Just over a year ago this writer pronounced: “Another testing encounter for our young U21s, this time Merthyr Town provided too strong an opposition and took a 4-1 victory. On the balance of play this felt a slightly harsh result, although Merthyr took their chances well and were deserving winners on the night.”
Change the score and it was pretty much the same setting, contest and outcome!
At the time, Merthyr seemed highly reliant on goalscoring machine Ricardo Rees. He left for Forest Green during the season and that undoubtedly had an effect on the Martyrs’ overall National League North campaign, although they finished a spot short of the play-offs – their highest position since the phoenix club formed in 2010.
Merthyr’s squad included former Swans academy players Jack Evans, who captained the side, Ben Margetson, Lee Lucas, Keiran Evans and Jay Foulston. Jordon Garrick played with the Martyrs towards the end of last season but did not feature in this game.
Although there was plenty of experience in the home side, Merthyr finished the match with 3 academy players on the pitch, including 16 year old goalkeeper Miles Thomas who played the full 90 minutes.
The Swans selected what – at least on paper – looked to be a strong starting line-up: returning loanees Arthur Parker, Joel Cotterill, Jack Fanning, Ben Lloyd and Bobby Wales, with Kyrell Wilson on the bench. Our available U-21 squad at the start of the new season is likely to be rather different.
Yori Griffith skippered the team and incoming 16 year old Kalaeb Meron was among the substitutes.
Our line-up, including changes was: Joe Collins (s – Trialist 86m); Billy Clarke (s – Kyrell Wilson 46m), Arthur Parker (s – Harlan Perry 70m), Jack Fanning (s – Staitham Bowen 62m), Iestyn Jones; Dan Watts (s – Kalaeb Meron 46m), Joel Cotterill (s – Gregory Osemokhai 62m), Yori Griffith (captain); Josh Pescatore, Bobby Wales (s – Milo Robinson 62m), Ben Lloyd (s – Josiah Kallicharan 70m).
We started badly by weakly gifting possession deep in midfield, Keiran Evans breaking forward to release Maddox in behind Arthur Parker to put Merthyr 1 up on 4 minutes.
With Billy Clarke pushed forward on the right hand side, we were frequently playing 3 at the back and looked quite vulnerable to long balls. We were being posed lots of problems on our left side by Merthyr’s right back Spiers and we were rather lucky to escape further punishment before half-time. Possession-wise, play was reasonably equal and Watts, Cotterill and Griffith were seeing a lot of the ball but our end-product was missing, Yori Griffith gaining a chance on the edge of the area only to be denied by a fine save by the Merthyr teenager in goal.
Former Swan Ben Margetson went close with an unopposed header from a corner and Merthyr ended the half on top, looking physically stronger and more cohesive as a unit. Jack Evans controlled a lot of the midfield play.
For the Second Half Anthony Wright made some personnel and positional switches, bringing on Meron to the left wing and Kyrell Wilson to the right wing, with Pescatore dropping to right back and Lloyd joining Cotterill and Griffith in midfield. Jack Fanning went to left back and Iestyn Jones moved inside.
We had more of the play but the forwards were still starved of chances, Merthyr absorbing pressure and playing their way out of trouble.
Further substitutions and rapid positional variations followed – Wilson went to centre forward then back to right wing, Pescatore went to right wing and then back to right back, but we struggled to incorporate newcomers and find a blend that worked. Nothing much changed and – without taking anything away from Merthyr – the further 2 goals conceded in the final minutes were the result of really poor and confused defensive play.
Yori Griffith emerged from the game with credit, as did the ever-energetic Milo Robinson, but it was it was difficult to take many other positives from a match where it seemed that the selection choices were rather enforced on both the coach and the players. It’s a pity some have never really been given the true opportunity to shine at first team level but, as I’m often reminded, this can often be a ruthless game.
Congratulations to Merthyr for the usual slick and friendly reception, match management, teamsheet production and announcements. The club has also produced another first class review of the previous season, a bargain at £2.50. The club and squad looks well-prepared for another tilt at promotion from National League North.
Goalscoring: Maddox 0-1 (4m); Caswell 0-2 (70m); Wigley 0-3 (84m).