Media Watch - Biggleswade Town

Bedfordshire beckons as we attempt to tackle one of the best home records in the division. The Waders will be looking to improve on their last home result, a 4-1 defeat by Hungerford. But we are showing steady signs of improvement ourselves and this will be another indicator of our end of season finishing position.

Last weekend we were all disappointed to drop two points so near to the end of the game. As Poole Town manager Tommy Killick commented post-game “Merthyr are a strong side. If you look at this game in isolation, I feel it is a good result. From our point of view, we can only play the game in front of us and this was a credible performance and a credible result. For a long period, it looked like it might not happen for us. So, I suppose it’s a mixture of feelings – it’s two points dropped, but we’ve had to come from behind in circumstances where it seemed everything was going against us, so from that point of view I’m pleased.”

Killick added ”I believe they are powerful, particularly on their own pitch, from now until the end of the season I don’t think that they’ll lose many games here.”

The intensity of our pressing increased last weekend, our wide players were both prepared to drop back and help defensively if the game needed it, although conceding so late would not have been part of the plan. We were penned back for the last twenty minutes when we needed to introduce someone who could take the ball away from the danger area’s and just retain possession.

What we were able to do last season was set ourselves up for a win in the latter stages when the opponent tires – unfortunately it is much harder to do this at Step 3. Our opponents have scored 39% of the goals we have conceded in the last twenty minutes of our league games this season.

Steve Jenkins is a coach that requires his team to understand the basics. With evidence of the self belief returning to the side, he likes the players to work things out for themselves. He will intervene from the touchline, but his preference appears to be to use the half time interval as his sounding board.

This works much better when his team has experienced leaders. Players like Ashley Evans, Jarrad Wright and Adam Davies are leaders in a visible sense, whereas those such as McLaggon and Gethin Jones are “technical leaders.” Jenkins approach appears to rely on the player’s self determination to improve. He provides the players with an environment to succeed if they are prepared to work hard.

Inside this environment, Adam Davies has been exceptionally consistent and there are signs that Chris Hugh will take a similar learning curve.

Some players slip under the radar and improve at their own pace. One area of the club that will need to be re-focused is the Academy development programme. None of the players in the current starting eleven came though the youth ranks. This is a project that could produce the next generation of players and something that we need to concentrate on.

Academy players can flourish given the right environment. Young players improve with a better calibre of performer around them.

We certainly have plenty of examples to look at in the recent past for evidence. The likes of Marcus Griffiths, Lee Hartshorn, Matthew Harris and Gareth Elliott would have been just as aspirational as more visible leaders to the next generation of Martyrs fans.

On a sad note just over eighteen months ago we had 5 Merthyr born players in the team, after Kerry Morgan’s departure we currently have none. While both Gavin Williams and Matthew Harris are still with the club they aren't currently fit enough to play.

Correct me if I'm wroung but think Adam Davies is the only Merthyr born plyer in squad

Yes, of course he is!!

Jaye Bowen was born in Merthyr.

Good stuff, all we need now is for Jaye to be picked for the team.

Was Jaye on trial at Yeovil Town this week?

Former Merthyr Town skipper Steve Williams returning to Penydarren Park for Red Insure Cup quarter-final showdown
Wales On Line

Former Martyrs skipper Steve Williams and ex-Cardiff City winger Leon Jeanne are both ready to play against Merthyr Town at Penydarren Park next Tuesday (7.45pm).

Both players are in the Paulton Rovers team for their Red Insure Cup quarter-final against the Martyrs. Williams returns to Merthyr’s stadium for the first time since he left the club in March 2015. Cardiff-born Jeanne, 35, is in his second spell with Paulton, having started his career with Queens Park Rangers in 1997.

Merthyr manager Steve Jenkins takes his team to face 10th-placed Biggleswade Town on Saturday and they will be without Kerry Morgan, who has left the club.

The former Swansea City winger signed for Merthyr during the summer of 2013 and Jenkins says: “Kerry wants to play first team football on a regular basis, but I am unable to guarantee that. I spoke to him and it is best for him that he moves on and plays as much as he can.”

Morgan played a key role when the Martyrs finished second in the league during his first season, which finished with the play-off final defeat against Paulton. He then helped the club win the Southern League South & West League 2014-15 title. Morgan has made more than 100 appearances for Merthyr, scoring 30 goals.

The entry fee for Merthyr’s home match against Paulton next Tuesday will be £7 adults, £5 over-65s and £1 for under-16s. Season tickets are not valid for the cup tie.

Taken from a Yeovil Town fans web site -

A game was staged on the club's 3G surface on the day after the Carlisle United defeat in the FA Cup, during which former Glovers player Gavin Williams came down to watch one of his own club's players feature in the trial game, with the Welshman currently coaching with Merthyr Town.

Curious if the Club's player referred to was in fact Jaye?

Interesting to see Leonne Jeane playing for Paulton I thought he was imprisoned for drugs last year?!
Amazing talent but never fulfilled it. Look forward to hearing how he plays.

ngully wrote:Interesting to see Leonne Jeane playing for Paulton I thought he was imprisoned for drugs last year?!

Yes - not sure how long it was for.

Leonne Jeanne scored for Paulton in their 2-1 win against Hitchin today.