MERTHYR v Didcot

Updates here (1pm k/o).

Team: Idzi Summerfield wright Rewbs Colborne Newman Charles Steve Williams McLaggon Morgan Traylor. Subs: Griffiths Prosser Cornwall Thomas.

1 up McLaggon 10mins

1-1 35mins. Good shot into corner, however we are very open at the back.

Subs 37mins: Prosser & Cornwall replace Lavelle and Williams.

2-1 Prosser low drive to corner 40mins

H/t 2-1

3-1 McLaggon 50mins

Didcot miss penalty on the hour

4-1 Traylor 64mins.

Sub 75mins: Thomas replaces Colbourne.

5 1 mclaggon at the end. Hat trick!!

F/t 5-1. Get in!!

good game today we played some nice stuff at times
and some good goals id like the club to sign up kayne pretty quick cause at this rate he scoring cant see him being here long.
good call by carter thought the game changed with prosser and the pudding coming on .

UP THE TOWN !!!

Today's team:

Idzi;
Summerfield,Rewbury,Colborne,Wright;
S.Williams,Newman;
Traylor,Charles,McLaggon,Morgan;

Subs:
Cornwall for Williams (injured) after about 37 minutes
Prosser for Charles at the same time
Thomas for Colborne after about 70 minutes
M.Griffiths

We were missing a complete midfield through injury, so played 4-2-4. Giles Cutlan was taking part in the warmup but for some reason wasn't on the bench. I wonder what news there is of Jack Howe, Alun Griffiths and Mark Dodds, as the squad is looking a little stretched again.

There was a bright start, and after about 6 minutes Kayne McLaggon put a near post header just wide after a cross from the left by Ryan Charles. But a minute later we were in the lead when Kerry Morgan went on a good run into the area on the left. He put the ball across for Kayne McLaggon to easily slot it inside the post.

After about 18 minutes, with Kerry Morgan now on the right he put over what I think was meant as a cross which hit the far post.

There was a long spell then when we seemed to be playing well within ourselves and generally in control but without really looking like getting another goal. The result was that after about 35 minutes Didcot equalised following a spell of possession ending when the ball was played in to John Mills who was in too much space on the edge of the area. He was able to pick his spot and put the ball past Lee Idzi.

A couple of minutes later Steve Williams went down injured and had to go off to be replaced in midfield by Aaron Cornwall. Ryan Charles - maybe carrying an injury - also went off with Ryan Prosser coming on. About 3 minutes later it was Prosser who restored the lead when he received the ball from Cornwall on the edge of the area and turned well to put a shot just inside the post.

It was just about a fair scoreline at half time. We'd had our best spell in the first 20 minutes or so but then Didcot came more into it and it became a lot closer game.

A couple of minutes after the break after Ryan Prosser intercepted the ball Kayne McLaggon put a pass out to Kerry Morgan 20 yards out on the left for him to hit it first time with his left foot for a shot which just brushed the top of the bar above the far post. About 3 minutes after that it was 3-1 following a free kick into the Didcot area. They cleared it only as far as Jamie Rewbury who had a fine touch to lay the ball off to Kayne McLaggon just inside the area on the right. He did very well to place an accurate shot across the keeper and inside the far post.

Kerry Morgan should have scored after about 57minutes when Kayne McLaggon beat the offside on the right and put the ball across to him. But from 6 yards out he put the ball over the bar.

About a minute later Didcot had a shot hit the bar from the edge of the area, then a couple of minutes after that their keeper made a good save from a shot by Ryan Newman on the right of the area.

Even at 3-1 the game wasn't over yet, as shown when Jarrad Wright was beaten down the line. The player ran into the box and a penalty was given - I couldn't tell if it was handball or a tackle. But for Didcot John Mills was less than Ice Cold in Merthyr and put the kick well over the bar. We made Didcot pay for the miss no more than a minute later with an individual goal from Ian Traylor. He ran into the box on the right, twisted and turned past a couple of players and finished with a shot inside the far post.

