A Bard Day at the Office *Subtitled by Ownes

A Mid Summerfield's Dream

'Alas poor Yorwerth, I knew him well' I muttered in my soliloquy, as I filed my way home from a bitterly cold Loadlok Stadium.

Having been recalled to his 'Hamlet' in Crawley, Merthyr had to do without the services of the 'Big Red One' and today was concrete proof that those size twelve boots take some filling.

Coupled with the final game of a three match suspension for Captain Marble, it was undoubtedly 'Measure for Measure' the best time for Stratford Town to visit the Capital of the Valleys.

There are few sides that can play well whilst missing half of their midfield ( No Scotcher, No Evans and no Merthyr Messi- Matthew Harris - who was famous for his 'Taming of the Shrewton') but Stratford Town appropriately defending the 'Theatre End' in Act One took full advantage.

Having been humbled 3-0 up in Warwickshire a couple of weeks ago, the Away Side were determined to get something from this fixture, in a season that has their 'cast of players' nervously looking over their shoulders at the 'trapdoor' to the Evo-Stik First Division.

In amongst their rank was a former Martyr playing at right back.

In young Summerfield, Stratford have a quality University acquisition- a tenacious tackler with a gift for organisation and a knack of being in the right place at the right time - Autumn, Winter and Spring.

The ultimate 'Dan for all Seasons'.

He was their last line of the defence and saved Stratford on more than one occasion in the first half, particularly with one perfectly timed challenge on the edge of the penalty area on the Prossiah, which swept the 'Globe' away from under his beard, just as he was about to plunge the knife into the heart of the Stratford defence.

From the 'aside lines'  he was heard to say....'Is this a Dan I see before me...!'

The Business and Economics Student 'Apprentice' was 'sonnet' before you could count to 14, and his movement and clever use of the curled forward ball was simply 'poetry in motion'.

With the Away side sponsored by Baxi - this game was always going to be a 'slow burner' but Stratford came with a game plan and stuck to it.

They scored the first goal through Edwin Ahenkorah- a former Birmingham player - which was largely against the run of play, but deserved the goal, as they had earlier gone close twice through a mixture of confusion and 'Comedy of Errors' in the 'twilight zone' that now exists between the centre circle and the penalty box - with Merthyr only being saved by the ever alert Glyn Garner.

All round today, Merthyr's reshuffled pack looked out of sorts, which was partly down to the absence of the afore-mentioned players, but credit also has to be given to Stratford closing them down and of course in part to the flag- happy linesman without any roof insulation material on the near side.

Well I suppose he had to stay warm somehow.

The Half Time interval came with Stratford 1-0 up and a secret desire from me (due to the poor first half) that the floodlights might fail again - as the game would be more of a spectacle in the dark) and Merthyr Stadium be renamed yet again from Penydarren Park and the CiggE/Loadlok  to the Stadium of No-Light.

It was clear that changes were needed at the break and whilst the mere mortals players of Merthyr Town used the  'Ace' new rooms to boot, SuperGav changed in a local phone box.

However, whilst he added an injection of class to the second half proceedings, the dye was already cast and although Merthyr scrambled home a deserved equaliser through the dependable Ian Traylor, after Stratford scored first,  there was only ever likely to be one result for the draw specialists of the Premier League.

It would have been tough on the economic Summerfield and his hardworking teammates had Merthyr got a late winner, when the Hedge Fund-wearing Prossiah looped a header over Cooper and a barrel onto the bar.

The Worcester referee had little to do in what was the worst performance from the Home Side all season, but whilst it was certainly a 'Bard day at the Office'  it was a case of honours even with the point more valuable to Stratford in their precarious position than it was to Merthyr.

That said and done, whilst we must put sides like Stratford to the sword at home if we are to secure a play-off position, it was another point on a cold day, when Merthyr were not at full strength and very off- colour.

Performance wise, there could only be one Dan of the Match.

With the Merthyr Man of the Match for me being Kayne McLaggon, who showed some great touches and finesse - although Keyon Refell did one fabulous run, from the half way line, that deserved a goal, which was only stopped only by a cynical push in the back from behind for which the Officials gave nothing - it appeared that when it came to the Stratford Player 'Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair'

That said and done the referee was largely consistent as there was one almighty lunge tackle late on by Jarrad  (who left his 'Avon Calling Card' ) on the substitute striker, which would have not looked out of place at Twickenham and the referee got it completely Wright by booking the other man of steel.

For a few seconds,  I was worried it would be red and Tata.

In the end, it was not a complete Nightmare but a great individual advert and happy return in Midfield for Summerfield.

Let's all hope it's not the last time he graces our Stadium, whatever it is called in a few years time when his degree course ends.

In the words of Shakespeare 'Brevity is the form of Wit' so for Gord's sake I will keep this weeks comedy report brief.

Boz

Boz1964 wrote:

'Alas poor Yorwerth, I knew him well' I muttered in my soliloquy, as I filed my way home from a bitterly cold Loadlok Stadium.

Having been recalled to his 'Hamlet' in Crawley,

Josh Yorwerth played in Crawley's 3-2 win against Grimsby today.

Excellent script by Merthyr's poet.