Match Report: Merthyr Town 1 – 1 Basingstoke Town – Tuesday 4th February 2025

Southern League Premier South – Tuesday 4th February 2025
Merthyr Town 1 v 1 Basingstoke Town Attendance 1224
Where: Penydarren Park, Park Terrace, Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8RF
Manager Dan Brownlie on this Tuesday evening match-up went with a starting line-up of : 1. Simon Grant, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Jlewis Colwell, 4. Scott Armsworth, 5. Jack Ball, 6. Billy Upton (Capt), 7. Jayden Brissett, 8. Rudy Allen, 9.Liam Ferdinand, 10. Sam Deadfield, 11. Robbie Gallagher
On the bench: Ben Cook, George Reid, Pele Koulsseoue, Charlie Barlow & James Clark
Referee – Craig Scriven

With a small crowd of Stoke fans behind the terraced end of the ground, the game saw Stoke keeper Simon Grant, forced into a diving save in the opening minute of the game.
Merthyr continued to push for an opening goal over the next few minutes, but Stoke in a back five formation tonight were holding firm.

The first signs of Stoke coming into the game are on the twenty-minute mark, as Jayden Brissett takes the ball on a run initially on the left, but then seconds later again on the right winning a throw-in. The throw-in a long one from Lewis Colwell is headed on twice by Stoke players and the ball fell to Brissett, who instant shot is blocked away.

A minute later Stoke somehow failed to take the lead as Brissett outpaced his marker down the left and sent over a cross that Liam Ferdinand fails to get his head to, then it flew inches past Billy Upton two yards out.

The referee then booked one of our players and then a minute later booked one of their player, as Robbie Gallagher got pulled down.
Stoke then managed to squander another chance, as the Sam Deadfield corner-kick beat the keeper and fell to Jack Ball two yards out, but his connection skewed the ball over the bar.

The large Merthyr crowd are then stunned into silence, as Stoke came forward once more this time through Rudy Allen on the right, who sent his low cross to Liam Ferdinand, who turned and slid the ball to a waiting Brissett, who made no mistake slotting the ball home from six yards. GOAL! Merthyr Town 0 v 1 Basingstoke Town (Brissett 28 mins)

Merthyr then looked to get back into the game, as the ball was hooked home, but the linesman had his flag up and the goal was disallowed.
Stoke continued to resist Merthyr’s attacks, as we move into added-time of the first-half, and we went into the break with the one-goal lead.

Half-time Score: Merthyr Town 0 v 1 Basingstoke Town
The second-half got back underway with Stoke attacking the covered end, and should have doubled their lead, as from a cross on the left, Ball is open, but directed his header wide of the right-hand post.

Merthyr then hit back, but after one defensive block, a Merthyr attacker, volleyed his shot comfortably wide of the goal.
The game swung from one end to the other, as the homeside sought to get back into the game, but Stoke’s frontline battled for every ball, and a neat one-two saw Brissett send over cross but straight at the keeper.
Merthyr had a couple of half-chances but mis-hit shot wide of the goal, and then a low-down save by Grant kept them out.

Stoke made it’s first substitution as Jayden Brissett was replaced by George Reid (71 mins).
Stoke continued to push forward when it could and a good run by Gallagher saw him find Reid, but his shot was deflected slowly to the keeper.

The whole defence was standing firm, and notably Scott Armsworth made two timely interceptions within a minute of each other.
Ferdinand was getting very little support off the referee, as he gave every challenge a free-kick for Merthyr.
Grant then made another key save as Merthyr looked to level.

Calls for a Merthyr penalty were rightly waived with five minutes to go.
A Merthyr chance went begging, as a cross from the left saw their attacker head over the bar from close range.

Stoke were defending deeper as we entered the last minute of normal time, as it was announced that there would be five added-minutes.
A flicked ball through saw Grant initially drop the ball but then was able to dive on the loose ball.

But then from a throw-in on the left, a Merthyr forward is given space and time, and his long-range shot beats Grant in goal. Merthyr Town 1-1 Basingstoke Town

We made our second change with Sam Deadfield replaced by James Clark (92 mins).

Merthyr were then reduced to ten-men, as their No.4 received his marching orders for a second-yellow card.
In the seventh-minute of added-time, a corner from the right saw the ball rebound off our left-hand post from a Merthyr’s players shot, and finally the referee called time on an entertaining one-one draw in Wales.

Full-time Score: Merthyr Town 1 v 1 Basingstoke Town
Rai 91 mins,                                         Brissett 28 mins,

Match Thought’s
As per my preview this squad can put in a performance that defies all the odds, and last night was one of those occasions. Every player put in 100% effort and for periods of the game we looked more like the league leaders. A couple of missed chances by us again at critical times, and yes another late goal, saw Merthyr luckily extend their unbeaten run to twenty-four games.
We would happily have taken a point before the game, so we achieved that goal, on what was a long journey to Merthyr and back.
With other results we slipped one place to twelfth.
Up Next:
We host third-placed Gloucester City this Saturday (8th) KO 3pm at Winklebury.

Match Report by Martin French..

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