MERTHYR v Tonbridge Angels

Updates here!

Cutlan, Williams, Griffiths, Thomas, Colborne, Davies, Jones, Leek, Preen, Harris, Traylor.

Subs Prosser, Welsh, Marcus, Newman, Newall

1 down 22nd minutes - caught out by long throw

1 down h/t

1-1 Steve Williams 58mins pen - no-one knows what for! Straight and hard down the middle.

Preen sent off 68mins - 2nd yellow card.

1-2 down 95th minute - virtually the last kick of the game

F/t 1-2

After the heavy rain of the last week the playing surface didn't appear to cut up at all and there was no evidence of any surface water.

We looked the better side in the opening twenty minutes and the Angels saw very little of the ball as we played neat passing football in midfield. The opening goal was completely against the run of play but clinical in it's execution. A quick throw-in and we were caught ball watching as Gilo made the initial save before it was touched in by their full back.

Unfortunately, we played into their hands as the two tall central defenders were not really troubled by our diminutive strike force. Lacking any width we only managed to create a few chances that Worgan was able to deal with relatively comfortably.

Angels were quick and very effective on the break although they rarely seemed very creative in midfield which we dominated for most of the game.

The referee was shocking and we couldn't really see why he awarded us the penalty. A defender won a perfectly good header from a corner and Gary Colburne ended up on his back in the penalty area. It was possibly given for a foul committed after the defensive header was won. No one looked as though they wanted the responsibility of taking the penalty and Steve Williams stepped forward to smash the ball past Worgan.

Preen, who caused the Angels problems from the start, was booked when a defender appeared to prevent him from moving after a tackle (another bad decision by the ref) and a few minutes later accidental contact with a defender saw him receive a second booking.

We looked the better side after we were reduced to ten men and a draw looked inevitable until the Angels broke quickly after a missed tackle in midfield and we were punished with the last touch of the game, after we had messed up a good opportunity to clear the ball out of the penalty area.

We gave an excellent account of ourselves against opposition from a higher standard of football and didn't look inferior, in fact the players can take many positives from this performance.

In attack Tonbridge looked that yard quicker than us in thought and execution and they were well organised in defence, although we weren't really allowed any freedom in the penalty area that we get in some of the games in the SL.

Our cup runs are over for this season so we can now concentrate on our league aspirations!

Tonight's team:

Cutlan;
Williams,Thomas,Colborne,A.Griffiths;
Leek,Davies,Jones;
Harris;
Preen,Traylor;

Subs:
M.Griffiths for Harris after about 79 minutes
Prosser for Davies after about 87 minutes
Welsh
Newman
Newall

Jamie Rewbury was there but not in the squad - suspended? Also taking part in the warm up - which seemed a good sign - was Tareq Khalil.

We packed the side with midfield players, with Matthew Harris furthest forward in support of the front two.

For the first 15 minutes or so most of the attacking was from us without really troubling Lee Worgan in the Tonbridge goal except for a threatening ball in from the left by Garyn Preen. Our main attacking was coming from long throws, but after about 21 minutes we came nearest to a goal in the game so far when Luke Jones put Ian Traylor through on the right of the area. But his shot was blocked, and when it came to Matthew Harris he drew a good save from Lee Worgan.

About 3 minutes later it was a long throw on the right by Tonbridge which saw them take the lead. Cutlan saved at the near post, but in a bit of a scramble the ball was put into the net. It was rather against the run of play to that point, but after about 32 minutes Tonbridge came close when Kris Leek deflected a cross ball narrowly over his own bar, and 5 minutes before the break Steve Williams saved us with a blocking tackle after a ball down the middle.

It was a good start by Merthyr, but after the goal we'd not posed much of a threat at the other end. The important thing was not to have conceded a second goal before half time as it meant we were still in with a chance.

Almost 10 minutes into the second half Kris Leek took a long throw on the right, and although Gary Colborne seemed to have been beaten fairly to the header, although knocked over, the referee gave a penalty. Steve Williams was given the job of taking it, and hit it hard, and although I thought Worgan got a hand on it it beat him low to his right.

