kings Langley v MERTHYR

Team:
Davies
Davies Tancock Wright Barrow
Evans patten Richards
Traylor Bull Jenkins
Subs:
Harris Bowen Copp Prosser

Traylor penalty saved 8th min

H.T 0-0

Supporters coach - tyre blow out on way, delayed 20/25 mins

0-0 half time

1-0 up - Scott Barrow

1-0 Barrow 59mins

Banbury winning 1-0 at Hayes.

Substitution earlier - Prosser for Bull.

2-0 - Traylor

2-0 Traylor on his 300th appearance

Subs - Copp for Patten and later on Bowen for Jenkins.

2 up! Traylor on his 300th appearence, making amends for his penalty miss.

Now 1-2 after about 87 minutes.

2-1. Defensive mix up heading into injury time.

1-2 after a mix up in defence

Chippenham, Slough & Banbury winning. Hitchin drawing & Leamington losing at home to Frome.

2-2 in injury time.

Would you believe it...

2-2 at the death. Unbelievable.

F.T 2-2

F/t 2-2. definitely two points dropped.

Banbury won 1-0, so we're now one point ahead of them.

2 points down the drain,should have been put to bed earlier on.gavin should have played prosper just behind bully.very mediocre again

A missed penalty plus 2 late goals from lowly Kings Langley contributed to the dropping of 2 points on the road for the Martyrs and to a large extent they were architects of their own downfall.

Merthyr were still without the suspended Reffell and the injured McDonald and McLaggon and Prosser was only fit enough for a place on the bench alongside Bowen, Copp and Matthew Harris who was making a welcome return to the first team squad after nearly 2 seasons on the sidelines due to injury.  Bull made his first start for the club upfront joined by Jenkins and Traylor who were playing wide.  Richards, Patten and Evans completed the midfield and Ollie Davies played behind a back 4 of Adam Davies, Wright, Tancock and Barrow.

Almost immediately from the kick off Evans was the victim of a poor tackle made by Balogun who had come into the KL side due to the late withdrawal of Plowright which deserved a yellow card at least but other than awarding a free kick, Mr Viccars took no further action.  In the early part of the game it was all Merthyr with the home side struggling to get out of their own half and the Martyrs had a couple of corners the second of which was cleared by the KL defence but only as far as Evans who found Richards who sent it forward towards the edge of the area where Bull was challenged by Balogun and the referee spotted a foul on Bull and awarded a penalty to the Martyrs and the KL defender could have easily picked up his second yellow card of the game inside the first 3 minutes.  Traylor, who was making his 300th appearance for the club stepped up to take the kick and after having to replace the ball on the spot he sent his shot towards goal but Comas did well to get down to his right to palm the ball away and a golden opportunity to take an early lead was lost.  

The onslaught continued with Merthyr having a couple of corners all taken by Barrow with the second one being met by Patten but his right footed jab at the ball from about 8 yards sent it over the KL goal.  Merthyr also had throws in dangerous positions and from one the ball was sent into the area by Davies after he’d received the ball back from Traylor and Jenkins got up to head the ball down towards Richards but his shot deflected off a KL defender up into the air and into the safe hands of Comas.  A few minutes later after our friend Balogun gave away a needless corner, Barrow’s kick was met by the back of Jenkins’s head but the ball looped just over Comas’s bar.  

Davies, in the Merthyr goal had his first touch of the game on 18 minutes when a hopeful lump into the Merthyr half ran all the way through to the Martyr’s custodian.  KL then in their first real attack of the game gained a corner on their right which was cleared.  KL then gained a free kick just inside the Merthyr half which was sent towards the Merthyr area by Hitchcock which was dropped by Davies and came out to Balogun who sent it back into the Merthyr area and it rebounded to Cox who’s shot went high over the Merthyr bar from about 25 yards.  
Merthyr continued on the offensive and after receiving a good crossfield ball, Davies controlled it and sent a high ball into the KL area and Comas went for it but he also couldn’t hang onto the ball and came out to Richards but his shot on goal was well defended by Connolly on the 6 yard line and they got it clear.    

Merthyr continued on the attack for the rest of the half but failed to take advantage of their superiority although KL did create the only moment of danger in the Merthyr area when a ball was fizzed across the 6 yard line by Ward and Toomey only just failed to get a touch.  The half ended with Merthyr on the attack with a disappointing 0-0 scoreline considering the amount of possession the Martyrs had.

