Merthyr Town
1
Yorwerth (31)
Slough Town
1
Dobson (21)
League
Attendance: 628
Nathan Webb
There was to be no tenth consecutive league victory or seventh straight league clean sheet for Slough, but few connected with the club will be disappointed at bringing home a point from Penydarren Park after a close contest between two strong sides.
In doing so, Slough became the first away side this season to take a point from a Merthyr home game, and extended their lead at the top of the Southern League, Premier Division to five points.
The two key moments in this match happened in the space of ten first-half minutes. James Dobson scored his eighth goal of the season on 21 minutes, sublimely curling a free kick into the top corner from more than 25 yards out. Joshua Yorwerth levelled soon after, heading in at the far post to score his first Merthyr goal.
Slough put pressure on the Merthyr goal early on, winning a series of corners which were defended well. The hosts responded with a break down the right hand side, which resulted in Ian Traylor’s low cross being put behind for a corner.
Dobson’s fine strike gave Slough the advantage, and it was very nearly doubled soon after, but Nathan Webb was unable to find the net after a mistake from midfielder Elliot Scotcher. He was dispossessed on the edge of his own area, leaving Webb with a free shot on goal, but goalkeeper Glyn Garner got down well to save.
Instead, Yorwerth’s goal brought Merthyr level. This time, Scotcher made a positive impact at the other end of the pitch, sending a free kick to the far post where Yorwerth forced Mark Scott to pick the ball out of his net for the first time in over 650 minutes of league action.
Half time arrived with no further chances, though Garner needed to be alert shortly after the equaliser, tipping the ball over the bar as Dobson played it into the box from deep.
After the break, play moved from end to end with Merthyr shading possession, and the first real chance came on 59 minutes, when Simon Dunn and Charlie Moone combined for the former to get in a strike which was saved by Garner.
Four minutes later, Merthyr had perhaps their best chance of the match. The home side broke forward after a Slough long throw had come to nothing, and Keyon Reffell advanced into the Slough half at speed before slipping the ball through to Traylor, whose touch was too heavy and allowed Scott to claim the ball.
Both sides had openings without going close to finding a winning goal. Warren Harris bundled his way through a number of players and forced Garner to make a save with 74 minutes played, and then three minutes later the Merthyr keeper spilled another Dobson free kick, conceding a corner.
Substitute Ryan Prosser had the best chance for Merthyr with around five minutes remaining, but he headed a long free kick from Scott Barrow wide of the far post.
In doing so, Slough became the first away side this season to take a point from a Merthyr home game, and extended their lead at the top of the Southern League, Premier Division to five points.
The two key moments in this match happened in the space of ten first-half minutes. James Dobson scored his eighth goal of the season on 21 minutes, sublimely curling a free kick into the top corner from more than 25 yards out. Joshua Yorwerth levelled soon after, heading in at the far post to score his first Merthyr goal.
Slough put pressure on the Merthyr goal early on, winning a series of corners which were defended well. The hosts responded with a break down the right hand side, which resulted in Ian Traylor’s low cross being put behind for a corner.
Dobson’s fine strike gave Slough the advantage, and it was very nearly doubled soon after, but Nathan Webb was unable to find the net after a mistake from midfielder Elliot Scotcher. He was dispossessed on the edge of his own area, leaving Webb with a free shot on goal, but goalkeeper Glyn Garner got down well to save.
Instead, Yorwerth’s goal brought Merthyr level. This time, Scotcher made a positive impact at the other end of the pitch, sending a free kick to the far post where Yorwerth forced Mark Scott to pick the ball out of his net for the first time in over 650 minutes of league action.
Half time arrived with no further chances, though Garner needed to be alert shortly after the equaliser, tipping the ball over the bar as Dobson played it into the box from deep.
After the break, play moved from end to end with Merthyr shading possession, and the first real chance came on 59 minutes, when Simon Dunn and Charlie Moone combined for the former to get in a strike which was saved by Garner.
Four minutes later, Merthyr had perhaps their best chance of the match. The home side broke forward after a Slough long throw had come to nothing, and Keyon Reffell advanced into the Slough half at speed before slipping the ball through to Traylor, whose touch was too heavy and allowed Scott to claim the ball.
Both sides had openings without going close to finding a winning goal. Warren Harris bundled his way through a number of players and forced Garner to make a save with 74 minutes played, and then three minutes later the Merthyr keeper spilled another Dobson free kick, conceding a corner.
Substitute Ryan Prosser had the best chance for Merthyr with around five minutes remaining, but he headed a long free kick from Scott Barrow wide of the far post.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 Mark Scott
- 2 Sean Fraser
- 3 Paul Stonehouse
- 4 Guy Hollis
- 5 Mark Nisbet
- 6 Lee Togwell
- 7 James Dobson
- 8 Simon Dunn
- 9 Nathan Webb
- 10 Charlie Moone
- 11 Warren Harris
Substitutes
- 12 Daniel Hicks
- 14 Josh Jackman
- 15 Nathan Smart
- 16 Gurkan Gokmen
- 18 Adrian Sear
Merthyr Town Lineup
Glyn Garner, Scott Tancock, Scott Barrow, Ashley Evans (c), Curtis McDonald, Jarrad Wright, Elliot Scotcher (Corey Jenkins), Josh Yorwerth, Kayne McLaggon (Ryan Prosser), Keyon Reffell, Ian Traylor. Substitutes not used: Ben Watkins, Gavin Williams, Rhys Baggridge.