Swindon Supermarine

FULL TIME

Into the hat for the next round.

Hooper, Abubakar, Hall goals see us through.

HALF TIME

Ahead at the break after we went behind early.

Hooper and Abubakar’s penalty for us.

TEAM NEWS

Our FA Cup line up has one change from Wednesday as T’awana Changa returns in place of Rhys Tyler.

New signing Adam Po***ck is on the bench alongside the story of the last round, Lucas Wilkinson.

📍 On location for some FA Cup action.

Shout out to the grounds team here at Didcot by the way. Unbelievable surface. 😮‍💨

MATCH DAY

Hoping to get one step closer to Wembley this afternoon.

MATCH PREVIEW - Didcot Town (A)

I tried to start this match preview multiple times, but I think I’ll start by reflecting on the start to the season and where the club finds itself four games into the season (3 League and 1 Cup).

We’ve quietly gone under the radar, conducting our football efforts with grit, steel, determination and a togetherness as a group that is a pleasure to watch. We’ve had to work hard through adversity in our games, and stand firm under pressure. We’ve been clinical when it’s mattered and it’s these attributes that see us currently sit at the top of the league, where we now have a break until August Bank Holiday Monday.

Heading into this weekend’s FA Cup match up with Didcot Town, is another test for this young group. They’ve had 4 very different tests so far, and stood up well to them all.

The last round victory over Tuffley, having to come from behind with 10 minutes to go against the underdogs, eventually winning 3-1. The play off finalists on our opening night of the league season. Defensively astute, measured and we took our chance when it came. Bishops Cleeve on a Friday night at their patch. A side consistently near the top, in and amongst it and never far from the conversation of promotion or play offs. A moment of ruthlessness from Sal Abubakar, thrashing the ball beyond the keeper and staking a claim for goal of the season already. And then our last outing. An away day to a newly promoted side in Slimbridge. A potential banana skin. After a resolute defensive performance for the first 15 minutes, the floodgates opened. First Abubakar at the back post, before a double from Tyger Hall and a Brad Hooper goal (granted after the dubious goals panel awarded it to him). As if that wasn’t enough, the effervescent Dan Warre then got in on the action to give us a 5-0 lead at the break. A simply unbelievable half of football. 5 goals from 5 shots on target. The second half starting in the same fashion as Warre finished his brace and Conor McDonagh netted our 7th before the hour. It was ruthless. It was astonishing. It was the first time Marine have hit seven in a game in 8 years. To their credit, Slimbridge didn’t give up and manufactured 2 very good goals and will be a threat to plenty of teams this season. It turned out to be Bobby’s biggest winning margin as Marine manager and was a real statement victory on a night that started off very slowly.

Those results, that grit, and that ruthlessness will put us in good stead as we head to Loop Meadow to face Didcot tomorrow. A side we know relatively well from recent league visits, the Railwaymen sidestepped to the Southern League Division One Central for 2026/27 and they are a team in good form as well.

Their last outing was also a 9-goal thriller, as they beat London Lions away from home, 6-3. The perennial forward figures of Owen James and JP Nyuysemo contributing to 5 of those goals between them.

Didcot eased into this round after defeating Binfield 2-0 in the previous round and sit 5th in their league table, after the one league game played.

Recent meetings between us, have traditionally been tight, fractious and often very tense. In the last 5 meetings, there have been 2 wins for Marine (4-1 and 2-0), two 0-0 draws, and a 1-0 victory for Didcot coming in our final outing of 2025.

One thing is for sure, Bobby and the boys are ready for this one. If it ends in a draw, it’s a replay back at our place on Monday night. If it doesn’t, one of these two teams dream of Wembley will come to an end for another season.

Last 5 meetings
03/02/18 - DID 0-0 SSM
30/12/23 - SSM 4-1 DID
01/04/24 - DID 0-2 SSM
27/12/25 - DID 1-0 SSM
06/04/26 - SSM 0-0 DID

Come on Marine!

MATCH GALLERY

Marine hit Slimbridge for 7, as we went top of the table on Wednesday evening and our photographer, Alex White, was there to capture the best of the action.

VIEW : 194968541@N04/301QJ42G18" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://www.flickr.com/gp/194968541@N04/301QJ42G18

UP NEXT

We take a break from league action, with a trip to Didcot on Saturday in the FA Cup.

MATCH REPORT - Slimbridge (A)

Well, last night was something to behold. A 9 goal thriller with 7 from the Marine boys, and Pete Crockett was in attendance to describe the action.

Read his match report here. 👇🏼

https://swindonsupermarinefc.com/blog/slimbridge-2-marine-7

FULL TIME

SUPERMAR7NE

We run riot scoring 7 through Hall (2), Warre (2), Abubakar, McDonagh and an OG.