MERTHYR v Frome

Updates here (I hope!).

Team:
Davies
Davies Wright McDonald Barrow
Reffell Evans Richards
Compton Prosser McLaggon

Subs:
Tancock Patten Copp Traylor Jenkins

1 down h/t. No clue of score time.

1-1 70mins

1-2 down 73mins

F/t lost 1-2. Dissapointing end of our home unbeaten run.

No rthyme or reason with them today they were awful.

Today’s team:

O.Davies;
A.Davies,Wright,McDonald,Barrow;
Evans,Reffell;
Compton,Richards,McLaggon;
Prosser;

Subs:
Traylor for Prosser after about 67 minutes
Jenkins for Reffell at the same time
Copp for Richards after about 78 minutes
Tancock
Patten

Eliot Richards and Ryan Prosser kept their places in the side that ended last Tuesday night’s game, with Scott Tancock and Ian Traylor on the bench.

There was a quiet start to the game, with the first opening for either side coming after about 10 minutes when a ball in from the left by Scott Barrow was cleared for a corner at the near post. Then about three minutes later a good left-foot cross by Jack Compton on the right was punched off Ryan Prosser’s head by the keeper.

Frome then began to come more into the game, and on about 17 minutes what looked like a good tackle by Adam Davies just outside the area as an attacker looked to break through was punished by a free kick. This was hit into the wall, with the shot from the rebound being deflected for a corner.

A Frome goal began to look as if it was coming, as we were just not getting our game together as for much of last Tuesday night but it did so rather unexpectedly when midfielder Connor Roberts hit a first time shot all along the ground from 35-40 yards out. Although Oliver Davies seemed to have it covered he didn’t get down and across in time and the pace of it beat him, with the ball going just inside the post with about 23 minutes gone.

We almost had a quick reply a couple of minutes later, when Ashley Evans made good contact with the ball just outside the Frome area, but his shot was straight at the keeper.

After about 32 minutes it was nearly 2-0 to Frome when Ashley Evans put the ball straight to a Frome player on his own in our half. He took the ball on and rounded Oliver Davies on the left of the area to put the ball towards goal, but Curtis McDonald had got back to clear off the line.

Another 6 minutes later and Frome were close again, with a 25-yard free kick which crashed against the bar before going behind.

We did have a chance in injury time with a free kick after Eliot Richards was brought down just outside the area on the right, but Jack Compton, taking the kick ahead of Scott Barrow put the ball over the bar.

Well, we were lucky only to be a goal down at half time, with only Eliot Richards doing anything in midfield or attack.

After the break Frome rather sat back on their lead and we had plenty of possession. On about 53 minutes we had another free kick just outside the area, this time on the left, and Scott Barrow’s kick nearly sneaked inside the post but the keeper just managed to save it.

After about 63 minutes Ashley Evans put a shot over the bar after Adam Davies played the ball in from the right. Soon afterwards, though we were back in the game thanks to the Frome keeper kicking the ball straight to the unmarked Jack Compton. He took the ball on into the area and made no mistake slotting it into the net.

The substitute(s) we’d been about to bring on then sat back down as we looked a good bet to go and win the game, but instead, about 5 minutes later a Frome corner on the right found its way to the far post where it was turned into the net from close range. Substitutions were then made straight away – Ian Traylor for Ryan Prosser and Corey Jenkins for Keyon Reffell. That meant Kayne McLaggon moving into the middle and Jack Compton in midfield.

Another substitution came after about 78 minutes with Kyle Copp on for Eliot Richards.

After that, the nearest we came to scoring were a header just over the bar by Curtis McDonald, a header some way wide by Corey Jenkins and another Scott Barrow free kick which was deflected over the bar. At the other end we nearly conceded yet another goal from corner when a player had a free header in the centre of goal but put it wide.

Well, although we finished last Tuesday night’s game well and could have won it in the end, the same failings as for much of that game were on show today, with too many players (naming no names) not at their best again, also 3 out of the last 4 goals conceded have been simple goals from corners. Best player for me today was Eliot Richards, while Scott Barrow was his usual competent self. For his forthcoming suspension presumably Scott Tancock will come into the side again at full back. I was amazed that Kayne McLaggon and Jack Compton throughout never switched wings once – the latter does look more comfortable on the left, although again he popped up with a goal.

Only 340 there, which was disappointing, but the rain which was worse than Tuesday night and the unaccountable attraction of rugby on TV wouldn’t have helped.

Well, we’re still safely ensconced in a play-off position, still 8 points clear of the chasing clubs, but we’ll have to improve a lot in the remaining games to still have any ideas of top spot.

What was that ???????? gutted.com

What an awful display by Merthyr today,no rthyme or reason with them today.felt as though it was walking football for most part of the game.we desperately need a top midfield player but we've needed a good striker some one who can put them away.this season I've been so disappointed by prosser this season if we are to make the playoffs this team must knuckle down as a unit rather than have a go at each other on the pitch.weve done amazingly to get to this point but Lady Luck ain't guna help us no more.these are my own opinions but would like to know what others think???

I was a bit discomboobilated with the tactics or in this case tic tacs, First of all we have our big guy on and no crosses to get on the end of in front of goal, then you take your big guy off and bring on the best crosser of a ball in the league with no one to cross to. Then realising you need a big guy up front to get on the end of our Ariel bombardment we send a centre half up front?
I am sure we will sort it all out by the next game, onwards and upwards.

Poor display & tactics, IMO they had done their homework on us, played a high line cos they new our strikers did not have the pace to trouble them.

Just uploaded some photos from yesterday's disappointing performance onto club website.

Twyn Jasper wrote: First of all we have our big guy on and no crosses to get on the end of in front of goal,

The trouble there of course was we had a right footed player on the left wing and a left footed player on the right, so neither of them was ever likely to get to the byline and get a decent cross in. As I said, the amazing thing to me was they never once switched wings even for a time. Jack Compton showed in the first half of last Tuesday night's game he'd got good ability to get crosses in from the left, but since then he's been played on the right.

But whatever the tactics and formation, the worrying thing is that so many players in the last two games have played below par - plus the fact we can't seem to defend corners at the moment.

Interesting take on the Martyrs goal in the Frome Town match report on their website.

( Frome started to get back onto the front foot only to be undone in the 63rd by a " route 1" goal as a long kick from Oliver Davies found Compton running through on goal and he cooly slotted the ball past Phillips).

Well, it was definitely from one of the two goalkeepers!