MARLOW Football Club are through to the fifth round of the FA Vase after a 1-0 win over Eagle Bitter League side Stotfold at Oak Tree Road on Monday night.

Robert Gibson's strike on 50 minutes was enough to see the Blues through and silence the Stotfold boss Phil Pateman who had stung the Bucks club with his criticism before the match.

Pateman accused the Ryman League side of lacking pace and being bad at defending set pieces. He also said that Marlow's star man James Pritchard has a tendency to drift in and out of matches.

But Pateman's criticism only spurred Marlow to make sure they dismissed their opponents on Monday as the game finally got underway at the third attempt. The previous two meetings had been abandoned because of the weather.

But the Blues gave their supporters a few anxious moments, failing to convert a hat-ful of chances that would have made it a more comfortable second half for the home side.

And they had to endure three-and-a-half minutes of stoppage time before the final whistle signalled their move into the next round.

Had Marlow converted their many chances it might not have been so nailbiting.

Jason Travis could have put them ahead after just 30 seconds when his strike forced the visiting keeper into early action.

But Stotfold also had an early chance when James Pritchard's terrible back pass gifted them an opportunity. Only a timely tackle from the rock solid Grant Goodall denied the visitors.

With the Blues having a penalty appeal turned down it remained goalless at the break but Marlow changed all that just five minutes into the second half with the only goal of the match.

Gibson blasted past the static keeper after Jason Bowler had put him through at the near post.

Stotfold very nearly equalised in fluke circumstances when Jim Bradley's clearance ricocheted off a Stotfold forward and narrowly missed Marlow's net.

At the other end Sam Shephard fluffed his chance from ten yards out, with only the keeper to beat, to put the game beyond Stotfold, while Travis saw an excellent 35-yard drive sail just wide.

But Marlow clung on and will now entertain Durham-based Northern League side Marske in the fifth round on February 10.