Corsham v MERTHYR

Corsham have also "been laid low for a couple of weeks"

ok im not going to be negative now,
we got a point tonight and Bitton lost. fantastic stuff.
2 games in hand over bitton and now we move up to 4th place with 5points behind bitton in top spot.

Corsham hit the woodwork twice tonight then is it??
come on guys, 3 points would have been nice but hey its a point on the road.

up the Martyrs

True - perhaps thats why they didn't score.

I'm told it was 10 men behind the ball. Perhaps if we'd been a bit match sharper... - who knows?

scamp wrote:Very poor result .Also very unprofessional that we name only four subs.I said earlier this weak that the one team that goes up will have strength in depth.Leek is absent regularly in midweek no fault of his own work comes first but if we want promotion then take adequate steps to cover people like leek and shep.

Well we did have five players unable to play for various reasons: Joe Perry (ill), Tareq Khalil and Garry Shephard (injured - presumably so in Shephard's case), Kris Leek (unavailable) and Joe Leahy (away on loan).

It was rather a defensive midfield we put out tonight - Hartshorn, Dorrian and Alun Griffiths - which was maybe forced upon us by the absence of the players such as Leek and Harris (who doubtless wasn't properly fit). Although you could argue that Ian Traylor might have played deeper, as he has been doing recently, with Marcus Griffiths starting up front. But we don't know all the ins-and-outs - e.g. fitness levels - as to why that wasn't done.

Bitton's defeat made a draw a better result than it otherwise would have been.

We mustn't put too much expectation on Jamie Adams. He was not a first-team regular at Bristol Manor Farm and on their website he is named among the Reserves squad.

Have to agree with tim ,Being a reserve at bristol manor farm it is unfair to expect great things from him at the moment.The boys from newport would have fitted in nicely tonight i expect but there that was hopefull thinking

I have heard that Newport County are unlikely to release Newman and Greening as they are still in The FA Trophy
I think the deadline for new signings is the end of March.

I don't expect Jamie adams to win games by himself -- football is a team sport. The fact is that even as a reserve he is available to move up to play in the 1st team. What is the point of reserves!! The club have bought him; they've paid money for him. The club have not got money to throw away and Shep & Co must have seen something about him that prompted them to sign him. They didn't buy him to have him vegetate on a bench for the rest of the season. You've got to give him a chance to see what he can do.

I don't expect Jamie adams to win games by himself -- football is a team sport. The fact is that even as a reserve he is available to move up to play in the 1st team. What is the point of reserves!! The club have bought him; they've paid money for him. The club have not got money to throw away and Shep & Co must have seen something about him that prompted them to sign him. They didn't buy him to have him vegetate on a bench for the rest of the season. You've got to give him a chance to see what he can do.

I wouldn't say that Merthyr "bought" Adams. They didn't pay money for him.
Merthyr Town do not buy players!!
I think Adams was given a trial by Merthyr because he is now in the Cardiff area as a student. It's not as if the club sought him out, as far as I am aware!

But I do agree that he needs more time on the field. He did say in the Martyrs TV interview that he wanted to improve his fitness!
However, I think he is more of a midfield player than a striker judging by his style of play so far.
If Shep doesn't play we are short of strikers.

Tim Drummond wrote:
If Shep doesn't play we are short of strikers.

We could always play Jason Welsh up front.

I think the midfield is where we are lacking at times.leeky was missing tonight made a big difference i would imagine.Him and griffiths were outstanding in our last big win at pp.Mathew will be a big influence when fit .It will be interesting to see the reports when they are posted on the game

Yes, I forgot about Jason Welsh!But he is not a prolific scorer In 43 appearances for MERTHYR TYDFIL he only scored 10 goals. But he does provide a physical presence up front and thus provide the openings for Ian Traylor.

Allthough a disappointing result Corsham have done well against some of the better teams of their 4 wins they have beaten Brislinton and Larkhall and they have drawn at Hallen and against us, i was not at the game tonight so i can't comment on how we played but a draw away from home on a wednesday with a weak side is not the end of the world, don't be to hard on the lads.