After about 69 minutes, Garyn Preen, who had been booked earlier in the half, rather unwisely, and unnecessarily, clattered into a player from behind and was sent off. Matthew Harris then moved even further forward, and a couple of minutes later put a header narrowly wide following another long throw. However, he was substituted later on as Marcus Griffiths came on to play up front. About 6 minutes later he found himself free on the right and fired in a shot which Worgan did well to push aside for a defender to clear.

Even with 10 men we were looking the more likely to score at that stage, with Tonbridge creating very little from open play and relying on long throws even more than we were. We really looked for the win when Ryan Prosser replaced Nathan Davies after about 87 minutes, as we had 3 up front and just Kris Leek and Luke Jones in midfield.

In the second minute of added time Giles Cutlan kept us in it, palming the ball away from under the bar when a shot came in following a free kick into the box.

It looked as if there would be a replay, but in the 5th minute of added time Tomnridge broke away down the right with plenty of men forward and we were unable to prevent them getting the winning goal.

Well, it was a good performance. Tonbridge displayed the sort of slick play we're not used to seeing at our level, but for all that we were able to deal with all they could manage in attack until right at the end. Until then It had seemed as if both the earlier goals stemming from long throw-ins would really have summed the match up. We did create one or two chances of our own and their defence didn't have it all their own way. Lee Worgan's save from Marcus Griffiths late on was what kept them in it.

Difficult to choose a man of the match, as it was a hard-working performance, but to me Gary Colborne and Nathan Davies did well, and it says something for Luke Jones that he played the full game.

Attendance of only 229 was disappointing but not entirely unexpected. Probably there would have been more there on Saturday. There were several Kentishmen present (or is it Men of Kent? I never know the difference) having made the long trip.

We're now free to concentrate on the league (at last).

A fair summary of the match by Wandering and Merthyr Imp. I have no idea what the penalty was given for but Steve scored and no more than we deserved. Tonbridge did not look two leagues above us. An interesting summary of the game on Tonbridge website. Well done to all the lads tonight bring on Winchester on Saturday I will be there.

Fair assessments in the reports above, I'd hardly say Preen clattered into their defender for his second booking though, he was falling anyway. Unfortunately we had a ref who preferred to show the yellow card at every opportunity, I don't think I can once recall him making the effort to actually talk to players who'd committed a foul, which says a lot about him. Preen's first booking was a joke with neither player needing to be booked, this ultimately resulted in Preen getting sent off. The ref was probably the only person in the ground who saw an offence for the penalty, though we thoroughly deserved to be level.
Over the 90 minutes I think we just shaded it, and gave an excellent account of ourselves against a side two divisions above us, and whilst they looked a decent side in the first 20 minutes, I thought we were the better side for all the second half.
The players deserve congratulating for their performances in the Cup competitions which has brought around £20k of much needed income into the Club, and kept us interested in Cups long into November.

Preen's first booking was for pushing his opponent, I suppose in frustration. The penalty award was mystifying but I didn't hear any complaints from the Merthyr fans. They would have complained if they had conceded a similar spot-kick. I suppose there are always double standards in football !!!And that's how life is.
But there were later shouts for a Merthyr penalty which were waved away.
I thought that Merthyr were the better side in the opening 20 minutes, not vice-versa. Tonbridge scored against the run of play- a poor goal to concede, I suppose.
The Martyrs deserved full credit for a brave performance and Tonbridge folk said we did not look a side two divisions below them. We faced two big central defenders and with Preen and Traylor being short, it wasn't easy but there were still too many balls being hoofed into the air.
Gary Colborne was the pick of the Merthyr side, always cool under pressure.Jamie Rewbury was ruled out through suspension. And now we face Williams and Preen being suspended, difficult when we have a fairly small squad.
Great to see Merthyr fans from Bristol, Carmarthen, Abergavenny, Tredegar, Aberdare, Hirwaun etc but another dreadful attendance for an important game, which must be very frustrating for the Merthyr board and loyal fans.
Attendance at the weekend at Aberystwyth 583. And all the other Welsh Premiership clubs had better gates than us last night on Saturday except for Afan Lido.

