(Full disclosure: I haven't looked at the particular match in question)
I'm going to guess that the question is basic and he doesn't quite understand the rules, so I'm going to explain them. If this isn't the case, just ignore this post...
it is a numbers game. Look at the rules in the 'help' section for more information, but here's my quick version:
if 1 unit attacks 1 unit, no replacement is made.
There is a concept of 'support':
'support move' is when an additional unit 'supports' the attack of a unit. So if you see a yellow line on an attack, that yellow line is the 'supporting' unit to the attack. So if you have 1 unit with 1 support attacking 1 unit holding, that is 2 attacking on 1, so the attacking wins the battle.
'support hold' is when a 2nd unit 'holds' and help defends the holding unit. If you see a green line up against a unit, the unit is having help defending his hold with the other unit. So if you have 1 attack with 1 support attack (2 attackers) against 1 unit with 1 support holding unit (2 defenders), the result is a 'bounce' (or, in your terms, the attack would be repealed).
Now, you moved... when moving, you cannot benefit from any support holds (cause you aren't holding), so, unless you won your battle and moved to a new location, you can be displaced by 2 (or more) attackers attacking your moving unit.
An example, you are england, france is your enemy.
France has a fleet in brest, an army in spa and a fleet in mao.
England has a fleet in gascony.
france holds brest, moves spa-gas, and mao support (attacks) spa-gas.
england moves gas-bre.
gas-bre fails (1 on 1) meaning gas didn't displace bre, so it remains in gas. Now spa is attacking your 1 unit in gas, with a support in mao. That is a 2 on 1, so spa wins and takes gas.
This is a basic setup in the game. There is a lot more to be learned (like cutting supports, attacking your own unit with supports so it can move, etc...), so if this is where your confusion is, I'd read over the rules, watch some of Edi's youtube tutorials and play around with something like jDip to understand how the game works (and watch some high level games and ask questions about it).