Mixed fortunes
A win and a loss for Martyrs
AFTER featuring in two successive Southern League tussles at The LoadLok Stadium, which saw 14 goals, nine of them from Merthyr, the Martyrs faced two away games.
They were at Weymouth on Tuesday and this Saturday they go to Hitchin Town who pipped them on penalties in last season’s semi-finals play-offs for the Vanarama National League Division One.
The two sides clashed in the opening match of this season and fought out a goal-less draw. Neither team has so far performed as well as the last campaign.
Merthyr, pipped 5-4 at home to Slough Town, scored five again on Saturday, but this time without reply, overcoming bottom side Gosport Borough.
At the weekend Merthyr were in seventh spot in The Evo-Stik South Premier, three points below the play-offs spot. Hitchin were 17th with four wins, three draws and six defeats. And in a busy time, Merthyr are home on Tuesday, October 24, to Stratford Town (7.45pm). Stratford thrashed struggling Dunstable Town at the weekend 5-1 for their third win this season with them in 19th position.
Merthyr midfielder Matthew Harris, who missed two seasons with injury, is still on loan to Briton Ferry although a groin strain excluded him from their last match. Meanwhile, Ryan Prosser is still yet to return to action because of a back problem, and is some weeks from fitness.
Gavin Williams, Merthyr boss, was unhappy to see defender Cameron Pring return to Bristol City after his loan spell in which he impressed.
Williams said: “I would like to thank Cameron for his commitment during his time with us, and Bristol City, for allowing him to come to us on loan. I think it has been beneficial to both parties and wish Cameron all the best on his return to Bristol.”
Pring, whose brother Corey plays for Evo-Stik West side Slimbridge, enjoyed his stay with The Martyrs but hopes for a club nearer his Wootonunder-Edge home if he has another loan spell.
MERTHYR TOWN ......... 5 GOSPORT BOROUGH ... 0
FINANCIALLY-TROUBLED Gosport, who had one point when they came to Merthyr on Saturday, were comprehensively beaten with their young side battling bravely but in vain.
Gosport’s team sheet showed just six names from the match-day programme. They were a goal down after 33 seconds, two on five minutes, and the game as a contest was over although their eager small band of fans sang all the way.
Stuart Fleetwood returned up front for Merthyr after suspension, and Corey Jenkins came in as a wing back. Curtis McDonald started with Scott Tancock demoted to the bench.
Jenkins set up Eliot Richards, ex-Bristol Rovers, who beat goalkeeper Lewis Watch for the first goal. Fleetwood smartly got the ball to Ian Traylor who drove home with his left foot.
On 33 minutes Adam Davies’s cross was met by captain Ashley Evans who headed goal number three.
Kurt Watts fired over the home bar from long range before at the other end Watch pulled off two fine successive saves from Davies and Jenkins.
On 63 minutes good play from Traylor and Fleetwood let in Jenkins to beat Watch from close range.
Traylor got his second goal in the 73rd minute after being given the chance by McDonald who powered his way through.
In the second half Merthyr used three subs, ending the game with 10 men after Richards was injured on 82 minutes.
Robbie Patten, Mo Touray and Kerry Morgan came on for Evans, Bowen and Jenkins. Evans had taken a slight pull.
At the monthly meeting with fans before the Gosport game, director Julian Axhorn divulged plans for the Boxing Day clash with ambitious Hereford which is expected to attract as many as 3,000 spectators. Tickets will be available from next month. Fans will be separated. The start time is to be arranged, with the police being consulted.
MERTHYR TOWN ......... 4 SLOUGH TOWN ............. 5
THIS midweek clash against then secondplaced Slough will prove one for the history books.
No-one expected Merthyr to go four up after 21 minutes. But joy evaporated when Slough stormed back and hit the winner with the last action of the match.
Eliot Richards did well for Merthyr in the opening half and the visitors’ defence was breached again and again.
Traylor scored in the fifth and 21st minutes, with Mo Touray and a Mark Nisbet own goal sandwiching them. Traylor almost got his hat-trick but struck the post.
Merthyr’s Williams, delighted at the interval, warned his side Slough would come at them after the break. And that was the case, but Merthyr allowed themselves to be pushed back deeper and deeper, and confidence seemed to drop as time went on.
Nathan Smart, 50 minutes, Chris Flood, 62, and Warren Harris, 72, made the score 4-3. On 89 minutes James Dobson levelled and in an amazing finale, he hit the winner in stoppage time.
Co-manager for Slough Neil Baker said later: “When we got the first goal Merthyr started to wobble a little bit.
“When we got the fourth we thought shall we sit back and take the point, but we had them on the ropes and got the fifth for the win.
At 4-2 we thought we could get something out of the match because we were on top at that point and creating chances.
“But, to score five and not concede at Merthyr, who are a very good side, is a massive achievement and fantastic for the lads. There were amazing scenes after and I’m delighted for the boys, they will take all the credit.
“We didn’t play that bad in the first half but made some very poor decisions at centre back. Guy Hollis and Mark Nisbet are both top players but they had 20 minutes to forget and were at fault for a couple of goals.
“Every time Merthyr went forward they scored and we could have gone into half-time five goals behind because they hit the post as well.”
He continued: “We went in at half-time but didn’t shout and scream. We had a pop at the two centre backs because they’re better than what we got from them, and to be fair they took that on the chin.
“We talked about what we did wrong because the game was probably gone. We wanted the players to go out and show some character and not lose the second half.
“We never thought we could come back and win the game, but a few players still believed which is great.”
Merthyr football secretary Jamie Mack said: “What I saw in the second half was just bizarre. Slough pulled a couple of goals back to get into the game and then a bit of panic seemed to settle in.
“When Slough pulled it back to 4-4 I’m thinking at least a point. But then to lose the game was a bit of a sickener. I don’t think Slough could believe what happened on the night either.
“I think it’s best to put that game out of our memory, not dwell on it too much and move on as quickly as possible.”