I think the critical comments just show how high the expectations are of the fans - a point away is considered two points lost!!!
If promotion is secured this season, the next campaign will not be an easy one.
I don't think any comments are directed at the players as such, just the overall situation which appeared to suggest, Merthyr went to Corsham looking not to lose rather than anything else.
I think players always do their best but circumstances come against them and for whatever the reason, the best did not prove good enough.

This maybe a little tangential to the topic at hand but there is something else to consider when we think of the points dropped by Bitton yesterday. It is the case, it seems that a top 2 place is required for Merthyr and given that none of the top 3 have applied for promotion it is Hallen that remains the greatest threat to any promotion by the Martyrs. Following last nights draw Hallen are now 4 points behind, but with a game in hand. Hallen I believe have applied to go up. If they overtake Merthyr then any losses by Bitton, Larkhall or Willand will be purely academic. It is keeping ahead of Hallen is the main thing then. Oh and a top 2 place natch.

Oh! My points were covered in another thread. Sorry 'bout that, as you were.....

Corsham Town 0 Merthyr Town 0
Western Mail

MERTHYR TOWN moved up one place to fourth in the Toolstation Western League table thanks to their goalless draw at Corsham Town, but were left bitterly disappointed by the failure to win.

The Martyrs were without first-choice goalkeeper Joe Perry, who was suffering from a virus, player-manager Garry Shephard (family illness) and Kris Leek (working). Cardiff-born teenager Mike Ley, a former Wales Under-18 goalkeeper, took over from Perry.

This was Merthyr’s first visit to Corsham’s Southbank ground in Wiltshire and the wide pitch looked certain to suit their game. But they rarely found form.

Captain Steve Williams had an outstanding chance when he made a superbly-timed run from wing-back and fired over when a long cross reached him at the far post. Keeper Ley made a diving, one-handed save a Danny Baker’s volley from 15 yards.

There were nervous moments in the second half when Corsham threatened to score against a Merthyr team who struggled to impose themselves against a home team lying third from bottom in the table. Manager Danny Carter sent on Marcus Griffiths for Ian Traylor 20 minutes into the second half, but still Corsham held on.

With 10 minutes left Merthyr sent on Jamie Adams for top scorer Ryan Prosser in a bid to break the deadlock, but failed.

I think all the teams around us are a threat to our promotion hopes not just hallen .Irrespective if they have applied for promotion or not does not matter they wiil want to finish in the top two as a matter of pride for the club they represent

scamp wrote:.The boys from newport would have fitted in nicely tonight i expect but there that was hopefull thinking

From the South Wales Echo:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/merthyr-tydfil-fc/2012/02/16/corsham-town-0-merthyr-town-0-91466-30341063/

'MERTHYR have re-signed Ryan Newman on loan from Newport County. Newman should be available against Elmore at home in the League Cup this Saturday'

My information - which you will read in Saturday's programme - is that he is due to be with us for the rest of the season.

Tim Drummond wrote:I wouldn't say that Merthyr "bought" Adams. They didn't pay money for him.
Merthyr Town do not buy players!!

Just out of interest - when would have been the last time Merthyr DID paid a transfer fee for a player?

For that matter, when was the last time they received any money for a player? Cortez Belle? Or were we only due to receive a fee after he made a certain number of appearances for Chester - which he never managed due to being sent off so many times.

Tim Drummond wrote:Yes, I forgot about Jason Welsh!But he is not a prolific scorer In 43 appearances for MERTHYR TYDFIL he only scored 10 goals. But he does provide a physical presence up front and thus provide the openings for Ian Traylor.

Remember Jason Welsh also played in defence for part of his earlier spell with the Martyrs. But I agree - he does provide a more physical presence up front than Ryan Prosser.

According to the Club's website we were hoping that "Troy Greening would join Ryan once again on loan but he received a hip injury while playing against TNS in the Welsh Cup".

Danny Carter also couldn't make it - think it was due to being stuck in traffic in Gloucester area as part of his teaching job.

Anycase - Myself and the Pres. popoed into the Hong Kong House (Corsham FC shirt sponsors) after the game - gotta say, the large headed chinese guy who served us was most unhelpful; no; curry trays, no half and half, he wouldn't us eat the food on the premises and he didn't know where the nearest petrol station was

Poor service, I wouldn't recomend the estabishment.