Media Watch - Wimborne Town

Merthyr back on the cup trail after league victory
Celtic Sport

GARRY Shephard’s Merthyr Town side will heed a warning from Wimborne boss Steve Cuss when the teams meet in Dorset on Saturday in the second qualifying round of the FA Trophy.

Wimborne seem to play their best football in the second half. They are top scorers in their league – with 21 from 11 outings – but have leaked 19 goals and Cuss cursed their performance recently when they fell 3-1 at Clevedon Town.

Merthyr have exited The FA Cup and The Red Insure (League) Cup, so the Trophy, with the final fought out at Wembley, is their last chance of cup success this term. League may be the priority but cup runs bring in cash payments and Merthyr have fared well so far from cup money boosts.

And Shephard will be hoping for a full squad to choose from against a Wimborne side who were eighth in the table after scraping a 1-1 home draw at the weekend with Bishops Cleeve, who Merthyr conquered 3-2 away the previous Saturday.

The Dorset men won four, drew four and lost three of their opening games. Merthyr were in action on Tuesday with a home clash against Paulton Rovers while Wimborne hosted Bashley Town in The Red Insure Cup round one.

Merthyr will look to Garyn Preen to be fit after missing the game with Abingdon United, having gashed his leg in a work accident. Defender or midfielder Alun Griffiths, who was out of action through injury earlier this season, is getting back to top form after figuring in the last two games.

Jamie Davidson led the Wimborne scorers list up to last Saturday with seven goals. Jason Harvell is back in between the sticks. When he was injured, plus their other keeper on the books, Cuss moved to sign David Elm, formerly with Bashley. On Saturday both Jamie Rewbury and Ian Traylor will be aiming to get among the Merthyr goals, being two behind Marcus Griffiths.

If the game is drawn, the replay will be at Merthyr next Tuesday (7.45pm). Otherwise Merthyr have a league encounter with Tiverton that night. The Devon side should prove a stern challenge after earning 18 points from nine games. They are third from the top with 16 goals for and 10 against.

Wandering wrote:Merthyr will look to Garyn Preen to be fit after missing the game with Abingdon United, having gashed his leg in a work accident.

I understand that Preen may be out for 4 to 6 weeks because of the nature of the injury.

Yes, that seems to be the updated situation.

Greetings to you all from Dorset (O R) and Wimborne Town

Hope to see as many of you as possible at Cuthbury. Tell your players to bring their ski's as they'll need it on our sloping pitch. [We have a new ground planned but its several years away yet]

This is an interesting piece of historical news posted on our main website

"When Merthyr Town visit Wimborne Town for their FA Trophy encounter on Saturday it will be just three days short of the 30th anniversary of the last meeting between the two clubs.

To be historically accurate Merthyr were then known as Merthyr Tydfil and they arrived down here in Dorset for an FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round tie on 30th October 1982.

Wimborne at the time were playing Western League football, while Merthyr were plying their trade in the Southern League Midlands Division.

The Magpies won the clash 1-0 and progressed to First Round of the FA Cup for the first, and so far only, time in their history. Wimborne’s trip to Aldershot in the next round saw their interest in the competition for that season ended as they suffered a 4-0 defeat."

We are a friendly club and extend a warm welcome to away supporters. I'm told you have a really good away following.

I was at Wimborne 30 years ago. I think some Bournemouth supporters came along to add to the gate. I remember Merthyr Tydfil lost.
I'm not sure how many Merthyr fans will be there this time as it is a longish journey but I an sure there will be a number of regular travellers.

I understand there will not be a supporters' bus going to Wimborne.

"The toughest of tests" is how Wimborne manager Steve Cuss describes tomorrow's match. This is the furthest they have progressed in the competition.

Judging by the paucity of posts on this thread, there doesn't seem a lot of interest in this competition as far as the Merthyr fans are concerned! But all the best to the players who have to be fully involved!
I will go and see a Welsh League match, check out a few players. Saturday afternoons are for watching live football somewhere as far as I am concerned. Come on, it's cold but it's dry.Get off your computers and get out....

Tim Drummond wrote:Judging by the paucity of posts on this thread, there doesn't seem a lot of interest in this competition as far as the Merthyr fans are concerned!

And yet if we get to the next round we have a chance of a game against a Blue Square South side (e.g. Bath City), and the round after that the Blue Square Premier clubs come in - I bet there'd suddenly be plenty of interest with a home tie against Newport!

I'm very interested in the FA Trophy. Good luck to the lads today.

I also remember the Wimborne match 30 years ago although the memories aren't that great as we lost plus Bournemouth fans were making a nuisance of themselves all day.

Hills Plymouth v Baili Glas for me today.

Baili Glas lost 5-3.