SWINDON TOWN: Marshall makes his mark (From Swindon Advertiser)

SWINDON TOWN: Marshall makes his mark

7:10am Monday 15th March 2010 in

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THERE aren’t too many Town fans who could have honestly envisaged Mark Marshall playing a pivotal role in the club’s push for promotion this season.

The winger has spent most of the season kicking his heels in the reserves and, following a spell out on loan at Hereford, was seemingly behind Jon-Paul McGovern, Danny Ward, Alan O’Brien and Matt Ritchie in the County Ground pecking order for a wide berth.

But Marshall was called up for a spot on the bench at Brighton on Saturday, and got the nod just over half an hour in when manager Danny Wilson reshuffled following Vincent Pericard’s injury.

And the former Eastleigh man went on to play a integral part in helping Swindon bounce back to winning ways and further cement their place in the League One play-offs, having a big hand in Charlie Austin’s 69th minute winner.

“I’m a person who always believes and that’s why I always work hard,” explained Marshall, who was tireless in his efforts all afternoon at the Withdean Stadium and caused the Seagulls all kinds of problems.

“In the reserves I’ve played, scored goals and got quite a few assists too, so I always thought I was going to get a chance. It was just a case of when it was going to come, but it’s come now and I think I did well.

“You have to grab it because you don’t get second chances in football. There’s so much competition day in, day out from everywhere, but I’m just happy to play and happy that the team got three points.

“It’s never good when any of the players get injured, but obviously some of the boys who weren’t getting a look in can now get a sniff.

“Hopefully the lads aren’t badly injured and will be back soon, and I will be still digging away, keeping my head down and trying to get in as always.”

Brighton started much sharper than a Swindon side who came into the game on the back of successive league defeats, and Kazenga LuaLua, Glenn Murray and Andrew Crofts all threatened to break the deadlock without success – captain Gordon Greer doing superbly to clear Murray’s header off the line.

Town were up against it and their cause wasn’t helped by the double loss of goalkeeper David Lucas in the 12th minute, and then striker Pericard on 33 minutes, both to hamstring strains.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Bolton loanee Danny Ward took a nasty blow to the head and was withdrawn at half-time, with the visitors using up all their changes and having to revert to an unfamiliar 4-5-1 formation.

But Swindon improved after the break and Austin should have put them ahead on 59 minutes, taking advantage of a slip by Adam El-Abd, only to drag his shot harmlessly wide.

Greer then went closer when his header forced Seagulls keeper Peter Brezovan into a decent stop, before Austin finally netted his 14th goal of the season when he profited from Marshall’s superb cross and an impressive lay-off from Jon-Paul McGovern.

From that point on Town did everything they could to close the game out, and with Brighton throwing men forward, they were superb defensively to repel wave after wave of pressure.

And when the rearguard was finally breached in stoppage time, substitute keeper Phil Smith produced an outstanding low stop to keep out LuaLua and seal all three points for the visitors.

“It was tiring – I’m hanging,” joked Marshall after. “I thought the boys did well considering the pitch, the conditions and the circumstances.

“We dug in deep, got a result and it’s put us right back in it. That’s what we needed after two losses. We’re right back up there and full of confidence.”