MERTHYR v Hungerford

Updates here (I hope)

Cutlan willo Alun tubbs Colborne rewbs Harris leek Prosser Cornwall Marcus. Subs Traylor preen jones Newall Howe

come on Martyrs

1 up. Prosser pen 30mins after Williams pulled down in the box.

brilliant

I'm guessing 1-0 h/t

2 up Prosser after a cracking howler by center back and keeper

Penalty, Prosser goes down after clever play from Marcus... 3-0! 61mins Prosser hay-trick.

still 3-0?? brilliant stuff

68th minute. Jones for Harris

72nd minute. Howe on for A. Griffiths

75th minute Preen for Prosser

F/t 3-0 Prosser hat-trick. Good win and good game!

brilliant stuff.

now as soon as people find out the other scores in the leagues please post them up here

well done lads a good performance against a very physical side but they really
didn,t threaten us,i had better not comment on the ref.in case i upset T.D.

Good win today and we did Poole a favour!

Other results at the top were: Poole won 4-1, Swindon SM won 2-0 and Yate won 2-1.

Poole now top, Martyrs stay 4th, 13 points behind Poole with one game in hand.

So is the fat lady ready to enter the stage?

Today's team:

Cutlan;
Williams,Thomas,Colborne,A.Griffiths;
Leek,Rewbury,Harris;
Cornwall;
M.Griffiths,Prosser;

Subs:
Jones for Harris after about 67 minutes
Howe for A. Griffiths (injured) after about 70 minutes
Preen for Prosser after about 75 minutes
Traylor
Newall

Defences were on top for both sides at the start, with our first opening coming after about 10 minutes when a Hungerford player presented Ryan Prosser with the ball. He ran on, beat a man on the edge of the area, but put his shot wide.

We continuted to probe without finding a way through, until after about 30 minutes when Steve Williams was fouled narrowly inside the area on the right. Ryan Prosser took the kick, and seemed to be trying to send the keeper the wrong way - he failed , and we were glad to see the ball go into the net off the post.

For the rest of the half defences continued to be on top, but Hungerford looked rather limited going forward, with their only threat coming from long throw ins. We'd looked the better side without troubling the goalkeeper.

The slight worry at half time was that Hungerford would raise their game after the break, and so it proved at the start, as they were fired up and began pushing us back, although without finding a way through. But that came to an end after about 10 minutes of the half then they presented us with a goal, the keeper fumbling a routine through ball at the feet of Ryan Prosser on the corner of the 6-yard area. He was able to take it round him with no trouble and tap into the empty net for the easiest goal he'll ever score - although of course he'd made his own luck with the pressure on the keeper.

About 5 minutes after that the game was over. Marcus Griffiths and Ryan Prosser combined inside the area on the right for the latter to be brought down. After some delay for treatment to an injured Hungerford player Ryan Prosser didn't mess about this time, smashing the ball into the net for yet another Merthyr hat trick for him.

After about 67 minutes Matthew Harris was given a rest, being replaced by Luke Jones. Another substitution came about 3 minutes after that when Alun Griffiths went down injured and was replaced by Jack Howe. And on about 75 minutes Garyn Preen came on for Ryan Prosser, Aaron Cornwall then moving further forward.

Despite the 3-0 scoreline it's strange to say that neither side had really, looked much like scoring, but in about the 89th minute Hungerford mounted their first real threat on goal with a break down the right, a shot beating Giles Cutlan, but Andrew Thomas clearing off the line. Straight away we went down the other end, Steve Williams running into the area before losing the ball. But with a defender failing to see the ball out of play Willliams won it back to lay the ball off to Marcus Griffiths. He fired in a shot which drew a great save from the keeper - just about the only real save either keeper had made all game.

Well, we've seen several better sides than Hungerford at Penydarren Park this season, so maybe we caught them on an off day - I imagine their handful of supporters present would not have been very impressed with them.

You've got to say Ryan Prosser was man of the match, but otherwise I would have said Matthew Harris, who worked hard. Aaron Cornwall did well, as did all the back four, and it was a good team performance. Jamie Rewbury had a better game than midweek, but I'm glad Nathan Davies will be available again now.

The chant in the second half was 'can we play you every week?' - and maybe we will be playing Hungerford again in the play-offs. We've got to aim now to finish above them and wait and see whether we can also overtake Swindon.

rustic wrote:in case i upset T.D.

oh go on, it makes life that little more pleasurable!

I don't mind being upset!

It was a good job the linos were on the ball today as I don't think the referee was keen to give either penalty even though they were both justified. In between Prosser showed the value of closing down the keeper when he has the ball and it was the keeper's cock up that cemented the game for us. As has been said neither keeper had a great deal to do and the Hungerford keeper did show his worth with that excellent save from Marcus to keep the score down to 3. Therefore we have beaten the then top of the league 7-0 on aggregate and Hungerford must be a better side than that to be in the position they're in. It will be interesting to see how they react to losing the top spot after being so long in 1st place this season. We did more than enough to win as we did look dangerous whereas Hungerford created little.

A good display by Merthyr and I dont think Hungerford can have too many complaints in the office. the opposition didnt look like a team where their league position finds them and didn't have too much going forward or threat wise. Overall a great result and indeed nice to meet some forum regulars and Merthyr fans in the bar and indeed prior to kick off in my namesake pub in the Town centre. Lets hope we can push on from here.

Report on Hungerford's website:-

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/hungerfordtownfc/s/match-report-11575.html?official=1&fixture_id=540728

Prosser stars as Merthyr net double over leaders Hungerford
South Wales Echo

THIS victory puts Merthyr’s promotion challenge back on course after three or four indifferent results in recent weeks. League leaders Hungerford were made to look second-best throughout as Merthyr chalked up the league double over the Berkshire outfit who was also knocked out of the FA Trophy by the Martyrs.

Ryan Prosser grabbed a hat-trick with penalties on 31 and 63 minutes while the second was all the strikers own work. In-form Prosser robbed goalkeeper Paul Strudley before scoring from close range.

What pleased Martyrs boss Garry Shephard most was Merthyr’s resilience after the break when the visitors probably had their best spell and when Hungerford had obviously decided to adopt a more physical approach.

“After our first-half domination it was obvious Hungerford were more determined to stop us playing and they had some joy in creating a few chances,” said Shephard following the win. “But, we stood up to the physical side well and came out on top, with the second goal having a major impact on the outcome.”

Merthyr travel to Cinderford tomorrow night as the games continue to come thick and fast while visits to Didcot and Taunton loom up during the next 10 days.

Our average gate for the season now after Saturday 308, the best supported club in the league and higher than 10 Southern Premier division clubs .

While a few people continually bemoan the attendances , they need to look at the bigger picture in the game and the economy .

I appreciate we have to look at continued initiatives to improve attendances at the club, but lets give credit where its due to all involved with the club and the attendances we continue to achieve in the current climate

It's fortunate that the supporters work hard with the Board to raise money because, obviously, the gates don't go too far in paying the players' wages and all the other outgoings.
I think a 300 average is about what we can expect now and it's more or less the same as it was when we were in the Premier Division three years ago as Merthyr Tydfil.