Mark Molesley’s side made the long trip on the M4 to Wales on Saturday to face Merthyr Town with both sides needing points at opposite ends of the table, as it happens a goal apiece saw a point earned by both sides at the final whistle. The gaffer made four changes for this one, injured duo Will Salmon and Ferdinand Okoh were replaced by Jerry Wiltshire and Luke Gambin, Louis Dunne dropped to the bench to allow the return of skipper Sanmi Odelusi and suspended midfielder Omar Rowe was replaced by Ronan Silva. The hosts had a good amount of early possession and possibly should have taken the lead on 10 minutes when the impressive Lewys Twamley crossed from the right to the far post where Noah Smerdon threw himself into a diving header but his effort thankfully went the wrong side of the upright. Soon after United found a good amount of attacking play of there own and in the 15th minute Cole Brown broke away on the right side, his low driven centre just evading the boot of a sliding Charles Hagan in the centre and the ball flew away to safety. Another opening was created just a minute later when Ayo Faniyan collected the ball inside the left channel, he then cut inside and fired goalwards forcing Martyrs stopper Jaimie Cogman to palm his effort away to safety. United were not satisfied with going close and, albeit with a dose of fortune, took the lead a minute later. Steve Ngunga outpaced his marked on the left and moved into the area, his cross being palmed by Cogman but this time it struck Nick Rhodes on the back and went back into the net for a very unlucky own goal however credit goes to Ngunga for putting the ball into the danger area in the first place. Just before the half hour mark the home side created a good chance from a corner as Tom Handley was picked out at the far post but his header flew over the United goal without troubling Adams. As the half drew towards its conclusion a brace of chances came and went for the Martyrs. Firstly, a cross to Ricardo Rees saw the striker control the ball well on the edge of the box before hitting a volley that Adams was solidly behind and then in stoppage time a right wing Callum Ryan-Phillips cross caused panic in the six yard box before Adams jumped on the loose ball and United went in a goal to the good at the break. The Martyrs were quick out of the blocks in the second half and with less than three minutes played a golden chance to level came and went as Ryan-Phillips fired the ball across the United six yard box with Rees poking it wide at the far post under pressure from Adams. Minutes later United could have had a second at the other end when an excellent Luke Gambin centre picked out Faniyan, he controlled the ball and fired goalwards only to be denied by a superb blocking save from Cogman who saw his defence clear the loose ball away to safety. Just before the hour mark the home side did finally draw level as an Alex John outswinging corner from the right was met powerfully by Ryan-Phillips who saw his header fly past Adams into the top corner. United kept there heads high despite being pegged back and Cogman was again in action for the Martyrs in the 65th minute, the stopper tipping a Hagan header from a Brown centre onto the top of the bar and over. With twenty minutes remaining United went even closer as the returning Ronan Silva collected the ball 20 yards out and curled a shot beyond Cogman only for his effort to cannon back off the far upright and the home side were again able to clear the loose ball. Both sides from here on shared possession but with no cutting edge in the final third at either end the game sort of fizzled out and at the final whistle a share of the spoils was the least United deserved for their efforts over the 90 minutes.
Report by Kevin Watts. United Man of the Match: Luke Gambin.