Vital clash for Martyrs
HITCHIN Town travel to Merthyr on Saturday as the two teams battle among the leading challengers for promotion to the Vanarama National League Division One (3pm).
With the Hertfordshire side second and Merthyr third, an absorbing battle is expected, and fans may need to arrive early if they want to obtain their regular place at the LoadLok Stadium, Penydarren Park.
Former Forest Green favourite Curtis McDonald, a central defender, will be back in contention after a two-match ban, to face a Hitchin side which had to work hard last Saturday for a 1-0 home win over Stratford Town. Robbie Burns was the scorer.
This meant that Hitchin were six points ahead of Merthyr but having played one more match. Other results helped Merthyr as leader Leamington also six points clear of Merthyr, were held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Chippenham Town, fifth place, and Slough Town went down 2-0 at St Ives, putting them on 52 points with Merthyr but with two games in hand, and fourth.
Merthyr look a good bet for the play-offs from the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division but with top sides dropping points, no-one would rule out Merthyr, unbeaten at home in the league, finishing champions.
With sleet and snow showers forecast for Saturday, Merthyr may take precautions with their 3G pitch. They laid covers near the grandstand side before the scheduled league encounter with Redditch United but the rest of the field was frozen, causing the game to be postponed. It has now been re-arranged for Tuesday, January 31 (7.45pm).
Regarding the post- ponement, a club statement said: “The area in front of the stand was fine as we covered it on Saturday morning. It was the rest of the pitch that was the problem and as there would have been no sun beaming its rays down on the area in front of the stand once the covers had been removed, it would have frozen. The cost of the covers for the rest of the pitch would be prohibitive considering that it would only be needed a few times a season, and, as mentioned, the area in front of the stand would always be a problem once the covers have been removed.”