first real chance on 8 minutes with Josh Parsons firing over the bar.

Three minutes later the visitors took the lead with a well worked move started by Dean Turner on the right playing a neat pass to Marley Thomas in the middle. Thomas’s run split the defence wide open for Joe Wilton to run onto a perfectly weighted through ball and lofted over the home keeper and into the net.

At the other end, the dangerous Connor Thompson’s shot was deflected with by a last ditch Alex Hoyle tackle, soon followed by Korey Pring blocking a goal bound shot again by Thompson who was causing the visiting defence all sorts of trouble.

The Swans lead should have been doubled on 20 minutes when Mace played a long ball over the home defence for Thomas to run onto but he hit his shot at keeper Josh Hill was well saved. Luke Payne failed to hit the target from a Sean Lawson cross with a shot over the bar from 18 yards out.

Swindon then piled on the pressure for the remainder of the half with Parsons’ shooting wide and both Joe Selman and Thompson having shots blocked by the visiting defence.

Slimbridge were forced into an early second half substitution when goal scorer Wilton failed to shrug off a hamstring injury and was replaced by manager Freddy Ward, with Paul Chappell taking Fred’s role in the dugout.

Marine increased the pressure on the visiting side with Thompson and Ryan Campbell having shots blocked and Parsons hitting the side netting.

On 75 minutes, visiting captain Hoyle received his second yellow card and marching orders for a mistimed tackle in the box leading to the home side being awarded a penalty. Brad Hooper duly dispatching the spot kick past Ollie Hall to level the scores. A minute later a Sam Turl pass found Thomas in space and his shot was tipped over the bar by Hill.

The game effectively ended on 78 minutes, Thomas ran the ball on the left to the by line and put a delightful cross in to the advancing Lawson whose shot was saved well by the keeper.

Home defender Joe Shepherd sliding tackle on Thomas as he put the cross in, accidently caught Thomas resulting in a serious injury to the visiting striker.

Shepherd was shown a straight red card for the tackle followed by a second yellow and sending off for Swans midfielder Turner who reacted to the challenge on his team-mate.

Due to the nature of the injury, a suspected broken leg or ankle, an ambulance was called, and, after a wait of 20 minutes during which time Thomas was treated on the pitch by the Swans physio Lucy Pearce and the home medical staff, the referee decided to abandon the game.

Slimbridge: Hall, Turl, Mace Pring, Thwaite, Hoyle, Turner, L Payne, Lawson, Wilton (Ward 50), Thomas