MERTHYR v Taunton

Updates here!

Delayed start of 10mins due to late arrival of the visitors

Team: Cutlan Newall Howe Rewbury Colborne Jones Newman Preen Prosser A Griffiths Traylor
Subs: Griffiths cornwall Long Leek

Cornwall dropped to bench then...

1 up! Prosser tap in from Rewbury corner. 32mins

still 1-0?

H/t 1-0

2-0 46th min!! Colbourne

good stuff

Sub 56th min. Newall off and Leek on

So far so good at Penydarren Park, also, SHORTWOOD UTD 3 SWINDONSUPER 0

60th min sub. Marcus Griffiths on and Traylor off

76th min sub. Jones off and Long on

Shortwood beat Swindon 3-0!

Attendance 242

F/t 2-0. Onwards and upwards!

Solihull Martyr wrote:Shortwood beat Swindon 3-0!

Who to support Thursday now? Poole are champions.

Good performance we looked much the better team and once the second goal went in it was goodnight Vienna....I thought Luke scouser jones had a good game tonight ...ran his little legs off and went close with a few shots too...Alan griffiths had a good game too in midfield...Prosser continued his rich goal scoring vein and it was a shame his first strike was ruled out for handball as it sailed over the Taunton diminutive goalie....gilo saved us a couple of times by his alertness and as usual player of the season elect Gary colbourne linked well with rewbs to keep out a speedy but largely ineffective Taunton forward line....I thought their number 5 played well as did their flying vertically challenged keeper....a fine victory but the real victory could be the squad rotation policy...as the majority of the players will be fresh for the weekend double header...Swindon have some tricky games left and I think we could overhaul both them and paulton at the death....up the town .....to the league we were parachuted from ....boz

Tonight's team:

Cutlan;
Newall,Rewbury,Colborne,Howe;
Jones,A.Griffiths,Newman;
Preen,Prosser,Traylor;

Subs:
Leek for Newall after about 55 minutes
M.Griffiths for Traylor after about 60 minutes
Long for Jones after about 76 minutes
Cornwall
Thomas

With Matthew Harris unavailable, Nathan Davies still injured and several players rested we had almost something of a reserve midfield. Good news was to see Steve Williams there, and I understand he may be fit to return to the squad for the weekend matches.

Taunton were late arriving at the ground as their coach (rather larger than Winchester's minibus the other week) was having trouble making the turn by the church due to parked cars. The kick-off was consequently delayed until almost 8pm.

The pattern of the game was evident straight away, with Taunton playing a lone striker, and we were having to be patient in trying to find a way through them. After about 17 minutes a Ryan Newman free kick from out on the right just clipped the bar, and it was about 15 minutes later when he swung in a corner from the right which was headed back from beyond the far post by Jamie Rewbury for Ryan Prosser to put the ball into the net. A minute before the break the Taunton keeper did well to tip a deflected shot over the bar.

In a not very eventful first half there was only one team in it, with Giles Cutlan untroubled. Jack Howe had done well, and so had Alun Griffiths, mopping up everything in midfield.

The game was over a minute after the break after Ian Traylor had done well to force a corner on the left. Ryan Newman took it again, and found Gary Colborne who put a header over the keeper and under the bar from 15 yards.

On about 50 minutes the keeper was unable to hold a 20-yard shot by Jamie Rewbury, but he parried the ball away as Luke Jones followed up.

It was 54 minutes before Giles Cutlan had to make a save - catching a lob after Jamie Rewbury had given the ball away. Kris Leek then came on for Jon Newall, with Alun Griffiths moving to right back.

We came close on about 59 minutes with another corner from Ryan Newman - Jamie Rewbury putting a header inches over the bar. Marcus Griffiths then replaced Ian Traylor.

Garyn Preen was showing some good touches in the second half, and after about 65 minutes some great work by him on the right saw him cross the ball for Marcus Griffiths at the near post to get in a header which the keeper somehow kept out. But a couple of minutes later Taunton had their one dangerous moment of the match, when an attacker too easily got free along the goal-line on the left, and from his ball across Giles Cutlan had to make a great double save.

