Marine 2 Merthyr Town 0

Match Report from Aleck Everard

BATTLING MARTYRS OVERCOME

Marine took on bottom of the pile Merthyr Town at the Webbswood on Tuesday night fresh from their excellent win over Chesham United at the weekend. Marine manager Lee Spalding chose unsurprisingly to keep the team unchanged with new signing Matt Britton coming into the squad on the substitutes bench. Jamie Edge missed out serving the final game of his two match suspension, Kinsly Murray was missing due to work commitments and it looks as though the niggling injury to Frankie Artus may keep him out until the end of the season?

Ryan Campbell (11) scores Marine’s early goal
Photos © Motion Sport Photography / Match Album

Marine started strongly with Ryan Campbell causing havoc down the wing. His early cross into Conor McDonagh saw the striker’s shot deflect just wide of the upright. But it didn’t take long for the pressure to tell. McDonagh got around the back and his ball in caused panic in the Merthyr backline as the defence got in a bit of a muddle. Adam Davies in his attempt to clear the danger kicked the ball into another teammate and the deflection landed kindly for RYAN CAMPBELL just a yard or two in front of goal to tuck it away on 9 minutes for his seventh goal of the season. And it was so nearly two on twelve minutes when Henry Spalding when hit a shot from the edge of the box which thumped against the crossbar and came down but the officials ruled it had not crossed the line, however on closer inspection on video replay it was very very close!

Henry Spalding smashed the ball against the crossbar
Photos © Motion Sport Photography / Match Album

The game then drifted into a quiet spell until the half hour when Henry Spalding got clean through again only to be denied by the Merthyr keeper Jaime Cogman and an offside flag. Harry Williams had a run at the Merthyr goal on thirty-five minutes only to be bundled over but the shouts for a penalty were denied by the referee. Marine keeper Martin Horsell was finally tested soon after for the first time in the match by a Elijah Phipps cross shot but it didn’t trouble the home stopper. Conor McDonagh had a turn and shot easily fielded by Jaimie Cogman in the Merthyr goal before the last action of the half saw a strong challenge from Marine’s Lewis Hall yellow carded.

Tyrone Duffus wins the aerial battle with Merthyr’s Lewis Powell
Photos © Motion Sport Photography / Match Album

The second half continued in the same vein as the first with the visitors holding their own without really having the attacking quality in the final third of the field to cause the Marine defence any issues. George Dowling replaced Tom Sharpe just after 55 minutes when the midfielder had to leave the field with a dislocated fingers – OUCH! Shortly afterwards Conor McDonagh broke away down the right to set up a glorious chance for Harry Williams in the middle of the goal on the hour but somehow he headed wide on what was a frustrating night for the Marine top scorer.

George Dowling challenges for the ball as new signing Matt Britton (17) looks on
Photos © Motion Sport Photography / Match Album

Henry Spalding had another drive pushed away by the impressive Jaimie Cogman who followed that up on seventy minutes by pushing over Ryan Campbell’s fierce effort as Marine pushed for the killer goal. It was Merthyr’s Elijah Phipps who tested Martin Horsell once again and once more the Marine keeper got down well to deny a strong break from the visitors. Lee Spalding then made a couple of alterations to try and seize the initiative, firstly new signing Matt Britton came on for his debut replacing Tom Mehew and then four minutes later Kieran Phillips replace the out of luck Harry Williams.

Conor McDonagh scored an excellent goal in injury time
Photos © Motion Sport Photography / Match Album

With the brave effort from the visitors there was always the worry that they might sneak a late leveller against the odds and it nearly arrived in a minute into injury time. Martin Horsell got down well to grab the ball on the goal line as the visitors threw everything at it but Merthyr striker Lewis Powell was late with his challenge which saw Horsell take a nasty blow to the face. It left the official with little choice but to issue a red card and after four minutes of treatment Horsell was back on his feet to continue and finish the last few minutes. Marine took full advantage and with the last attack of the game a ball over the top found CONOR MCDONAGH through on goal and his class showed when he lobbed the keeper Cogman from a tight angle on the right to seal the three points in style.

The win made it six wins from the last seven games at home as Marine improved their home record a little further. Next up is a trip to highflying Taunton Town on Saturday in the league before the massive League Cup semi-final next Tuesday at home to the same team.

Fans player of the match: CONOR MCDONAGH

Line Ups

Swindon Supermarine
Manager: Lee Spalding
Colours: All Blue Line-up: 1. Martin Horsell 2. Michael Hopkins 3. Lewis Hall 4. Tom Sharpe (14. George Dowling 55’) 5. Tyrone Duffus 6. Mat Liddiard(c) 7. Henry Spalding 8. Tom Mehew (17. Matt Britton 78’) 9. Harry Williams (15. Kieran Phillips 82’) 10. Conor McDonagh 11. Ryan Campbell
Subs not used: 12. Brad Hooper, 16. Pierce Mitchell
Goalscorers: Ryan Campbell 9’, Conor McDonagh 90+5’
Editors Star Man: Conor McDonagh
Cards:
Lewis Hall 40’
None
None

Merthyr Town
Manager: Dean Clarke
Line-up: 1. Jaimie Cogman 2. Adam Davies (c) 3. Owen Evans (12. Kerry Morgan 65’) 4. Joe Woodlwiss 5. Luke Cummings 6. James Parry 7. Matt Harris 8. Eliot Richards (16. Kieran Evans 74’) 9. Lewis Powell 10. Keyon Reffell 11. Elijah Phipps (14. Karnell Chambers 85’)
Subs not used: 15. Alex John, 17. Curtis Jemmett-Hutson
Goalscorer: None
Editors Star Man: Jaimie Cogman
Cards:
Kerry Morgan 90+5’
Lewis Powell 90+4’
None

Post Match Team Sheet

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Match Officials

Referee: Andrew Hobbs (Radstock)
Assistant Referees: Danie Spyer (Calne), Mitchell Terry (Swindon)