Match Preview: Southern League Premier South
Merthyr Town vs Basingstoke Town
When: Saturday 7th December 2024 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Penydarren Park, Park Terrace, Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8RF
Merthyr Town (The Martyrs), Avg 2024-25 Home Att 853
Following our defeat at Havant last Saturday, we now head back on the road to the league leaders and league high-scorers Merthyr Town.
Last season Merthyr did the double over us winning 3-1 at Winklebury in October 2023, then in Wales in January this year we conceded two first-half penalties in a 4-1 defeat. Bradley Wilson was our goal-scorer in both those games.
Our Opponents
The Martyrs are managed by Paul Michael, who joined the club in April 2022, after resigning his Managers role at Yate Town, to take up his role at Merthyr, which as a club is much closer to his home in Wales. Michael had been at Yate from 2020.
Merthyr sit top of the table with an impressive record of Pld 17 Won 13 Drawn 2 Lost 2 and 41pts. The Martyrs are unbeaten since August and more impressive is that they found the net 51 times in the league, which is an average of 3 per game. They also have an impressive home record with 8 wins and a draw from nine games. Ricardo Rees, leads the league with twenty league goals. Rees (22), joined the club from Yate Town when Manager Paul Martin, brought him when he left Yate Town in 2022. Prior to Yate Town, he started his career in Bristol City’s U23 side, and had loans spells at club such as Salisbury. Kane Simpson joined from Frome Town ahead of the 2024/25 season, and prior to that clubs such as Paulton Rovers, Swindon Supermarine & Tiverton Town. Simpson has eleven league goals this season. Lewys Twamley, joined Merthyr in September 2023 after leaving Newport County in the 2022-23 season. Regarded as a tricky attacking winger he has eight league goals this season.
In midfield, young Cardiff City graduate Frazer Thomas, joined Merthyr last season, has two league goals. Cole Jarvis joined from lower Welsh league side Newport City in June 2024, having previously been at Merthyr’s academy. Jarvis has five league goals. Jack Evans, joined at the end of last season, having spent time at Swansea City & Newport County. Another Evans, Keiran Evans, the attacking midfielder now in his third season at the club, having joined from Gloucester City also has two league goals. Anerurin Livermore broke into the Newport County side in the 2021-22 season, before joining Hereford for the 2023 season. He left and joined the Martyrs at the start of last season.
The defence starts with versatile defender and captain of the side Tom Handley, who is in his third season at the club, having joined from Cirencester Town. Left-sided player Noah Smerdon, joined last season from Tuffley Rovers and has added two goals. Smerdon started his career at West Bromwich academy, then joined Chippenham Town, before arriving at Tuffley Rovers. Callum Ryan-Phillips joined from Newport County in 2022, and is a steady reliable defender who has two league goals. Club-Captain Matthew Harris has over 400 appearances for the club and an play either in defence or midfield. In goal will be Australian born Jamie Cogman, who started his career at Brisbane Roar’s academy team before signing for Cardiff City in 2019. He joined the Martyrs in 2022, and has been an integral part of the club since then.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
Many fans were expecting the worse on the trip down to Havant, and what was to transpire was a lesson in finishing, not helped by Stoke once again being reduced to ten men and despite a lot of effort, we were second-best for most of the game. The loss our fourth in a row in the league alongwith other results, mean’t we have slipped a further two places to eleventh, with our record now at Pld 18 Won 5 Drawn 8 Lost 5 and 23pts. The continued lack of goals in the league continues to hamper us, but it can only be a matter of time that our returning players Dan Warre, George Reid (sacrificed at Havant for a defensive option), and Robbie Gallagher, as well as Brody Peart, find the net again to support the ever hard-working Liam Ferdinand. Jonny Efedje is another option and if Ashleigh Artwell is fit he could make an appearance tomorrow.
The midfield will once contain Rudy Allen (scorer of last weeks goal at Havant), & Sam Deadfield. Depending on how we set-up both D’Andre Brown & Luis Le Paih re possible options to start or be available off the bench.
The defence is likely to see once change from last week as Curtis Angell will hopefully return to his left back role, especially as Aleks Kokoszka will start his ban for his red card last week. This means Billy Upton should pair up with Jack Ball, leaving Marcus Johnson-Schuster on the right, whilst James Clark should be an option off the bench.
Simon Grant will be the ever-present keeper between the sticks once more tomorrow.
In just under 24 hours and with the weather permitting, Stoke not in the best of form, will undertake a mammoth challenge against a team unbeaten at home, and scoring goals for fun. For once could the expected rain and strong winds help us mount a real challenge to the league leaders.
Match Preview by Martin French..
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