The few Tonbridge fans who were able to attend- on the team bus- were impressed by the ground. And some managed to earlier call in at Wetherspoons and at The Wyndham, having heard something of the fame of the latter hostelry.
Best of luck for Tonbridge when they face Dartford in a a local derby in the next round.But the Premier Division side should be a tough task for them.

Tim Drummond wrote:The few Tonbridge fans who were able to attend- on the team bus- were impressed by the ground. And some managed to earlier call in at Wetherspoons and at The Wyndham, having heard something of the fame of the latter hostelry.
Best of luck for Tonbridge when they face Dartford in a a local derby in the next round.But the Premier Division side should be a tough task for them.

I would like to have attended last night but bit short notice to get time of work.

Thank you for the good luck message. Games against Dartford are always interesting. We have not had the best of luck in our recent encounters (i.e. 2-0 up to go on and lose 4-2) so are very much due a win.

Tim Drummond wrote:Great to see Merthyr fans from Bristol, Carmarthen, Abergavenny, Tredegar, Aberdare, Hirwaun etc.

Sadly, too few from Merthyr Tydfil itself.

You're right about the penalty - we wouldn't have been very happy if something like that had been given against us. I can only think that the referee's view of it was that the defender barged into Gary Colborne and knocked him over as they both went up for the header. I'm not sure anyone else saw it that way - there was no indication that Colborne himself thought he'd been fouled.

EKC, yes it's a long trip from Tonbridge to Merthyr, especially in midweek. You missed a well-contested match, a good advertisement for non-league football. I hope you keep an eye on our Southern League results as Merthyr aim for a third successive promotion! Stay bright!

Merthyr 1-2 Tonbridge
South Wales Echo

TONBRIDGE manager Tommy Warrilow was quick to acknowledge Merthyr had been the better side on the night despite the Kent outfit ending the Martyrs’ FA Trophy hopes with a last-gasp winner.

The visitors, who play in Conference South, two divisions above Merthyr, were made to work hard for their victory after taking the lead through Sonny Miles.

Merthyr were given a lifeline on 58 minutes when Gary Elphick was judged to have held down Gary Colbourne in the box at a corner and Steve Williams smashed home the penalty.

But, it was no more than Merthyr deserved and even when Garyn Preen was dismissed for a second yellow card on 68 minutes the home side continued to play the better football.

Kris Leek headed just wide and Marcus Griffiths saw his drive saved by Lee Worgan, but they were denied a replay when five minutes into stoppage time Frannie Collin broke down the right and the ball ricocheted around the Merthyr box before Lee Browning got the vital touch.

I thought i was at the wrong game last night until i read the last report,the only problems they posed us was from set pieces especially the long throw ins he put rory delap to shame.From a football point of view i felt we out played them throughout,re.the penalty someone close to me shouted immediately that the defender had punched the ball.Do anyone else think it is about time we give Pross.a run in the team playing Traylor through the middle is taking the edge off his game.

Merthyr Imp wrote:There were several Kentishmen present (or is it Men of Kent? I never know the difference) ...

Think its Kentish Man or Man of Kent. I remember being told it depends on which side of the river you are born/brought up.

Wandering wrote:Gary Elphick...

Thats a name from the past. Who did he play for?

From the pen pics in the programme:-

Aged 27. Joined in October from Eastleigh. Has also played for Havant & Waterlooville, St Albans City, Eastbourne Borough and Brighton, for whom he made 2 league appearances.

Don't know whether he's related to Michael Elphick:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Elphick

Pen Pics in last nights programme says he is a Defender, Aged 27, joined in October from Eastleigh, has also playrd for Havant & Waterloovile,St Albans city, Eastborough and Brighton, for whom he made 2 league appearances.

SNAP

I beat you to it because I could just do copy and paste!