Martyrs snatch a deserved late draw
KINGS LYNN ........................1 MERTHYR TOWN ................1
AN injury time penalty from Ryan Prosser earned Merthyr a deserved point on the opening day of the new season after it had looked like Lee Stevenson’s 86th minute goal would steal all three points for the home side.
Gavin Williams’ first competitive game in charge of the Martyrs couldn’t have been further away as Merthyr got the journey to Norfolk out of the way early and he included new signings Scott Barrow and Curtis McDonald in the squad.
A defeat would have been hard to take for Williams who had seen his team create little before the half time interval.
But, they looked far more threatening at the restart and had the better of the second 45 minutes.
Merthyr goalkeeper Glyn Garner made two smart saves to keep out shots from Michael Clunan and Jacek Zielonka on 31 and 43 minutes and kept the Welsh outfit level at the break.
But, on the hour Keyon Refell set up Kayne Mclaggon after embarking upon a 30 yard run only for the striker to pull his shot just wide of the far post.
Garner was again in action to punch away a free kick from Leon Mattam but with Refell and Mclaggon now causing the Lynn defence many problems it was the former who set up Jon Brown on 77 minutes but his 20 yard effort took a deflection and rebounded off the woodwork.
Home goalkeeper Alex Street pushed away a shot from Corey Jenkins on 80 minutes but four minutes from time it seems Merthyr would rue their missed opportunities when the Martyrs failed to deal with a low cross and Stevenson drilled a low shot past Garner.
Merthyr pushed on and received their reward on 92 minutes when Ryan Prosser flicked on a cross to Brown and he was pulled down by Ryan Fryatt who also received a red card.
Prosser converted and their was still time for him to combine with Jenkins to almost snatch a winner but the pass from the byline went behind the striker.
Merthyr welcome Basingstoke to the Loadlok Community Stadium on Tuesday to open their home campaign (7.45pm). MERTHYR: GARNER, BAGGERIDGE, JONES, TANCOCK, DAVIES, BROWN, EVANS, BARROW, REFFELL, MCLAGGON, TRAYLOR. SUBS: MCDONALD, BOWEN, SCOTCHER, JENKINS, PROSSER.