HERE WE GO AGAIN
Merthyr 1 Yeltz 0
13 November 1999
After starting to put a decent run together, we've now lost two 1-0 away games on the trot.
We were on the pools for the first time for ages because most games had been rearranged because of the Scotland-England game. I'm not sure how many of you decided to loyally make the trip down to Wales, but I'm sure the rest of us part-timers would appreciate it if you sent in a match report.
A little bit of good news is that Stuart Payne has been signed from Kiddy after a successful loan period, and we've also signed midfielder Neil Cartwright , who's previously been at Telford, Kiddy and the Albion.
Contrary to what I might have said earlier, the League Cup game against Evesham is away, and this Tuesday (16th) . Apologies if anyone was misled, but I wouldn't depend on any information you find on this site :-)
Match Report from Kev Without Trev
AS ONE OF THE VERY FEW WHO BOTHERED TO GO, I GUESS IT'S MY DUTY TO WRITE A REPORT. THE LAST TIME OUR SUPPORT WAS OUT-NUMBERED BY THE COMMITTEE WAS A COLD THURSDAY NIGHT IN GRETNA AND LIKEWISE THE TRAVELLERS ON SATURDAY NOW HAVE A CLAIM TO FAME. WE WERE THERE WHEN OUR SUBS BENCH WAS ANNOUNCED AS WRIGHT, WRIGHT AND CARTWRIGHT. THE REST OF THE TEAM WAS AS FOLLOWS:-
DANNY, LLOYDY, WOODY, GARDS, JASE, BROWN, BIRCHY, SMITHY, CRISPY, CLINTON, PAYNEY.
THE GAME STARTED IN CONTRAVERSY BEFORE I HAD EVEN WALKED AROUND THE BACK OF THE STAND. LLOYDY APPARENTLY HAD TAKEN OUT THEIR RED HOT MARKSMAN MITCHEL AND GOT HIM CARRIED OFF WITHOUT BEING BOOKED, WHICH WAS NICE! IT SOON BECAME APPARENT THAT THE REF HAD LEFT HIS CARDS AT HOME AS THERE WAS NO END OF TICKING OFFS WITHOUT A CAUTION IN SIGHT.
MERTHYR HAD THE BEST OF THE FIRST HALF BUT NEVER LOOKED LIKE GETTING PAST DANNY. WE DID NOT LOOK SHARP AND JUST LIKE TUESDAY WERE FAR TOO CAUTIOUS IN THE EARLY STAGES. OUR ATTACKING PLAY REVOLVED AROUND OVER THE TOP BALLS FOR CLINTON TO CHASE WITH PAYNEY ON HAND TO PICK UP THE SCRAPS.
JUST ON THE STROKE OF HALF TIME PAYNEY BROKE CLEAR OF THEIR DEFENCE WHO LOOKED A MILE OFFSIDE TO ME, BUT SHOT EMBARASSINGLY WIDE WITH ONLY THE KEEPER TO BEAT. WE LOST CLINTON AT THE START OF THE SECOND HALF WITH A KICK ON HIS ALREADY INJURED KNEE. EVRAN WAS THE REPLACEMENT AND WE STARTED TO LOOK AT LITTLE MORE DANGEROUS.
THEY WENT AHEAD HOWEVER ON AROUND 70 MINUTES, SLIGHTLY AGAINST THE RUN OF PLAY, WITH A LUCKY TWICE DEFLECTED SHOT. THIS FORCED US TO BE MORE ADVENTUROUS. HOWEVER, THEY SOAKED UP THE PRESSURE, EVRAN COMING CLOSEST WITH A HEADER CLEARED OFF THE LINE IN THE LAST FIVE MINUTES.
GENERALLY, WE ARE LOOKING TO DEFEND RESULTS TOO MUCH AND ARE GIVING THE OPPOSITION MORE RESPECT THAN THEY DESERVE. THE GAME SEEMED TO BE CRYING OUT FOR SOME OF ADA COOPER'S PENETRATING LEFT-HAND RUNS INTO THE BOX BUT, FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, HE WAS DROPPED COMPLETELY BY CHAMBERS.
AFTER THE WHISTLE, LLOYDY CAME UNDER A TORRENT OF ABUSE FROM THEIR FANS AND NUMEROUS THREATS WERE MADE TO HIM. UNFORTUNATELY, THE COACH LEFT AT 5.15 PM, SO I WAS UNABLE TO FIND OUT IF ANY OF THE THREATS WERE CARRIED OUT.