MERTHYR v Biggleswade

Team:
Garner
Watkins Wright McDonald Tancock
Evans Yorwerth Reffell
Traylor Prosser McLaggon.

Subs:
Baggridge Williams Scotcher Richards Jenkins

1 up Mclaggon 22mins

Ht 1 up

Prosser off Richards on 54mins.

Traylor off Jenkins on 65mins.

Reffell off. Scotcher on. 90+mins.

FT 1-0 could easily have conceded at the death, scrappy efforts in front of goal

Today’s team:

Garner;
Watkins,Wright,McDonald,Tancock;
Reffell,Yorwerth,Evans;
Traylor,Prosser,McLaggon;

Subs:
Richards for Prosser after about 50 minutes
Jenkins for Traylor after about 62 minutes
Scotcher for Reffell after about 89 minutes
Baggridge
Williams

With Scott Barrow unfit Ben Watkins came into the side at right back with Scott Tancock moving across to the left. Elliot Scotcher was able to return to the bench, joined by new signing Eliot Richards.

There was some early pressure from Biggleswade with a couple of corners and then we had a corner ourselves after about 8 minutes when Keyon Reffell broke down the left. About 5 minutes after that Biggleswade had a good break themselves going down the right, and when the ball came in Curtis McDonald did well to scoop the ball away from the goalmouth. About 4 minutes later McDonald did well again when an attacker threatened to break clear just inside the area, but he put in a strong challenge which drew half-hearted appeals for a penalty by Biggleswade.

We hadn’t really been able to get going properly, but then took the lead after about 23 minutes. Ryan Prosser did well to beat his man on the right and played Keyon Reffell in to pull the ball back across the area for Kayne McLaggon running in on the left to fire into the net.

Biggleswade almost got the equaliser after about 34 minutes when defender Gavin Hoyte beat McDonald to get a header in from a corner which came back off the bar. We were unable to get the ball away properly, and soon afterwards it reached an attacker whose close range shot on the left clipped the outside of the post.

We continued to be under some pressure, although Biggleswade’s main threat seemed to be from corners and free kicks aimed towards the head of Hoyte. However, we got through to half time with the scoreline maybe flattering us.

About 5 minutes into the second half, Ryan Prosser, who apart from creating the goal had been getting little change in the air out of Biggleswade’s centre half, was replaced by Eliot Richards. He played on the left with Kayne McLaggon moving into the middle.

After about 62 minutes Corey Jenkins came on for Ian Traylor, playing on the left as usual, with Richards now moving across to the right.

With about 68 minutes gone Josh Yorwerth tricked his way into the area on the left but put his shot a couple of feet above the angle of bar and post.

We were having most of the play in the second half but good defending by Biggleswade was preventing us getting a second goal that would have probably made the game safe. After about 75 minutes Eliot Richards forced a good save from the keeper with low shot from 20 yards following a corner.

While Biggleswade were not really looking like scoring we still couldn’t relax, and just at the start of added time, after Elliot Scotcher had replaced Keyon Reffell, they had just about their only opportunity to score in the second half, forcing something of a goalmouth scramble. But we dealt with it, and right at the end Kayne McLaggon almost broke clear, but instead of attempting to take a defender on wisely decided to head for the corner and won a corner kick, which when it was taken was the last kick of the match.

So, a hard-fought win, and while we didn’t look as good as in the last two home games we never stopped working and in the end the scoreline was probably a fair reflection of the game.

Biggleswade looked a good average side, with their main attacking threat being from set pieces, although no. 9 Inih Effiong was a handful for Curtis McDonald. They were very good in defence, however, and there were few scoring opportunities for either side.

Man of the match for me was Josh Yorwerth, who has really settled into a midfield role, often displaying a lot of skill on the ball as well as winning it in the air and on the ground. Not far behind him was Kayne McLaggon who really worked hard. But there was no weakness in the side, with Ben Watkins having a steady game and Scott Tancock doing some good work from left back. Eliot Richards showed some good touches which looked promising for when he settles into the side.

Only disappointing thing was the attendance, down from 600+ to 468. Maybe too many home games close together. But we’re now just one point off a play-off position with a game in hand.

Just posted a few images from yesterday's game on the club website.

As imp states the attendance was disappointing .The reason for this could be that the coverage we are getting in the media is absolutely crap.Last season you could go on Wales on line and there would be a report also in the welsh newspapers.Not all of us get the free local newspaper and many of us have stopped buying the Merthyr express.I do not know if it is the fault of the club in that they cannot submit reports or whatever.With Owen money involved with the welsh radio perhaps he can tap up their sport editors for a mention particularly as we are pushing for a playoff place.I believe we have full time personnel running the club perhaps they can channel some of their duties to improve media coverage

scamp wrote: I believe we have full time personnel running the club perhaps they can channel some of their duties to improve media coverage

In which case something else would not get done.

There is always coverage in the Merthyr Express, with material submitted by a volunteer who also supplies the free paper. Another volunteer submits reports on Saturday home games to the Non-League Paper which is a national publication, appearing on Sundays.

I personally feel there is a lot that could be done to improve media coverage, including what appears on the Internet but I also recognise the fact that it needs someone to do it.

The paid staff can only do so much - anything else needs volunteers to do it. I can think of several things being done by the paid staff which if volunteers were to come forward instead would free them up to do a great many other things which the club 'ought' to be doing.

People should remember it's OUR club - especially if we are amongst the owners - and the opportunity is always there to take part in running it and improving it.

I've written this kind of thing in the match programme in the past more than once, and - beware! - it'll be in there again before long!

The non league paper have excellent reports which I buy every Sunday but how many supporters do actually buy it very few I guess.As far as the Merthyr express is concerned I guess since they started to charge a pound it is only matter of time before it goes off the shelves.The free paper is excellent but here again it is short in its circulation.I used to have my copy on the gates but this seemed to have stopped and have failed to get a copy in recent months.The most important way to sell the club is via the media even if other avenues which the club full timers at the club deal with have to be sacrificed

Well, I would only add that whether it was thanks to the efforts of paid staff or volunteers - most likely both - the message that the recent Dorchester match was 'Pay What You Want' still managed to get out well enough to attract the highest attendance for an ordinary evening league match for over 13 years.

But as I said above, this doesn't mean to say there's never always room for improvement.

The disappointing thing about Saturday's attendance wasn't so much that it was 'only' 468 but that it was so much less than the 600+ the previous Saturday, despite an excellent midweek away win.

The Schools were off so I know of some regulars whose other halves took advantage and whisked them off on exotic jaunts.

Reports are submitted to Western Mail and Echo after every game and some do appear in the Echo but unfortunately not on tinternet. There have been redundancies at the Western Mail and Echo and the one who used to put such reports online is no longer employed there.

We are trying to get a link into Wales Online but unfortunately with little success.

Twyn Jasper wrote:The Schools were off so I know of some regulars whose other halves took advantage and whisked them off on exotic jaunts.

Penydarren Park not exotic enough?

We are not at the level that I want in regards to our media coverage, that's for sure. This takes time to build but we are building up relationships with BBC Radio Wales, WalesOnline etc but as Old Sod said there have been cuts.

I will defend our social media coverage and reach which has almost doubled over the last 6/8 Months which seems to be having a positive effect on other aspects of the Club. Not everyone is on social media of course but it seems to be heading in the right direction.

I think our average attendance this season has generally been positive in comparison to last season but we always want more obviously.

What I have noticed is that there a lot more younger people attending games at the moment which I'm personally very pleased about.