MERTHYR v Elmore (Cup)

Updates here

Perry, Willo, A. Griffiths, Tubbs, Newall, Hartshorn, Leek, Newman, Shep, Prosser, Traylor

1 up Prosser 28mins

1 up Prosser 28mins

h/t 1-0. Hit the crossbar and goalpost!

Sub 69th min. Prosser off and Matthew Harris on

F/t 1-0

Draw just taken place. We're home to Street in the next round. Good draw for us! Game to be played on 17th March.

Today's team:-

Perry;
Newall,A.Thomas,Hartshorn;
Williams,Leek,Newman,A.Griffiths;
Shephard,Prosser,Traylor;

Subs:
Harris for Prosser after about 71 minutes
Dorrian
J.Thomas
Howe
Ley

No Jason Welsh (rested?), Marcus Griffiths or Jamie Adams (maybe fitness reasons for the latter two?)

It was a more attacking line-up than in midweek, and we were effectively playing 3-4-3.

We did not get off to a good start, and were almost in trouble in the first minute when Lee Hartshorn made a poor effort at turning the ball back to Joe Perry, and when an Elmore player nipped in it resulted in the ball twice having to be cleared away by a defender. Shortly afterwards an Elmore free kick about 30 yards out on the right was fumbled past the post by Joe Perry.

Things improved after that, and after about 9 minutes a good break on the right saw Garry Shephard set up Ian Traylor with a ball across the 6-yard line but his shot was blocked.

After about 22 minutes a neat chip from Ryan Prosser on the left of the area saw Garry Shephard get in a header wihich hit the post. A minute later we hit the woodwork again when Ryan Prosser, again on the left of the area, cut inside and crashed a shot against the bar.

The breakthrough was no more than we deserved after about 26 minutes when a long ball forward saw Ryan Prosser pushed over just inside the area. He took the penalty himself and made no mistake.

After about 34 minutes Ryan Prosser fired in a shot which the keeper parried, Ian Traylor just got to it for a shot which was blocked. A minute later Lee Hartshorn had to make a good clearance at the near post after Jon Newall missed a tackle.

About 4 minutes later Jon Newall, well forward on the right, put over a good cross for Ryan Prosser to get in a near post header which was well saved by the keeper.

Although deservedly in front at half time it maybe should have been by more than 1-0.

We weren't able to carry on the good play in the second half and were rather sloppy more than once, Lee Hartshorn slicing the ball over his own bar after about 60 minutes.

But we improved as the half went on, and after about 70 minutes Kris Leek had the keeper scrambling across to push the ball past the post after he fired in a left foot shot from the edge of the area. Matthew Harris then came on for Ryan Prosser. Ian Traylor and Garry Shephard then formed the front two with Ryan Newman playing behind them.

A fast run down the right by Ian Traylor ended with him putting the ball across the area, but Ryan Newman curled a disappointing shot wide of the far post.

Another run by Ian Traylor, this time down the left, set up shots for Kris Leek and Ryan Newman which were both blocked as there was some good last-ditch defending by Elmore.

It was a more comfortable win than the scoreline suggests, although we did have some sloppy moments in the second half which Elmore weren't good enough to take advantage of. They defended well, and their goalkeeper was a lot busier than Joe Perry, making 3 or 4 fine saves. Kris Leek was named as man of the match, and I'd agree with that.

Attendance of 226 wasn't too bad - about one of the best I can remember for a league cup game at Penydarren Park!

Solihull Martyr wrote:Draw just taken place. We're home to Street in the next round. Great draw for us!

I believe that will be on Sat March 17th, Martyrs due to play Bridport away that day, long trip for a rearranged mid-week game!

missed todays game updates on here, as i was working,
just got home infact
good draw for the next round
up the martyrs

cliffyboy wrote:

Solihull Martyr wrote:Draw just taken place. We're home to Street in the next round. Great draw for us!

I believe that will be on Sat March 17th, Martyrs due to play Bridport away that day, long trip for a rearranged mid-week game!

