| Merthyr Town 1 – 1 Chorley Attendance 1,254 National League North – Matchday 5 Penydarren Park, Merthyr |
| Watts 83′ | Clarke 23′ |
Elis Watts’ stunning equaliser secured a point for Merthyr Town on a frustrating but dominant afternoon at Penydarren Park after Warren Clarke’s bullet header for the visitors.
One change following last weeks draw at South Shields, with Kieran Evans stepping into the XI as Watts moved to the bench. The Martyrs were looking to build on last week’s point on the road and looked sharp from the off, with Maddox and Wigley putting early pressure on the Magpies defence.
The opening 15 minutes was all Merthyr as they dictated the tempo, moving Chorley from side to side as they looked for the opening goal. Wigley, Maddox and Kane all went close but a combination of Stowell, Smith and Hunt kept it goalless. The Martyrs, encouraged by a very vocal Paul Michael, were inches away from the opening goal after Kane laid off Wigley, whose shot just went wide of Stowell’s right post.
Despite the pressure, Chorley should have opened the scoring after Taylor battled for possession with Jay Williams which allowed him to latch onto the ball on the right of the box. With just Cogman to beat, he dragged his shot wide – a huge let off for the home team.
Possession was not an issue as the Magpies were continually sat back with 9 men behind the ball and happy to do so. This meant the middle of the park was becoming more and more congested – a theme of the game to come.
Simpson tested Stowell again before Maddox’s shot went just wide. Cogman was again called into action, rushing out to deny Smith who picked up a lofted ball following a long throw. Who knew when the opening goal would come.
Everyone in attendance thought the deadlock was broken just after 20 minutes after Livermore broke up the play on the left, before playing a 1-2 and picking out Simpson. His shot was blocked and the ball fell to Maddox who had an open goal from about 7 yards out – as he stuck the ball, Henley flew in from nowhere to clear off the line. Mental.
Football is a funny old game. No sooner had that goaline clearance stopped the Martyrs taking a deserved lead, the Magpies went down the other end and scored a screamer. After regaining possession, Henley got in behind a retreating Morgan Wigley. His pinpoint cross was met by Clarke, whose bullet header from the edge of the box crashed in off the bar in the top right hand corner. Déjà vu from Telford. A cracking goal that had the home supporters clapping. Merthyr 0 – 1 Chorley.
The rest of the half was more of the same – full of possession but no real cutting edge. We continually wanted to walk the ball into the net and the Chorley defence seemed more than comfortable in holding us out.
Half Time: Merthyr 0 – 1 Chorley
Merthyr were out early for the second half and started the second as we did the first. Foulston had his strike tipped onto the bar and Maddox put in a tantalising cross which couldn’t find the head of Margetson.
Despite the continued possession, Merthyr were still leaving 1 on 1 duals at the back and coming out second best on a number of occasions. Taylor would be disappointed not to have finished after going past Smerdon and fluffing his lines – before forcing Cogman into a good save a few minutes later.
The introduction of Elis Watts, Iwan John and Mason Burns suddenly picked the tempo up. We now looked dangerous, with Watts on the right regularly going past his man. He had a free kick saved well by Stowell whilst John agonisingly hit the outside of the left post after the ball squirmed out to him.
It had started to feel like one of those days where we couldn’t score, but up stepped Elis Watts in the 83rd minute. Jack Evans laid it off to Watts who took it towards the edge of the box, skipped inside Horbury before shifting it to his left foot and bent it past 3 defenders and the helpless Stowell. What a way to open your Merthyr account. Merthyr 1 – 1 Chorley.
John almost secured the win after lobbing Stowell but it went just over the bar – a goal that the game deserved.
Full Time: Merthyr 1 – 1 Chorley
One of those games where despite having 73% possession, it didn’t click in the final third despite creating numerous chances. Depending on how you look at it, that is a point gained or two points dropped. No need to panic at all as some of the football we are playing is great, but we need to start taking more of our chances up top.
Congratulations to Mason Burns for making his National League North debut – hopefully the first on many! A quick turnaround as we travel to Buxton on Bank Holiday Monday.
Up the Town!
Gavin Burns
