Media Watch - Poole Town

Merthyr facing vital game against Poole Town
Terry Phillips, South Wales Echo

MERTHYR Town face one of their biggest matches over the last three seasons when Poole Town come to Penydarren Park on Saturday (3pm).

The Martyrs have swept to successive championships and promotions in each of the last two seasons, while they are now in a battle for glory in EvoStik Southern League football.

Poole, favourites for the title, are 11 points ahead of Merthyr, who have two games in hand. A win for captain Steve Williams and his team against Poole tomorrow would throw the chase open.

“This is a huge match for us,” said Merthyr secretary Jamie Mack. “Both teams badly need to win.”

Merthyr expect one of their biggest attendances this season with around 80 fans making the trip from Dorset to support Poole. Leaders Hungerford are clear at the top, but have played seven more matches than the Martyrs.

Only one team will be promoted automatically to the Southern League Premier with the next four qualifying for play-offs. Merthyr have been hit hard by postponed matches and are facing a backlog.

Bournemouth Echo

BOSS Tom Killick praised the mentality of his Poole Town players after securing three points on an “uncomfortable afternoon” against North Leigh.

The Dolphins bounced back from last week’s horror show at Shortwood thanks to Marvin Brooks’s early strike. But the hosts were made to hang on against the team that won the reverse fixture 4-0 at Eynsham Park in October.

And Killick, whose side have not lost back-to-back matches in any competition this season, was delighted with the way his side ground out a victory that keeps them on the coat-tails of leaders Hungerford Town.

The Tatnam boss told the Daily Echo: “It was an uncomfortable afternoon. North Leigh were probably the better side in many aspects of the game. They passed the ball well but, in fairness, they didn’t create too many chances. There were some goalmouth scrambles and important blocks but that was pleasing because, when you’re not playing well, you have to show that resilience.

Last week (at Shortwood), we were quite fragile and conceded some poor goals and, while we didn’t play that well this week, our attitude was much better and it allowed us to come through a tough test. We need to improve on recent displays and do more when we have the ball. We know that, but I felt the character and spirit shown by the lads was tremendous and enabled us to win the game without performing as well as we know we can.

I have always felt we have a good mindset in this group. There is a toughness about them and I have faith in the mentality of this team. I have been around a lot of squads over the years and I have to say in terms of resolve this is a pretty impressive bunch.”

The match was ultimately settled by Brooks’s fifth-minute effort, the midfielder controlling a deep ball from the left and cutting inside his marker to rifle into the roof of the net with Killick hailing the youngster’s moment of quality.

He added: “Marv came back into the side and had a point to prove after being left out. He worked very hard. We deliberately played him on the right because he is goal threat. He often finds himself against full-backs who aren’t as powerful as he is, particularly in the air, and it worked for us. He took the ball down well and it was a very good finish.”

On the victory, Killick said: “The pressure was on after losing last week. If we had lost this one, the next two games (away to Paulton Rovers and Merthyr Town) would have been very difficult. The win was absolutely vital. Defeats in isolation don’t kill you but we cannot afford a run of defeat.”

Killick urges Poole to maintain focus

CAUTIOUS manager Tom Killick urged his players to keep their eyes on the prize after watching Poole Town move into a commanding position. Killick called on his men to remain focused on their promotion goal following Dolphins’ last-gasp 2-1 win at 10-man Paulton Rovers last night.

The victory saw Poole close to within five points of Southern League Division One South & West leaders Hungerford – with five games in hand. Warren Byerley opened the scoring on 30 minutes before Paulton’s Stuart Tovey saw red following an off-the-ball incident involving Carl Preston.

Brandon Barnes levelled with 15 minutes remaining but Luke Burbidge’s cross-shot found the net in the closing moments to boost Poole’s title push. However, Killick is refusing to get carried away by his team’s promising placing in the table.

He told the Daily Echo: “We are in a strong position and we wouldn’t swap it for any other team in the league. But this is the nervous time when teams with something to play for can get nervous. You can get some funny results. We have got to keep going. We are very much aware that there is – and this is not just manager speak – a long way to go.”

Discussing his team’s latest win, Killick added: “It was the second game in a row where we defended and battled well without being at our best. With Hungerford not playing, it finally gave us a chance to chip into their lead. We don’t seem to have had too many opportunities to do that and we managed to take advantage.”

Merthyr Town face crucial clash in title bid
Terry Phillips, South Wales Echo

MERTHYR Town are in the hunt to win a third successive league title and aim to strike a major blow in that quest at Penydarren Park tomorrow (Saturday, 3pm). The Martyrs, unbeaten in their last six South and South West Division fixtures, face one of the club’s biggest games in the last three seasons when high-flying Poole Town come to South Wales.

Managers Garry Shephard and Danny Carter steered their team through Western League football in two seasons, winning the First and Premier divisions back-to-back, and Merthyr have swept back into contention for a third championship. They are third, 11 points behind title favourites Poole with two games in hand. That makes tomorrow’s clash between the two at Penydarren absolutely crucial.

Merthyr have a fully-fit squad and go into the first of two league home games in four days full of confidence after earning 16 points from the last 18 on offer. Now they face a test of their promotion credentials in home clashes with promotion rivals Poole tomorrow and then fourth-placed Swindon Supermarine, next Tuesday (7.45pm).

There is only one automatic promotion place available with Poole, Merthyr and Swindon the main contenders. Hungerford are clear at the top, but have played far more matches than any of their rivals.

Merthyr go into tomorrow’s clash with Dorset club Poole still smarting from their 3-2 away defeat when defender Steve Williams was sent off after 11 minutes. They still outplayed their hosts for long periods, but lost to an 88th-minutes Poole winner.

Ian Traylor, who has netted 13 goals this season, and Matthew Harris were the scorers at Poole and both will feature tomorrow, while big centre-forward Ryan Prosser, who is on 10 goals, will be a threat to the visitors.

Merthyr have 20 matches left in their push for honours and know victory tomorrow will be a huge boost.

Poole manager Tom Killick has called on his players to stay calm and focused in their title chase. They won 2-1 against 10-man Paulton Rovers in midweek thanks to goals from Warren Byerley and Luke Burbidge, who scored an injury-time winner.

“We are in a strong position and wouldn’t swap it with any other team in the league,” says former Poole, Wimborne and Salisbury City player Killick. “But this is the nervous time when teams with something to play for can lose their way. You can get some funny results.”

Bournemouth Echo

Poole Town could have old boy Lewis Tallack available for their crucial showdown with promotion rivals Merthyr Town (3pm).

Defender Tallack, who made eight appearances for Dolphins at the end of last season, joined up with the Nike Academy following his release by Portsmouth.

The 20-year-old has signed Southern League forms for Poole and can feature for them when his commitments with the Nike Academy permit.

Keith Emmerson is unavailable for the trip to Wales and Sam Clarke (knee) is a doubt, although striker Dan Cann has been named in the Dolphins travelling party.