According to Mitto the Bridport away game is now on Tuesday March 20th.

The gate of 226 was an improvement on the last round of the competition. But it didn't really feel as if Merthyr had been gripped by Cup fever!
I know a lot of fans decided to give it a miss as it wasn't a league game etc but I wonder where the rest of the regulars where (of course, the season ticket holders had to pay so it meant extra for them).
Did they go and see a game elsewhere, go shopping, stay home and watch TV or follow the updates online?
I really would be interested in knowing.
It was, I suppose, an extra game but, with reduced admission prices, it wouldn't have brought in a lot of cash.
Good to see that the Western League decided to hold the draw for the next round at PP.

Tim Drummond wrote:The gate of 226 was an improvement on the last round of the competition. But it didn't really feel as if Merthyr had been gripped by Cup fever!
I know a lot of fans decided to give it a miss as it wasn't a league game etc but I wonder where the rest of the regulars where (of course, the season ticket holders had to pay so it meant extra for them).
Did they go and see a game elsewhere, go shopping, stay home and watch TV or follow the updates online?
I really would be interested in knowing.
It was, I suppose, an extra game but, with reduced admission prices, it wouldn't have brought in a lot of cash.
Good to see that the Western League decided to hold the draw for the next round at PP.

Well I didn't make it. Had planned to come over but didn't get up til late, too late to travel over; had been on night shifts all week and that tends to throw my sleep pattern out a bit. I did look on here to get score updates and watched Llanelli vs TNS on sgorio. So I guess my next football we be travelling to one of the weekend away games.

Merthyr Town 1 Elmore 0
Wales On Sunday

MERTHYR progressed into the quarter-finals of the Les Phillips Cup with a deserved victory over Western League First Division Elmore although The Martyrs came off the field frustrated that they hadn’t put the game to bed much earlier.

Ryan Prosser got the all important goal from the penalty spot on 15 minutes after he himself had been hauled down by Elmore defender Jamie Milton and Merthyr now have a home tie against Street on Saturday, March 17.

It should have been a case of how many Merthyr would score on the day as chance after chance went begging. But, some dogged defending from a young Elmore outfit coupled with a lack of composure in front of goal put paid to any Merthyr avalanche and in the second half Martyrs goalkeeper Joe Perry had to make two good saves from Milton and Luke Passmore to maintain the single goal advantage.

But only some last gasp desperate defending denied Garry Shephard, Ryan Newman and Ian Traylor from extending the home side’s lead.

I don't think the penalty was in the 15th minute; more like the 27th!

Tim Drummond wrote:I don't think the penalty was in the 15th minute; more like the 27th!

Exclusive - ex-hack in accuracy probe!!

Merthyr book quarter-final clash with Street

A QUARTER-FINAL tie at home to Street was the reward for Merthyr after a Ryan Prosser penalty proved to be enough to beat a spirited First Division Elmore outfit at Penydarren Park.

With league honours very high on the Merthyr agenda manager Garry Shephard has also made it abundantly clear that success in The Les Phillips Cup is also of major importance to the club this season and the kindness of a home draw against a team who were beaten 5-1 at Merthyr in the league in January gives his side an excellent opportunity to progress further in the competition.

Ryan Prosser scored from the spot on 26 minutes after he had attempted to latch on to a Joe Perry clearance only to be bundled over by defender Jamie Milton. But, for boss Shephard it was a day of frustration as Merthyr wasted a glut of opportunities that would have put the tie to bed as early as in the first half.

He felt that a lack of concentration was the major factor behind Merthyr’s failure to comfortably extinguish the visitors’ spirit and’ although they only rarely looked like forcing Merthyr into extra time, just the one goal meant the tie was always in doubt.

“We were guilty of a number of things today” he said after hearing of the club’s quarter-final home draw. “A lack of concentration was the biggest problem. I think the lads felt we only had to play to get through and despite the fact we did just that.”

That said, Merthyr produced some delightful football at times with only the finish lacking, but their concentration will now be firmly focused on league duties as Merthyr face three successive away games.