It was back to normal about 4 minutes after that, when a good cross by Jack Howe saw Marcus Griffiths unable to get enough on a header and it went wide.

We were well in control, and Alex Long made his home debut, replacing Luke Jones, Garyn Preen dropping deeper.

About 10 minutes from the end, following a free kick into the area, jamie Rewbury put a shot just over the bar. Garyn Preen, also, shot over the bar when he might have scored.

Then a minute from the end, Alex Long, who had given the ball away with his first two touches, went on a strong run and put a good shot just wide.

Although both goals came from corners we were well worth the win, and should really have doubled the score. It was noticeable that Taunton showed very little urgency even at 0-2 down, and it seemed rather an end of season display from them.

For a time in the second half it was the Newman & Preen show, but overall I'd make Ryan Newman man of the match, and he and first Alun Griffiths then Kris Leek ran the midfield. It was as well as I've seen Garyn Preen play, and it was a pity he couldn't manage a goal. On the other hand, Ryan Prosser had a fairly quiet game but did put the ball in the net.

Let's hope for decent weather on Saturday, as this win hopefully sets things up nicely for a good crowd.

Yes, you wouldn't have thought Merthyr were going for the Play-offs with the usual small Tuesday night attendance scattered around the Park. Plenty of room for more spectators at the weekend. And after Saturday's clash with Wimborne, they can stay behind for the presentation evening to show their appreciation for the players's season-long efforts.

We did well again and could have won by a lot more - Marcus could have come close to another hat trick after coming on as a substitute. We missed other chances but the ones we did score we took well and thoroughly deserved our win. Nice to see Alex Long having a run out - his 2 appearances have been both against Taunton - and he had a couple of runs and did send one shot past the post. As at their place, Taunton did not hurry in restarting the game but at least down there when they went 2-1 down they did hurry up. Last night the didn't even bother and even though they had the odd chance in the 2nd half and Gilo made some good saves they seemed a side who can't wait for the season to end.

Another efficient win in our pursuit of the optimum play off place.

I partially agree with you Tim but we are the best supported team in our league even considering the High Unemployment here considering other areas in our Division.We can all spread good news about what goes on at PP now by word of mouth and not talk our team down.Only last week a so-called "life supporter" who hasn't set foot in the Park for years went on about "fiddling"..previous directors and a host outdated misinformation.I put him right in a respectful way.."TALK THE TOWN FOOTBALL TEAM UP THE HARDWORKING SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE SAVED THIS CLUB AND OUR PLAYERS THAT HAVE GOT US TO WHERE WE ARE DESERVE IT"

good display last night could have been more 2 quite easily.
our midfield looked sharp i thought luke jones had a superb game until cramp kicked in , preen looked up for it, i still believe the team worked better without cornwall .
nice to see long at last he did ok a[part forom his first 2 passes !!!
as for the crowd i know it was down but end of the day u had city at home and everton on the box.
highlight for me was there coach why they brought such a big coach is beyond me !!!
other than that it was job done finding form just at the right time roll on weekend UP THE TOWN!!!!

Markymark88 wrote:

Solihull Martyr wrote:Shortwood beat Swindon 3-0!

Who to support Thursday now? Poole are champions.

Best result for us would be for Yate to win against Swindon SM on Thursday night.

A commanding performance from the Town we never really looked in any trouble last night.

I thought Traylor was always troublesome, and it was nice to see Preen get a run out, but MOM for me would have to be Jack Howe. An excellent display of defending and attacking, its hard to judge Jack consistanly due to him being in and out of the team through work commitments, but for me he never lets us down, always gives a good account of himself and last night was good evidence of that.

On the negative side we seem to be missing an absolute glut of chances every game, we are creating a multitude of chances but wasting them through choosing the wrong options, or tame finishing and I hope this doesnt cost us when the play offs come around, although I would be more concerned if we wernt creating the chances in the first place.

Other than that and excellent night, some players suitably rested, some given a much needed run out, and 3 points with a clean sheet & Swindon lost...

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS

UP THE TOWN..!!!!

Quite agree with you cf 48 regarding jack howe.

There's many a slip"between cup and lip"