MERTHYR v Shepton Mallet

Updates here!

Perry Harris Dorrian Newall Williams Clarke Khalil Leek Smith Prosser Armitage

Subs: Griffiths Steins Thomas

H/t 0-0. Shepton 1 chance; us many. hit the woodwork 4 times.

1-0. Prosser pen 46mins.

2-0. OG 69mins - ball across face of goal

Subs 70mins: Griffiths for Armitage; Stiens for Prosser

Sub 75mins: Thomas for Clarke

3-0. Griffiths header from Dorrian cross 88mins.

4-0 Khalil 90+mins, counter attack. Also the Shepton skipper off - red card for dissent!

F/t 4-0. much needed!

And - for the record: Solihull 7-2 Corby.
Hosts down 0-1 at one point!

Today's team:

Perry;
Harris,Newall,Williams,Dorrian;
Leek,Clarke,Khalil;
Armitage,Prosser,Smith;

Subs: Griffiths for Armitage after about 63 minutes
Stiens for Prosser after about 66 minutes
Thomas for Clarke after about71 minutes

Marcus Griffiths starting on the bench was doubtless due to him carrying an injury, but Craig Stiens and Andrew Thomas's appearance there presumably reflected Gary Shephard's comments in the press the other day about certain players not being fit enough. So Jon Newall returned from suspension to play in the middle of the back four, and Dean Clarke came in to play deep in midfield as we changed to 4-3-3.

Our first opportunity came after about 4 minutes when Ryan Prosser set Scott Armitage up on the right. But he took it a little too wide and could only put a shot the wrong side of the post. 7 minutes later Armitage had a shot blocked by the keeper which was then kicked off the line.

We were the only team in the match, but it was about on the 30 minute mark before we came close again. The Shepton keeper scooping away a lobbed shot by Matthew Harris on the right. When the corner came in it seemed to be touched against a post by a defender before rebounding for a shot to be blasted across goal and wide.

After about 41 minutes, following a corner Steve Williams put in what appeared to be a shot with his left foot from the edge of the area. It came off the keeper and Ryan Prosser shot into the side netting, About 3 minutes later, in a rare attack by Shepton the ball was turned into the middle for a shot which we were glad to see go just wide. A minute later, after a patient build up at the other end a 20-yard shot by Kris Leeks just shaved the post.

We'd had 90% of the game in the first half, with Shepton not spending much time outside their own half, but although we'd kept trying to play our way through their defence we'd not found it easy to test their keeper too many times.

But we took the lead a minute after the break. Scott Armitage went down the right and put a ball across towards Ryan Prosser and Tareq Khalil in the middle for the latter to brought down just inside the area. Ryan Prosser made no mistake with the penalty.

I thought we'd scored after about 56 minutes when Kris Leek put in a shot from 20 yards, but it just hit the outside of the post.

After about 62 minutes we settled any nerves with the second goal. Ryan Prosser put the ball out to Scott Armitage in a good position on the right of the area. He squared it across goal and it went into the net off a Shepton defender at the near post.

Scott Armitage was then replaced by Marcus Griffiths, and 4 minutes later Craig Stiens came on for Ryan Prosser. Another substitution, 5 minutes later was Andrew Thomas for Dean Clarke - playing in the latter's role in front of the back four.

A couple of minutes later we had a few hairy moments in defence, ending with Joe Perry claiming the ball.

After about 78 minutes Leigh Smith put a shot over the bar after Marcus Griffiths and Kris Leek had combined on the right of the area. About 4 minutes later Kris Leek took the defence on in a run down the middle before being brought down just outside the area in what must have been close to another penalty.

A couple of minutes late we scored the best goal of the game. Kris Leek got the ball down the left and laid it back to Ryan Dorrian who looked up before planting it on Marcus Griffiths's head 6 yards out. for him to score his 50th Merthyr goal.

We got the 4th a couple of minutes later when Craig Stiens and Matthew Harris combined on the right for Marcus Griffiths to put the ball across to the far post where Tareq Khalil turned it into the net. Despite the scoreline, and with only 5 or so minutes to go, a Shepton defender decided to protest so vigorously for offside that he got sent off.

So it was a fair scoreline in the end. We deserved a bit of luck for the second goal. Shepton were rather limited going forward and we were frequently able to get hold of the ball in midfield with no trouble at all. To put it bluntly, they were the sort of side we should be beating by a 4-0 scoreline, and we did so.
Man of the match for me was between Kris Leek and Jon Newall, who on the day fully justified his selection in the team ahead of Andrew Thomas.

The lowest attendance of the seaon was disappointing. You couldn't blame the weather, as you couldn't hope for much better in mid-February, but maybe due to a combination of things - third Saturday in a row, bad defeat last week, and maybe there are those who, for some reason, would rather stay away and watch some dreary rugby match which I gather started on TV at 5pm.

An excellent report by the Imp which I will probably read again next Thursday although this time it'll be in his pen name of Dominic Jones.

Shepton were outplayed today and were rarely out of their own half. They had one chance in the first half and a couple in the 2nd when we dozed off for a few times again. This time it wasn't an excellent goalkeeping display that kept the score down - although the Shepton keeper could not be faulted for any of our goals - but this time it was the woodwork (or should that be metalwork). I think that the ball struck the frame of the goal about 4 times.

Pross scored a nice penalty after Tareq was brought down and I'm sure we should have had another later on when Leekie was brought down after a great run. The own goal was a bit of luck but it was the second goal we deserved. It was nice to see Marcus add to his tally with a good header back the way it came from an excellent cross by Dozza. Congratulations to Marcus on his 50th goal in a Merthyr (Tydfil & Town) shirt. Taz deserved his goal with his last minute tap in as he had his usual good game today. I agree with Malcolm that the MOTM today was either Leekie or Badger but I think Jon Newall just about shaded it having to fill the not too inconsiderable shirt of Andrew Thomas.

I liked the formation today with Clarkie playing in front of the back 4 and it didn't detract too much from our attacking play as the scoreline and other missed opportunities suggests. It was nice to see Leigh Smith having a full game and he did OK as did all our players today.

Merthyr Imp wrote: and maybe there are those who, for some reason, would rather stay away and watch some dreary rugby match which I gather started on TV at 5pm.

Not quite Malc - the E*****d game kicked off at 2:30m.

Solihull Martyr wrote:

Merthyr Imp wrote: and maybe there are those who, for some reason, would rather stay away and watch some dreary rugby match which I gather started on TV at 5pm.

Not quite Malc - the E*****d game kicked off at 2:30m.

Ah - you mean the OTHER dreary rugby match.

No scores/table from scamp?

Bridport won 2-1 at Calne Town, the game between Oldland and Devizes was abandoned! Don't know why.

someone broke their leg in the Oldland match

Apparently the Oldland player needed such prolonged attention before being taken to hospital the game was abandoned because it would have been impossible to complete it due to the lack of floodlights.