MERTHYR TOWN FC V MARLOW

Merthyr Town left it late to seal a 2-1 home win against bottom of the league Marlow to extend their unbeaten league run to six games. Despite a dominant opening spell from Merthyr, it was the away side who broke the deadlock in the 20th minute with captain Christopher Ovendon heading home from a corner.

As the home side pushed for an equaliser, they had three penalty appeals waved away to the frustration of the home crowd. It was a moment of magic from Lewys Twamley that pulled them deservedly level in the 42nd minute. He burst into the area down the right-hand side before finding Callum Ryan-Phillips who slotted home from close range.

Merthyr continued to push for a winner in the second half, but it looked like it wasn’t their day as Marlow keeper Finn Rushton was forced into some remarkable diving saves on multiple occasions.

However, it was talisman Ricardo Rees who stepped up again in the 92nd minute to fire them ahead with a composed left-footed strike from a tight angle.

Star man: Finn Rushton

Merthyr Town: Jaimie Cogman (GK), Callum Ryan-Phillips (Tom Handley 67’), Matthew Harris ©, Jay Williams, Noah Smerdon (Aneurin Livermore 77’), Jack Evans, Alex John (Cole Jarvis 77’), Frazer Thomas (Keiran Evans 67’), Kane Simpson, Ricardo Rees, Lewys Twamley.

Goals: Callum Ryan-Phillips 42’ Ricardo Rees 90+2’

Marlow: Finn Rushton (GK), Elijah Oladunjoye, Joshua Masters, Harry Hoath, Sebastien D’Aversa, Rhys Harper (Thomas Unsworth 88’), Christopher Ovenden © (Stefan Brown 45+2), Naheer Nawaf, Joshua Boorn, Charlie Samuel (Kareem Akinnibi 54’), Mamadou Jallow.

Goals: Christopher Ovendon 20’

Yellow cards: Charlie Samuel 52’ Joshua Masters 85’

Report: Ben Thomas