Wells v MERTHYR

Updates here! up the town!

Team: perry, willo, howe, tubbs, welsh, a griff, newman, leek, shephard, m griff, traylor. Subs pross, ley, leahy, hartshorn, adams.

With Ryan Dorrian being out injured again it's good to see that Alun Griffths is fit enough to at least start the game.

Match abandoned, waterlogged pitch. 28th min. 0-0

will they have to play again if so when

FFS. Typical, wanted to celebrate as champions tonight

Game rescheduled for next Tuesday. Ironically its not raining now and the pitch is playable.

At least we now know that we can become champions by winning in front of our own supporters on Saturday.

hopefully we can win at home on saturday and win the championship in front of our home crowd and perhaps promotion

League confirmed match next Tuesday evening.

Merthyr Imp wrote:At least we now know that we can become champions by winning in front of our own supporters on Saturday.

IF the game is on! with heavy rain forecast for the next few days in S.Wales will there be a pitch inspection on Saturday morning?

Last night.....

I think the ref was swayed by their no8 moaning at him continuously about the water on the pitch. He blew up the first time in the game where water affected the run of the ball. He could have applied some common sense and delayed play for 10 minutes rather than abandoning the game.

But in the cold light of day, I think he did us a favour. On a dry pitch I think we beat them easily. That pitch had upset written all over it. We were the only team in the game, but one slip could have cost us dearly.

Well where do I begin about last nights events...

After the initial anger at the ref calling the game off, I think he made the right call as the rain was relentless for long periods, however I think he should have taken the players off for 10/15 minutes and re-assessed the situation (albeit the game would still have struggled as it continued to rain shortly after).

The problem I have is the total lack of clarity from Wells FC by way of announcements that the game had actually been postponed (an announcement was made around 20 minutes after the game had officially been postponed), and secondly from the lack of ground staff or assistance given to the ref.

I feel that if the ref had given it 10/15 mintues and ground staff/volunteers could have forked the pitch etc the game would have a much better chance of continuing, there seemed absolutely no desire from Wells to complete the game, with no ground staff availalble, no plan b, there were even laughs and jokes made by their players in the bar, I wonder if the laughs would have been the same if they had to travel away to Merthyr twice in a week and fork out for 2 team coaches??

Whilst I appriciate clubs at this level dont have the resources that we have, and volunteers etc, I cant beleive that on a night where Wells FC we due to benefit financially, that they did not have any clear plans, direction or desire to assist the ref or get the game finished.

And to top it all off the soaking wet wooden step stand was absolutely trecherous and very dangerous and needs addressing & the club house is off site, with a very poorly lit, pot hole & puddled ridden car park which was equally as trecherous to encounter when night fell and the floodlights went out.

Anyway rant over, ill be there Tuesday where I will bring a fork, loudspeak and deck chair, (I feel the travelling support will be far far less though) if we win the championship and gain promotion Saturday

Dont forget to wear your bermudas.

MERTHYR Town go for title glory at their Penydarren Park home on Saturday after their match at Wells City in Somerset was abandoned last night.
South Wales Echo

They will win the Toolstation Western League Premier title with a win against Ifracombe Town on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

The Martyrs expect a big crowd at Penydarren Park for the game and manager Danny Carter said: “We are all bitterly disappointed the game at Wells City was halted, but now we are hoping for our biggest attendance of the season for the Ilfracombe match.”

Referee Adam Nunn called a halt midway through the first half at Wells City, having talked to Carter after 15 minutes and then both captains about the state of the pitch. Rain poured down before the match and into the first half, while pools of water began to form on the pitch.

“We were keen to play on and told the referee we didn’t feel the surface was bad enough to stop the game,” said Carter. “Certainly, I have played in Football League matches where the pitch was in a worse condition. I can accept it wasn’t the best, but our feeling was that it was best to play on and look again at half-time. Unfortunately, the rain kept falling and the referee felt we could not play on.”

More than 100 Merthyr fans made the four-hour round trip to Somerset and many were angry when the match was halted. The rain stopped moments after the two teams went off and Merthyr secretary Jamie Mack went to see the referee, asking if he was willing to restart the match. But the referee’s decision stood and the match has been rearranged for next Tuesday.

That means Merthyr Town, who need one win to be certain of the title and promotion, will clinch top spot by beating Ilfracombe Town, who they defeated 5-0 away last weekend.

The Martyrs started brightly despite the poor conditions with Ian Traylor tricky and dangerous on the wing and Marcus Griffiths also making an impact. Alun Griffiths, who missed the match at Ilfracombe with an injury, returned to play in midfield.

Both teams found it difficult on the wet surface with the ball stopping suddenly in pools of water or skidding off the surface.

Merthyr fans queued for a refund on their £6 admission fee, but Merthyr Town will have to pay out £500 again for their coach back to Wells City next Tuesday.

“We are gutted to have come all this way without being able to finish the match,” said Carter. “We always prepare properly and some of the lads took time off work to be available. Now, though, we focus on Saturday’s match against Ilfracombe Town. We have two games left and a win this weekend will make sure of the title.”

Merthyr are on course for promotion back to Southern League football, but supporters are hoping celebrations have simply been put on hold for a few days.

Their player of the season awards evening is being held in the Candac Suite at Penydarren Park after the match against Devon club Ilfracombe this Saturday when Martyrs players will be hoping to start celebrating.

cliffyboy wrote:

Merthyr Imp wrote:At least we now know that we can become champions by winning in front of our own supporters on Saturday.

IF the game is on! with heavy rain forecast for the next few days in S.Wales will there be a pitch inspection on Saturday morning?

According to the Wacky Weatherman tonight on BBC Wales, Saturday should be the best day out of the next four. Let's hope he's right.