The second half got underway and followed a similar pattern to the first with Merthyr having the bulk of the play.  Richards did well in making a good run towards the edge of the KL area and played a one two with Bull and Comas came out to make a good save at Richards’s feet an KL cleared.  Turner and Patten then got involved in a fracas on the halfway line and Mr Viccars showed common sense in dealing with the handbags situation with just a word to both players.  KL then gained a free kick inside the Merthyr half when Evans pushed Cox.  Cox took the kick and Toomey rose well but headed the ball over the Merthyr bar.  

Then in the 54th minute, Merthyr got the breakthrough which on the balance of play they richly deserved.  Barrow sent the ball forward downfield and Richards picked it up and sent it left towards Jenkins on the left hand edge of the KL area and he held it up and sent it back to Barrow who advanced forward and sent a left footed shot through a crowd of players from about 25 yards to the left of Comas’s despairing dive and into the back of the net providing deep joy for the Merthyr players, bench and the travelling faithful.  

A few minutes later Bull was fouled about 20 yards from goal in a central position and Barrow’s kick was well saved by Comas going down to his left.  Manager Williams then made his first substitution with Bull being replaced by Prosser.  Almost immediately Merthyr gained a corner on the left and Barrow’s kick was met by Wright whose downward header just eluded Prosser and bounced safely into Comas’s hands.  Comas cleared and just inside the KL half, Evans was adjudged to have fouled Johnson and called Evans across and gave him a yellow card for this fairly innocuous foul especially considering the punishment the Merthyr skipper had been subjected to during the game.  

KL were defending well but after a throw close to the corner flag, Johnson’s high pass across the edge of the area was intercepted by Prosser and his header found Traylor who from the edge of the 6 yard area sent his shot past Comas and Merthyr were 2 up after 78 minutes and surely were on track to gain the 3 points they needed.  Traylor celebrated his 300th game with a goal and all thoughts of his earlier penalty miss were erased.  

A few minutes later, Patten indicated that he needed to be replaced and Copp came on in a like for like replacement and shortly after that Bowen replaced Jenkins.  A long kick out from Davies was headed on by Prosser and Copp did well to get around the keeper but ran out of room and could only succeed in running the ball out of play for a goal kick.  KL made a last ditch effort to get something out of the game and with about 5 minutes of normal time left they got a foothold when a long ball sent into the Merthyr area bounced up and Barrow, instead of trying to find row Z attempted to get the ball back to Davies but it was intercepted by substitute Stobbs who steered it past Davies’s right hand and into the net making the score 2-1 to the Martyrs.
Merthyr still tried to get a 3rd to make the game absolutely safe but were unable to make that breakthrough and KL now had the sniff of an equaliser and again it was ineffective defending which allowed them to get it deep into stoppage time.  The referee gave a free kick to Kings Langley just inside the Merthyr half for a foul by Bowen.  Hitchcock sent the ball forwards towards the Merthyr area and Balogun headed the ball back across goal and Toomey pushed the ball forward and Pattison from about 2 yards bundled the ball into the back of the Merthyr net.

Merthyr tried to get ahead and from the kick off the ball was sent back to Barrow who sent a ball forward into the KL half and Richards was fouled about 35 yards from goal.  Copp’s kick was sent towards goal and Comas went down and got a good push on it and sent the ball towards the left hand touchline and Richards slid in and fouled a KL player and received a yellow card for his troubles.  Shortly afterwards the referee brought the game to an end and the game ended 2-2.
I may have said this before but being deservedly 2-0 up and cruising we contrived to drop 2 more points in our quest for promotion.

I’m not the greatest statistician in the world but this is not the first time we’ve allowed that to happen. Kings Langley are not a good side and we should have won in a canter but a missed penalty, an attempt to play football in our own penalty area and an inability to attack a ball sent into our box cost us dear.  We are still in the box seat to gain 5th place in the league but that will mean away games in the play offs.  It’s always been said that Merthyr are a team that likes to do things the hard way and the possibility of an away game at Leamington followed by an away game at Hitchin really means that we do.  If we can get through those then we deserve it.  However we need to ensure our place and a win at Snots next Saturday is imperative.

For those of you who don't know the supporters bus suffered a blow out on the M40 on the way to the game.  Luckily the driver managed to control the vehicle and get it onto the hard shoulder and it was a very hairy moment for the lads and lasses on the bus.  Thankfully they were all fine and it was great to see them arrive at the ground, albeit a half hour late.  The noise level certainly increased on their arrival!

Onwards and Upwards!