Marine 0 Merthyr Town 3
Pitching In Southern Premier South | Bank Holiday Monday August 28th 2023
Match Report from Pete Crockett
Marine lose to table topping Merthyr
When playing a side at the top of the table the one thing you want to do is to establish a foothold in the game by not conceding early. However, with four minutes elapsed Fraser Thomas set up Tom Handley inside the box and the visiting defender, who was given too much time and space, took aim and found the bottom corner of the Marine goal with a precision strike.
In the early stages Marine were being overwhelmed as they sat deep and failed to effectively press the ball or track runners. Give good teams too much space and they will punish you. In the 13th minute Ricardo Rees was thwarted by a sharp save from Louis Evans. Five minutes later the Marine keeper was again called into action to gather a deflected effort.
The visitors continued to pour forward and in the 20th minute a Noah Smerdon header rattled the cross bar after Louis Evans did well to parry. A second Merthyr goal seemed inevitable and in the 21st minute “The Martyrs” doubled their lead. Olly Mehew struck a thunderous and unstoppable effort from the edge of the box into the top corner. Two minutes later the hosts found themselves three down. A clumsy challenge in the box from Leon Morrison on Ricardo Rees saw Marine concede a penalty and after getting back on his feet Ricardo Rees made no mistake from the spot.
The remainder of the half continued in a similar pattern with a mazy run from Merthyr’s Jack Evans being curtailed by a sharp gather from Louis Evans who also, just before half time, made a good save from a Tom Handley free kick.
The second half was played at a much slower pace. Merthyr comfortably controlled the tempo whilst Marine defended with greater resolve. The visitors had a couple of half chances, one of which saw some excellent covering from Sam Turl deny a visiting forward a tap in at the back post. The only moment of controversy in the match occurred in the 90th minute when a handling offence by Callum Ryan-Phillips saw him sent off for a second caution.
This was always going to be a tough game for Marine - even more so with three centre backs unavailable for selection. At the mid-point of the first half Marine’s management made some reorganisational substitutions and the Marine players seemed to regain some composure after this. There were some positives for Maine - Louis Evans made some good saves; Zack Kotwica was unlucky twice rattling the cross bar; and one or two half chances were engineered through some crisper passing in the second half. However, the cruel reality was that the visitors won the game in the first 20 minutes and then played out the remainder of the match with relative comfort.
August ends with Marine sat at the foot of the table and still pointless. However, the fixture gods were not kind and the team have played six of the division’s current top nine. There is now a run of league fixtures where lower placed opponents will be faced. It is imperative that Marine show themselves prepared to scrap out results against opponents who will also not be in the best of form. It can be done but only with tenacity, hard work, and a willingness to go toe to toe with opponents who will be equally keen to move up the table.
Come on Marine!
Editors Marine Star Man: Louis Evans
Editors Merthyr Star Man: Ricardo Rees
Line Ups
Swindon Supermarine
Manager: Lee Spalding
Colours: Blue & White Hoops
Line-up: 1. Louis Evans 2. Sam Turl 3. Ryan Campbell 4. Jamie Edge (c) 5. Malik Sesay 6. Leon Morrison (12. Levi Irving 30’) 7. Henry Spalding (17. Liban Ibrahim 60’) 8. George Dowling 9. Zack Kotwica 10. Jake Andrews (14. Brandon Liggett 30’) 11. Ed Williams
Subs not used: 13. Charlie Searle
Goalscorers: None
Cards:
Sam Turl 17’, Brandon Liggett 65’, Liban Ibrahim 75’ 
None 
None 
Merthyr Town
Manager: Paul Michael
Colours: Yellow & Navy
Line-up: 1. James Cogman 3. Tom Handley 16. Matt Harris 4. Callum Ryan-Philips 6. Jack Evans 7. Frazer Thomas 8. Alex John (14. Aneurin Livermore 69’) 10. Ricardo Rees 19. Kieran Evans (17. Tom Stokes 53’) 9. Ollie Meyhew 15. Noah Smerdon
Subs not used: 13. Will Fuller [GK], 5. Joe Woodiwiss, 2. Adam Davies
Goalscorers: 
Tom Hadley 10’, Ollie Meyhew 17’, Ricardo Rees 26’ pen
Cards:
None
None
Callum Ryan-Philips 40’ & 90+2’
Supermarine TV
Highlights from Mike to follow
Courtesy of Mike Wray
Match Gallery
Photo’s from Alex to follow
Courtesy of Alex White Photography
Match Gallery
Click here for match photo’s
Courtesy of Rob Mashford Photography
Post Match Team Sheet
Match Officials
Referee: John Duffy
Assistant Referees: Kevin Slade, Begbie-Dilks
Match Officials Coach: Tim Wood
