Merthyr Town 3, Wimborne Town 1
Merthyr Town took control in front of almost 500 spectators after scoring two goals in the opening 15 minutes of their BetVictor Southern League Premier South at the MetCoaches Stadium.
Centre-back Jarrad Wright scored after two minutes and Ian Traylor, making his 401st appearance for the Martyrs, made it 2-0 on 15 minutes.
Joseph Byrne replied for Wimborne just before the hour before substitute Ryan Prosser completed the scoreline.
“A result like this has been coming to be honest,” said Merthyr’s experienced goalkeeper Alex Harris.
“We suffered five defeats, but in the majority of those matches we were the better team and a little unlucky to lose.
“It’s also true we’ve played some of the best teams in the Southern Premier and we’ll hope to build on our win against Wimborne.
“It was great to see Gethyn Hill back. We were the better team because of him.
“Gather was on the end of most of my kicks. He was brilliant.”
WHAT A FINISH 💥
Take a look back at Ian Traylor’s sublime finish in today’s 3-1 victory over Wimborne Town
🎥 Credit (@danieldavies111) pic.twitter.com/GM6vsZQRYe
— The Martyrs (@MerthyrTownFC) October 5, 2019
On striker Traylor’s landmark appearances total, Harris said: “He’s hell of a guy. He scores from all sorts of positions and playing 400 games for Merthyr is brilliant.”
Defender Wright scored Merthyr’s first goal after three minutes when he rose highest at the far post and guided his header fantastically into the bottom right hand corner.
The Martyrs ended a run of five successive defeats in Southern League, Emirates FA Cup and Southern League Cup fixtures thanks to an excellent team display against Wimborne.
Traylor’s shot was deflected wide of Cameron Plain’s goal a minute later, while Hill made a superb run inside a defender and earned a free-kick after a good pass from Owain Jones.
Traylor doubled Merthyr’s lead with a sublime strike which flew into the top corner from an acute angle on the right.
Wimborne hit back when Tony-James Lee met a cross to the back post, but Harris saved comfortably.
Joe Byrne struck for Wimborne with 55 minutes gone and at 2-1 down the visitors were back in the match.
On the hour former Cardiff City youth and Hereford forward Hill made a clever run through midfield, but failed to keep his shot down and the ball flew over the bar.
🎥 POST-MATCH
“It’s been coming to be honest with you, we’ve been unlucky the last few games”
Alex Harris reflects on today’s 3-1 win over Wimborne Town at The Met Coaches Stadium pic.twitter.com/KcExMiCEji
— The Martyrs (@MerthyrTownFC) October 5, 2019
On 75 minutes substitute Prosser went close when his header flew just wide from a Traylor cross and.
Goalkeeper Plain made a sprawling save from Hill’s low cross and then the young ‘keeper caught Traylor’s effort following a free-kick.
Merthyr then scored in the 90th minute when Prosser produced a composed finish past the advancing goalkeeper after Merthyr caught the visitors on the break.
Merthyr Town: Alex Harris, Adam Davies (Jamie Veale 24), Ben Swallow, Ashley Evans (capt), Jarrad Wright, Kyle Patten, Owain Jones (Ryan Prosser 46), Lee Lucas, Gethyn Hill, Eliot Richards (Kieran Lewis 66), Ian Traylor. Subs: Cameron Clarke (gk), Jamie Veale, Gavin Williams.
Wimborne Town: Cameron Plain, Connor Doe, Billy Maybury, Sam Davidson, Joe Byrne (Paddy Hester 58), Sam Poole, Carl Pettefer (Louis Kellaway 68), Curtis Young (Aidan Shepherd 85), Clarke, Tony Lee, Luke Burbidge, Sam Bayston. Subs: James Stokoe, Dave Walsh (gk).
Attendance: 434
NON LEAGUE DAY ⚽️|
📅 Saturday 12th October
⚽️ @MerthyrTownFC v @bandlfc
🎫 Adults £12 | Concessions £9 | Under 16’s £1
🏟 The @metcoaches Community Stadium@CardiffCityFC , @SwansOfficial, @NewportCounty Season Ticket Holders £9@FAWales v @HNS_CFF Ticket Holders £9 pic.twitter.com/MrEyUwxXQ1— The Martyrs (@MerthyrTownFC) October 7, 2019
Merthyr Town FC’s full 2019-20 BetVictor Southern League Premier South fixture/results list:
AUGUST
Sat 10 – Harrow Borough 1, Merthyr Town 0
Tue 13 – Merthyr Town 1, Weston-super-Mare 1
Sat 17 – Merthyr Town 1, Gosport Borough 0
Sat 24 – Farnborough 1, Merthyr Town 0
Mon 26 – Merthyr Town. 3, Swindon Supermarine 1
Sat 31 – Metropolitan Police 1, Merthyr Town 2
SEPTEMBER
Sat 7 – Plymouth Parkway 0, Merthyr Town 1 (Emirates FA Cup Qualifying Round 1)
Sat 14 – Chesham United 1, Merthyr Town 3
Wed 18 – Tiverton Town 1, Merthyr Town 0
Sat 21- Weston Super Mare 2, Merthyr Town 1
Emirates FA Cup Qualifying round two
Sat 28 – Walton Casuals 2, Merthyr Town 1
OCTOBER
Wed 2 – Merthyr Town 1, Cinderford Town 2 (Southern Football League Cup round one)
Sat 5 – Wimborne Town 3, Merthyr Town 1
Sat 12 – Blackfield & Langley (H)
Tue 15 – Dorchester Town A
Sat 19 – Beaconsfield Town (A)
Tue 22 – Salisbury (H)
Sat 26 – Buildbase FA Trophy Qualifying round one
NOVEMBER
Sat 2 – Truro City (A)
Wed 6 – Southern Football League Cup round two
Sat 9 – Taunton Town (H)
Sat 16 – Poole Town (A)
Sat 23 – Hayes & Yeading United (H)
Sat 30 – Hartley Wintney (H)
DECEMBER
Wed 4 – Southern Football League Cup Round 3
Sat 7 – Hendon A
Sat 14 – Walton Casuals (H)
Sat 21 – Wimborne Town (A)
Thu 26 – Yate Town (H)
JANUARY
Wed 1 – Swindon Supermarine (A)
Sat 4 – Harrow Borough (H)
Wed 8 – Southern Football League Cup Round 4
Sat 11 – Weston-Super-Mare A
Sat 18 – Farnborough (H)
Sat 25 – Gosport Borough (A)
FEBRUARY
Sat 1 – Metropolitan Police (H)
Sat 8 – Chesham United (A)
Sat 15 – Dorchester Town (H)
Wed 19 – League Cup Semi-Finals
Sat 22 – Blackfield & Langley (A)
Sat 29 – Beaconsfield Town (H)
MARCH
Wed 4 – Emirates FA Cup 5
Sat 7 – Salisbury (A)
Sat 14 – Taunton Town (A)
Sat 21 – Truro City (H)
Wed 25 League Cup Final 1st Leg
Sat 28 Hayes & Yeading United A
APRIL
Wed 1 – League Cup Final 2nd Leg
Sat 4 – Poole Town (H)
Sat 11 – Tiverton Town (H)
Mon 13 – Yate Town (A)
Sat 18 – Hartley Wintney (A)
Sat 25 – Hendon (H)