With about 20 minutes to go, at 4-1 up, Andrew Thomas was given a bit of game time, replacing Gary Colborne.

We made it 5-1 after about 86 minutes when Kayne McLaggon did well to trap a high ball and run forward to strike a shot from 25 yards which flew along the ground into the net.

It's a difficult game to assess, and it seems strange to say that while we were well worth 5 goals it was a lot closer game at times than the scoreline suggests! The key moment was maybe Didcot's penalty miss, and there's no way of knowing how things would have turned out if it had gone to 3-2 at that stage. On the other hand, we did have, to be honest. a less than full-strength midfield so you've got count it a good performance in the circumstances. I think the answer was our firepower up front made up for anything we lacked elsewhere. It's easy to say Kayne McLaggon was man of the match, but I'd choose Ryan Newman who I thought was outstanding in midfield. It wasn't the best I've seen Jarrad Wright play, and Ian Traylor was hardly in the game in the first half, but when he dropped back more into midfield after the break he was more effective, and his fine goal killed the game off after Didcot's penalty miss..

I don't know what the attendance was - it looked to be 300 or so - but those who preferred rugby missed another load of goals, all good ones, as we close in on 100 for the season in the league

I see the attendance was 408 - that's not bad considering. Probably the early kick-off was a good thing.

Ryan Newman m.o.m.for me today he ran the midfield on is own,good win again but the injuries must be a bit worrying.What wasn.t nice to see today the show boating by one of the players that is totally disrespectful to the opposition.

Thought Kerry Morgan had his best game yet....his vision , his passing , his speed and first full 90 minutes.....he was my man of the match....Boz

I wrote this last Tuesday after the Fleet game.

4mad.anubis wrote:Nice to see Kayne hitting the back of the net. Six goals in his last four games. Just at the right time of the season.

Make that NINE in his last five games!
Another good win, shame I wasn't there to see it, sounds like it was another cracker.
97 goals scored this season. Three (at least) against Shortwood on Tuesday for the ton! Win eight out of our nine remaining games, and that's a ton in points as well!
Pity Cirencester managed to sneak a win against Thatcham. Tough game for them on Tuesday against Swindon Supermarine.
We need another eleven points to be assured of a play-off place. Although with the teams below us playing each other, we've more than likely got enough points already. Paulton finished in the last play-off place last season with 75 points.
Let's hope for four away wins on the trot on Tuesday.
Up The Martyrs!!
 

It was an enjoyable game today and Didcot played their full part and looked good going forward, with their #7 having a good game.  Whilst they looked good going forward, they were very open at the back and gave us too much room and we took advantage.  The only sticky patch we had was during the first half when we gave the ball away a bit too much but as soon as Prosser scored we never looked like losing, although it may have been more interesting, and increased my fag count had the penalty gone in.  As it was it was a kick which was more at home at The Millennium Stadium.  Nice to see the Imp getting his film reference into his report and Mills looked more like Mr Polly!

Newman did have a very good game today and Prosser made a big difference when he came on but for scoring another hat trick I suppose Kayne was the obvious choice.  We did look a bit vulnerable on our flanks with Jarrad & Dan not having the best of games.  I think Log may have been substituted through injury as we noticed he was feeling his hip in the first half and hopefully it was a precaution and that he's fit for Tuesday. Traylor looked good coming forward towards the end and it was good to see that Kerry's boots can last 90 minutes.

It's going to be a difficult game against Shortwood as the games are usually very close and I wouldn't be too disappointed to come away from there with a point - although three would be very nice.

Didn't realise the Imp had a starring role in "Ice cold in Alex"...?

Good to see he's still wearing the original raincoat!

Aye, but at least he doesn't go harping on about it.

Bit early in the morning to be Groucho Ancient Turf?.....Boz

There are some images from yesterday's game on the club website

Boz1964 wrote:Bit early in the morning to be Groucho Ancient Turf?.....Boz

Aye, I had top marx for that.