WIMBORNE Town were narrowly beaten by Marlow despite coming back to equalise twice.

The Magpies were coming into the game off a fine performance in the league against Taunton last weekend but were disappointed to come away with nothing against a side that previously hadn’t won at home this season.

Manager Tim Sills stuck with the same outfield 11 that played last weekend, the only change seeing Ben Rodwell coming in for Alex Rutter in goal, with Rutter injured in Tuesday’s Dorset Cup tie.

Wimborne started brightly and saw efforts on goal from Matty Burrows and Jez Bedford in the opening six minutes.

But it was the hosts who took the lead on 20 minutes from a Oladunjoye long throw, which had looked threatening in the opening exchanges.

Wimborne failed to clear a throw in from the right, and it came to Hoath on the left of the D and he fired home low and hard across the keeper to give Marlow their first goal for 280 minutes.

The visitors were stunned and went about looking for an equaliser before the break, Will Fletcher shooting wide as Burrows caused problems on the left wing.

They went close to a leveller in the final five minutes of the half, as a defender’s touch on a Sam Jackson cross was cleared off the line, before Billy Walker headed a corner over the bar.

The sides went into the break with Marlow holding the narrow lead, Wimborne unable to find the illusive equaliser before the interval.

Marlow found the back of the net three minutes after the resumption, but the assistant’s flag was up for offside.

The equaliser came on 57 minutes as Matt Neale found Burrows, who beat his man for pace and slotted past the keeper.

Wimborne were on the ascendancy and nearly took the lead two minutes later as a Walker header was cleared off the line.

But their hopes of leading were dashed as Marlow regained it on the hour mark as a clearance was flicked on to Nawaf, who poked the ball past Rodwell from 20 yards.

The home side was full of confidence and nearly got a third as Sani tried an audacious lob from 35 yards, only for Rodwell to back pedal and tip it over.

Wimborne equalised again, though, as Jack Lovell beat the keeper to Adam Biss’ cross from the right, to set up a grandstand finish.

The game was there for the taking and take it the home side did.

It was a carbon copy of the second goal as Nawaf racing onto another long ball, poked it past Rodwell and tapped into an unguarded net.

Wimborne threw everything at getting another equaliser but were unable to find it, falling to a disappointing 3-2 defeat on the road, staying 13th in the table.