Hit for Six

Pitching In Southern League, Premier Division South

Merthyr Town 6 (Rees 32, 55, 72, Simpson 38, 51,78)

Tiverton Town 0

Saturday, August 10 . Penydarren Park

A CHASTENING result in our season's opener at Merthyr, although definitely not a season defining one. No-one could have foreseen this scoreline but, apart from an impressive first half at Yate, the Yellows’ performances at the backend of their pre-season campaign were unconvincing.

Tivvy’s line-up included debutant goalkeeper Matt Wonnacott, and manager Leigh Robinson handed competitive first starts to Asa Hall, Jeff Forkuo and Jay Murray. The Martyrs fielded a team with two former Tiverton players in their 11; Noah Smerdon and Kane Simpson. Tivvy’s Dylan Jones was back at his old club.

When the action got under way, Merthyr quickly assumed territorial advantage but did not really threaten until in the 22nd minute, when Simpson pulled the ball across the area. After the teams challenged each other for ownership of it, Frazer Thomas's strike was cleared off the line by a Yellows’ defender.

The hosts, who have a reputation for getting the ball down and playing, were beginning to dominate and, with 32 minutes on the clock, drew first blood. Alex John’s through-ball split our backline and the prolific Ricardo Rees opened his account for the season by slotting home past Wonnacott. 

Debutant: Asa Hall

Just over five minutes later, Merthyr extended their lead when the Yellows failed to clear their lines and Simpson was presented with a simple finish. Fellow former Yellow Smerdon then flashed the ball narrowly wide with a shot from a corner situation.

As both sides returned to the dressing-room, the Merthyr ’keeper Jamie Cogman had been virtually a spectator in that first half.

If Tiverton were at the foot of a standard mountain as the game resumed, within 10 minutes of the resumption, their opponents were in the Himalayas.

A 51st-minute goal from Simpson, who chased a long ball down before firing home, pretty much ended Tivvy’s hopes of getting anything from the game. Then, four minutes later, our relentless hosts were out of sight. Rees, the division’s top scorer from last term, finished from a tight angle to add his side’s fourth.

This had already become a day to forget and Robinson made his first change on 57 minutes when captain Matt Britton was replaced by Kyle Anderson. Five minutes later, Leighton Thomas came on for Joe Parker.

A Frazer Thomas effort fractionally avoided the target in the 64th minute, shortly before he made way for Lewys Twamley, with Yellow Asa Hall exiting and Tor Swann arriving.

Things got worse for the Yellows when  Rees completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute.

To emphasise a bad day at the office, Wonnacott was blameless for our torrid afternoon and he had made a good save to deny  Simpson, before his strike partner Rees  followed up to make it 5-0.

Soon it was six and this time it was the turn of Simpson to achieve his hat-trick. Rees squaring the ball for him.

The final 15 minutes of the game saw no further addition to the score, although Wonnacott did deny Lee Lucas with an excellent stop and at the death.

Theo Jeremy, our final substitute who replaced Javan Wright, played in Dylan Jones whose stinging drive forced an excellent save from Cogman.

We must applaud Merthyr for their display. 

Lots to ponder for our coaching and playing staff ahead of Tuesday night’s first home game of the season against Dorchester, who drew with Havant & Waterlooville at the weekend.

This is far from an ideal beginning, but there is plenty of time to make telling progress from here, so let us get out in force on Tuesday and get behind the team.

Yellows: Wonnacott, Thompson, J Jones, C Thomas, D Jones, Britton (c), Forkuo, Hall, Murray, Wright, Parker.

Substitutes: Anderson (for Britton 57), Jeremy (for Wright 80), Swann (for Hall 65), L Thomas (for Parker 63), Gerring.