MARTYRS CONTINUE RUN WITH LATE WRIGHT STRIKE
MERTHYR TOWN stretched their unbeaten run to 11 games with a narrow win over Chesham United, to maintain second place in the Premier Division league table as the top five clubs all won.
With Chesham looking for points to close the gap on the teams in the play-off positions it was evident there was no question of them simply playing for a draw in a game that ebbed and flowed.
Merthyr had early opportunities to score with two free-kicks from similar positions midway in the Chesham half. Both were swung in by left back Scott Barrow, and from the first of them the Martyrs’ leading scorer Kayne McLaggon saw a free header saved by Chesham keeper Ashlee Jones. The second saw McLaggon again get in a header which this time went past the far post.
The visitors then put some pressure on the Merthyr defence and were awarded a penalty on 15 minutes, when defender Curtis McDonald was unable to control a throw out from keeper Oliver Davies and lost possession, leading to Sam Youngs being brought down in the area by Merthyr captain Ashley Evans.
However, Chesham striker Ryan Blake saw his spot kick well-saved by Davies going down to his left to push the ball past the post.
Half chances for both sides followed, with neither side able to produce a goal, and the pattern continued after the break, with the best chances seeing full back Adam Davies heading the ball off the line for Merthyr, and at the other end, Evans was just unable to get the ball into the net after some intricate buildup play in the Chesham penalty area.
The breakthrough came in the 72rd minute when Merthyr’s Jarrad Wright in his first involvement after coming on as substitute ran into the Chesham area and slipped the ball past the keeper.
Barely a minute later, Chesham’s chances of getting something from the game effectively ended when midfielder Adam Martin was shown a second yellow card for a challenge on McLaggon.
Chesham brought on veteran player-coach Barry Hayles but he was little involved in the game apart from receiving a booking for dissent.
Merthyr were then able to close the game out in the remaining time to make sure of the three points.
STAR MAN: Scott Barrow (Merthyr) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★