| AFC Telford 2 – 4 Merthyr Town FC |
| Stenson 14′ | Rees 18′, 31′, 41′, 71′ |
| George 87′ |
Ricardo Rees scored four goals (including a first half hat trick) to send Merthyr Town back into playoff contention after a scintillating performance against Telford on a dismal Tuesday evening at the SEAH Stadium.
It was an unchanged line up following Saturday’s victory over Darlington as the Martyrs went in search of 3 wins on the bounce, backed by around 80 of Merthyr’s faithful who had braved the awful weather up to Shropshire.
A quick start from Merthyr allowed them to have the first chance of the game, with Harris putting his shot over the bar from a Twamley corner. Both sides were looking to settle early with Telford happy to push forward, with Meddows picking up the ball and pushing his shot just wide of Cogman’s right hand post.
The rain had not stopped which made the ball skip across the surface and also become held up in patches which was causing issues in the middle of the park. Despite this, Merthyr were starting to build momentum but it was the home side that broke the deadlock on 14 minutes.Telford were able to play the ball out to Cranston on the left, who whipped in a great ball into the Merthyr box which evaded both Ryan-Phillips and Harris to the lurking Stenson, who was on hand to slot it in first time at the back post past Cogman.
Merthyr could have equalised quickly when Rees was played through on goal by Twamley, but the Telford defence were able to stand firm. Two minutes later it came with Twamley crossing from the right into Ric, who was left in acres of space to head past Gracey, who was nowhere to be seen. Pop Quiz – how many has Ric scored with a header? Any ideas…….
The visitors were on top and moving the ball well around a Telford team that looked to be chasing shadows at times. Despite this they were unlucky not to take the lead, with Meddows cutting inside Smerdon from the right and forcing Cogman into a great diving save. Moments later Leshabela’s shot crashed against the bar and down, before bouncing up nicely to the incoming Stenson who put his header wide. A golden chance for the home side to take the lead again.
The game was now end to end and it was only a matter of time before someone took their chance. Twamley should have scored when he was played through on goal but it was that man Rees who put the Martyrs into the lead. Telford continued to play a high defensive line and a long ball was put over the top of the retreating Piggot to Rees, who took a touch, composed himself and slotted past the oncoming Gracey.
Whilst Rees was tormenting Piggot, Twamley was terrorising Solademi on his debut for Telford. Twamely was at his dribbling/twisting/jinking (pick whichever you want) best and was running the defence ragged and Merthyr looked like scoring at every opportunity. Rees will be disappointed not to have secured his hattrick earlier after Gracey produced a desperate save to keep it at 2 – 1 but it was always going to happen.
A sloppy Telford corner was picked up by Jarvis who played it wide to the sprinting Cox. Without a seconds thought he played a fantastic diagonal ball across to the advancing Rees who was again being left with a ridiculous amount of space on the left. Touch. Set Up. Bang. A first half hattrick for our no 10, who sprinted the length of the pitch to celebrate with the away end.
Telford had one more chance as the half came to a close, with Walker coming close with a header but nobody could complain about the score as the whistle went. A fantastic 45 minutes of football from Merthyr who could (or probably should) have scored at least 5 goals.
The home side started the second half the strongest as expected, with Stenson causing problems in the box for both Harris & Ryan-Phillips.Walker produced an acrobatic overhead kick, with his shot hitting the bar for the second time and was very unlucky to have not scored. Cox was denied with a last ditch goalline clearance from Piggot from about 6 yards out, a chance so open that the away end was celebrating before the ball was struck.
Telford to their credit continued to cause problems and were starting to win the battle in midfield. Stenson’s stinging shot from the edge of the area called Cogman into another great save, whilst at the other end Rees was brought down in the box after a clumsy challenge by Piggot. Up stepped the hattrick hero to slot his penalty down the middle and to celebrate his fourth of the night.
Telford hit the crossbar for the third time to the chants from the away end of “Crossbar we love you” whilst trying to see out the game. To their credit the home side continued to push forward and George was able to lash the ball past Cogman at close range on 87 minutes, but it was the Martyrs who went back to South Wales with another 3 points.
Telford were unlucky to hit the woodwork three times but Merthyr were by far and away good value for the win. Fantastic performance from all of the lads but the two standouts were Rees and Twamley – every time they touched the ball it was positive and the home side could not deal with either of them.
A cold wet Tuesday night in Telford – it’s not for everyone.
Gavin Burns
[…] like the return fixture earlier in the season where Merthyr came away with a 4 – 2 victory, it was a dark and soggy Tuesday night as the rain hammered down as the teams entered the field. […]