MARTYRS ARE MADE TO PAY A PENALTY
HARTLEY Wintney and Merthyr Town played out a score draw in a very scrappy match at the Memorial Ground in Hartley.
However, the South Wales side will feel that they should have gone home with three points having dominated for a huge portion of the match.
And player-manager Gavin Williams could not hide his disappointment after his side shipped a late leveller.
“I am devastated by this result,” he said. “We missed so many chances and should have won comfortably.
“Credit to Hartley for hanging in to the end. Unless you get a two goal lead you are always likely to get pegged back.
“The pitch was difficult for both teams and there was little football played. Credit to our lads they worked hard and definitely deserved to win.”
In a tepid first half the Martyrs had the bulk of the play and produced what little quality that was on show. The visitors took the lead on ten minutes when a free kick on the left Kerry Morgan found its way through a few deflections to Tom Meechan who scored at the back post.
The Martyrs continued with a distinct edge and on 19 minutes Kieran Lewis set up Ashley Evans whose parting shot found Hartley Keeper Adam Desbois well placed to save.
The Row’s first opportunity arrived on 21 minutes. A free kick to the left of the area was driven by Tyron Smith and the effort went just past the post.
Merthyr continued to be on top and on 28 minutes a throw in from Connor Young was cleared to Kerry Morgan whose cross saw
Meechan’s effort go narrowly past the post.
Hartley had the final effort in the first period when a rare mistake in the Merthyr defence allowed a chance to Josh Webb who fired over from the edge of the box.
After the break it continued to be one-way traffic.
Meechan gave Evans an open goal that he somehow managed to fire over, before last ditch-defending denied Meechan when well placed.
Desbois then denied Lewis and the hosts started to get a foothold.
Jacques Kpohomouh headed over and Cory Jenkins went close with a lob before Ty Smith fired home a penalty when Nic Ciardini was felled for a wholly undeserved equaliser.
“I would describe the match as terrible, terrible and terrible. We were terrible,” said Hartley boss Dan Turkington.
“We knew somehow we would get a chance at some stage and sure enough it came along.
“Mikey Campbell and Nic Ciardini combined well for the penalty and Ty kept his nerve well.
“We were pleased to retrieve the point from a poor performance. We were lacklustre and seemed intent on trying to beat ourseleves.”