MERTHYR v Bideford

Team:
Bradley
Davies Hugh Jones Belle Wright Evans Brown
Traylor Prosser Jenkins

Subs:
Bloom Scotcher Bond Bowen McLaggon

come on Martyrs

0-0 half time. Not much to report!

1-0 up! Ashley Evans on the 49th min. Shot fumbled by their goalkeeper
2-0! Prosser 52nd min
3-0 could be Corey Jenkins or Jon Brown 55mins

I've received a text to say we won 3-0.
Great news, most welcome 3 points with the next 4 games all away!

60th min sub. Brown off and Bowen on
69th min sub. Traylor off and McClaggon on
78th min sub. Belle off and Chad Bond on for his debut

Full time 3-0! Not the best first half but we deserved to win in the end. Bideford didn't pose much threat

Sorry it was a bit erratic - on a delayed train home back to the Midlands from the Smoke!!

Tonight's team:

Bradley;
Davies,Belle,Jones,Hugh;
Brown,Evans,Wright;
Traylor,Prosser,Jenkins;

Subs:
Bowen for Brown after about 59 minutes
McLaggon for Traylor after about 69 minutes
Bond for Belle after about 78 minutes
Bloom
Scotcher

The only change from Saturday was Corey Jenkins in place of Elliot Scotcher with Jon Brown playing in midfield. Chad Bond was on the bench instead of Guillermo Bauza.

We had most of the play in the first few minutes but with just two headers over the bar to show for it. After about 9 minutes Ian Traylor robbed the Bideford goalkeeper just inside the area on the right but was unable to turn the ball into the net. About 3 minutes later Adam Davies and Traylor combined on the right for the latter to fire in a shot which the keeper palmed away.

Although we'd had all the game apart from an early corner for Bideford we were lucky on about 17 minutes when Cortez Belle kicked the ball against an attacker which put him clean through, but luckily he put his shot well wide with only Tom Bradley to beat.

After about 35 minutes Jon Brown swerved a shot wide of the post from the edge of the area, and a minute later we had a header cleared off the line from a corner after the keeper had pushed away a shot from Corey Jenkins.

We had another let off just before the break following a Bideford throw in when Chris Hugh headed the ball on to an attacker, but he put his shot almost straight at Tom Bradley.

We'd dominated the first half but only managed 2 or 3 decent efforts on target, with all other efforts at goal going high or wide. Bideford's only two dangerous moments had come from our mistakes.

We finally took a deserved lead a couple of minutes into the second half when Bideford failed to properly clear a long free kick into their area. The ball came to Ashley Evans about 25 yards out, and he sent in a hard low shot which the goalkeeper could only push into the net just inside the post. About 5 minutes later it was 2-0 when Corey Jenkins raced down the left and played the ball across to Ryan Prosser about 15 yards out and he had time to pick his spot and hammer the ball into the net.

Another 3 minutes later and it was 3-0. Ian Traylor put in a cross from the right which was too high for everybody. However, Jon Brown rescued the situation by getting to the ball out on the left and he fired the ball across towards the far post. I thought at first it had deceived everybody and gone straight in, but evidently Corey Jenkins had got a touch on it.

Just before the hour mark we were so much on top we were able to bring on Jaye Bowen in place of Jon Brown in midfield. A couple of minutes later Bideford had their first decent effort on goal when some tricky play by their no. 15 on the left of the area saw him get in a shot to the near post which Tom Bradley had to beat away.

Kayne McLaggon replaced Ian Traylor with just over 20 minutes to go.

After about 76 minutes Tom Bradley had to make a good save to push away a shot from the left of the area.

We saw two substitutions in the second half which may have been to prevent players receiving second yellow cards. First, the Bideford right back, who Corey Jenkins had been giving a torrid time and who had been booked in the first half was given a talking to by the referee after another foul on Jenkins, and despite having just made a good defensive header was taken off perhaps to avoid being sent off. Then, after about 78 minutes Chad Bond came on for his debut in place of Cortez Belle who, similarly, had been spoken to by the referee for a foul after being booked in the first half (not sure what for). So it could have been to avoid a further possible yellow card, or it could just have been a chance to give Chad Bond a run out. He played in midfield with Jarrad Wright dropping back.

Almost on the 90m minutes Bideford sent in a free kick from the half way line to try and catch out Tom Bradley, but he was able to tip the ball over the bar.

So, a well-deserved win, but it has to be said, against the poorest side we've played at home this season. It could easily have been by a bigger margin in the second half, with some trickery by Jaye Bowen just not quite being finished off, and Ryan Prosser on one occasion just slightly overhitting a pass that would have played in Kayne McLaggon.

Bideford had a couple of dangerous moments in the second half but the defence and Tom Bradley coped with them.

For man of the match I could almost say Corey Jenkins, as it's about the best game I've seen him play, and Bideford found it difficult to cope with his pace. Otherwise I'd say Ashley Evans, who perhaps ought to have had at least one other goal but couldn't keep his shots on target. Gethin Jones had a good game as did Jon Brown and Traylor. Adam Davies was his usual steady self.

second that .
thought putting brown in the middle was a good call.
added the bite and running its lacked.
traylor was good today he looked gutted at coming off mind
bowen could and should have had a couple to be honest and this game suited him.
but corey was my mom very good display off how pace can rip u apart and boy has he got some.
UP THE TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just uploaded some images from last night's game onto FLICKR.