By Terry Phillips
Merthyr Town aim to fire up their Southern League promotion challenge as they head towards the new year.
Manager Gavin Williams and his team play their next five fixtures at home with the first of those against Hertfordshire club Kings Langley at the Loadlok Community Stadium on Saturday (3pm).
The Martyrs then have three more home games in 2016, against Chippenham Town next Tuesday (December 13, 3pm), St Neots (Saturday, December 17, 7.45pm) and bottom of the table Cinderford Town (Boxing Day, 1pm).
Their first match in 2017 is against Redditch United, also in Merthyr Tydfil, on Monday, January 2 (3pm).
Merthyr, who are fifth in the Premier Division, have stumbled a little over the last few weeks, taking only two points from their last four games.
They were without goalkeeper Glyn Garner, Jarrad Wright, Ryan Prosser, Scott Hancock and Keyon Refill for their 1-0 midweek defeat at Cambridge City, but manager Williams is hopeful that most, if not all, will be back against Kings Langley.
Paul Hobbs has been appointed long-term manager of Merthyr’s visitors. He took over on a temporary basis following the departure of successful joint management team Ritchie Hanlon and Paul Hughes, who secured three promotions in three seasons.
But he has now agreed to stay until the end of the season and says working with a committed squad was a big draw for him.
“The main reason for me changing my mind was the players,” said Hobbs. “A few of them approached me to stay. Their attitude, performances and everything about them has been top notch, first class.”
The first step in the challenge for Hobbs could well lie in recruiting after a number of the club’s players opted to join former managers Hanlon and Hughes at their new club, Hayes and Yeading United.
“We are looking to improve the squad and we are a bit down to the bare bones at the moment,” says the King manager. “I have spoken to a few higher clubs who may help us with loan players.
“The budget isn’t good at the moment and we are trying to put that right as well.”
Merthyr Town (3–4-1-2), from: Oliver Davies (gk), Glyn Garner (gk), Curtis McDonald, Gethin Jones, Rhys Baggridge, Jarrad Wright, Scott Barrow, Ashley Evans, Eliot Richards, Ben Watkins, Adam Davies, Kayne McLaggon, Ian Traylor, Ryan Prosser, Gavin Williams, Scott Tancock.