| Merthyr Town 1 – 1 Oxford City |
| Cox 6′ | Bearne 48′ |
Cawley Cox’s early opener allowed Merthyr Town to break a run of three successive defeats as they held onto a point against relegation threatened Oxford City.
A welcome 13 day break for the Martyrs following Marine’s advancement in the FA Trophy allowed Paul Michael some time to get his “walking wounded” back into shape for the final run in. It was a first home start for youngster left WB Jac Thomas, who has recently signed on loan from Cardiff City.
It was the usual crisp start from the Martyrs, with Cardiff City youngsters Will Spiers and Jac Thomas the danger men as they flooded forward from their wingback roles.
It was Cawley Cox who broke the deadlock on 6 minutes after great work from the impressive Spiers. Picking up the ball deep in the Merthyr half, he took advantage of the gaping hole in midfield to drive across to the left and towards the Oxford backline. A neat through ball had Carroll back peddling, which Cox took advantage of, nicking in to slot between the legs of Metcalfe. Merthyr 1 – 0 Oxford.
The Hoops were struggling with the heavy wind, particularly with long balls that were being “returned to sender”. This allowed Merthyr to pin the away side in their own half and keep the ball on the ground.
Thomas went close on 20 minutes as he stepped inside Ashby and drove a low shot at Metcalfe, with Cox unable to get a touch on the rebound. Minutes later it was Twamley who fizzed a dangerous ball across the face of the goal from the right, with Cox inches away from a second.
Oxford continued to push forward but it was the home side who looked like they would score with every attack. Kieran Evans went on one of his trademark runs and fired inches past the post, before Thomas fired over from the edge of the box.
It ended 1 – 0 at the break and the Martyrs would have been disappointed to only be 1 goal to the good. With the wind against us in the second half and our form of late, could we hang on?
Half Time: Merthyr Town 1 – 1 Oxford
That was answered 3 minutes after the break when Bearne was slipped through on goal after breaking the offside line, to casually chip over the out rushing Cogman. Disaster. Merthyr 1 – 1 Oxford.
The visitors, buoyed by this equaliser, looked like a different team with Scott and Clark getting a foothold in midfield and enjoying an extended spell of possession. Parker went close after his whipped cross from the left to the back post went begging, before Hemmings header went wide.
Cox almost put the hosts back into the lead after meeting Twamley’s cross with his head, but a great point blank save from Metcalfe kept the game even. As the game wore on you could feel the nervousness within the crowd, particularly as the fourth official indicated 6 minutes of added time.
Xavier-Jones gave an unnecessary free kick wide on the left with a minute left and it felt like history was going to repeat itself – luckily for everyone it didn’t with the game finishing 1 – 1.
Full time: Merthyr 1 – 1 Oxford
Depending on how you look at it, that is either a good point to halt a 3 game losing streak OR we should be beating a team at the bottom of the table. Either way that is another point on the board which sets us up for the big one – Edgar Street on Bank Holiday Monday against a Hereford side who are on a 7 game losing streak.
It’s tight in the playoff race but let’s back the lads to get the job done.
Up The Town
Gavin Burns
