SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION, SAT 22 SEPT 2007

Cirencester Town 1 Merthyr Tydfil 1

By the end of this match there was a 'let down' feeling around the ground. We don't ever have it easy against Merthyr but today we were left feeling we should have had the win. The young Centurions really should have won against an equally youthful Martyrs team. But woeful shooting left them still chasing their first league win of the season.

Nick Stanley, twice, had chances within the first few minutes. He did well to collect a difficult pass forward on 2 minutes and then turned Darren Davies in the right hand side of the box. But the shot was scuffed just a tad and Ashley Morris, looking much more chubby than in days gone by in the Murfur goal, had an easy collect.

On 8 minutes Steve Robertson, again moving with verve and no mean skill today, outwitted Steve Williams wide right of the Merthyr defence and delivered a great cross for the centre of the box. Snaky moved early to meet the ball, great chest control gave him the boss hand and a spin took him away from Andrew Thomas.

Within the 6 yard box, level with the near post, it needed just a tap to get it past Morris. Looking to make sure, the shot was overpowering but slashed wide of the post and bulged the side netting.

Within minutes Harry Etheridge was up in support and was set up on the edge of the box, again after Robbo had done all the hard work. Nobody gave H the shout that 'Ash' was halfway off his line and it needed just a lob. And H had a blast, going for the top corner and missed by a whisker.

With the Martyrs looking very unsure and nervous, these were chances that we had to put away and get the points on the board early.

In contrast, Merthyr took their sole first half chance. When the giant Mike Jones again got his head to a forward pass it looked once more as if was going safe, with Chris Collins covering behind Moly. Somehow the skipper got an airshot on it (Michael thought he slipped) and Marcus Griffiths latched on to the ball, darted beyond Chrissy into the box and calmly netted past the stranded Matt Bulman.

Deflated, Ciren had to come back from that while Merthyr, elated, were sure not going to give up their advantage. It became a period of toil, trying to get position upfield while the Martyrs busily made sure that they covered deep and were now putting a close watch on the effervescent but now crowded out Snaky.

Another superb run got him beyond Thomas on 33 minutes, but with Andy Chapman busting a gut and making himself clear in space outside him instead of the lay-off for Chaps to have a shot facing on to Morris, Snakes tried an overhead which dribbled through to the keeper.

Merthyr are well drilled and kept trying for a second. A bit of nonsense gave Darren Davies a chance of a shot from 20 yards and he drilled it in, but too close to Bully who pouched safely, waved his arms at his dawdling defence and launched a clearing kick that Robbo reached but nodded just behind Nathan Haisley, again up supporting his front line having been on the edge of his own box moments earlier.

The ball broke wide right and Danny Wallington, much more lively upfield today, got there in front of the sprightly Glassey to knock inside to Jacko. Who was promptly dropped by Dimond, one of the veterans in this youthful Martyrs team.

Andy Chapman, who had not received any service at all so far, was across to swing the free kick in. Robbo, again, got his noggin on it. Out it came off the defence and when Chapman sent in the second ball Nathan was in the clear and had to get his nut on it but somehow missed from 8 yards.

Maybe the fact that most of his shirt was firmly grasped by Gonzo Griffiths had something to do with it but the ref did not see it and Nathan just took it as part of the warp and weft of how it goes. Oggy and Adie were far less tolerant and went quite colourful in their reaction.

Fact was, we were bossing the game but Merthyr were bossing our attacks. Snaky and Williams exchanged pleasantries on the left side on 33 minutes and the ref yellowed the pair, Snakes for reacting and Willo for a tackle so late he could have been working for the local bus service.

Second half, after Dai the boozehound had promised undying love to both me and Ciren in the bar at half time, Ciren went at it with grim determination. Moly was off, with an injury?, but Kev Davies after his sound display in defence on Wednesday was no weakening in our back line as a replacement.

Though, on 52 minutes young Matt Harris got himself space and delivered a superb cross far post where Mike Jones could not quite make his feet react to the instruction from his brain 6 foot 5 inches away and skewed wide. It woke up Dai the Drunk, who fell over. I loved it. Murfur are always entertaining when they visit.

Back to the serious stuff. Andy Chapman all quick feet and vision saw a gap and slotted Snaky into the space behind the defence. Clear, left side of the box, it was the equaliser on 53 minutes. Nope. Snakes went near post with a blaster from 10 yards and Morris was equal to it. Great stop.

I'm not sure H, up in support in the middle would necessarily have made owt of a cross seeing he was covered by the dogged Dimond but fair play, H had read it before anybody else and was at least up there for a sniff.

Moments later, another Ciren attack broke down on the edge of the Merthyr box. And young Matt Harris not only won his tackle with Jacko on the deep left touchline but then accelerated away and got all the way to the edge of our box before delivering a super cross which Davo just about managed to read and clear. The counter could have been deadly.

Instant tactical response from the management. Even while Snaky was coming off, with a horribly mangled little finger on his left hand after he had been tumbled, Hally was on in place of Jacko to take the play back to Merthyr. And Shez was on moments later to replace Snakes, which ruined any chance of Jon Else coming on to work his silky passing skills to get through the defence.

Nearly an hour gone. We had all to do. So, when we conceded a free within 40 yards and the kick was shaped in nicely, it was a relief when Bully made a sound catch at the far post. Except Alex had kept the beanpole out of it by swinging him to the deck and the ref quite correctly pointed to the spot. Self destruct or what?

Dale (Gonzo) Griffiths smacked the 58th minute spot kick for the right hand side only for Bulman to make a full length stop, knocking it round the post and getting a relieved pat on the head from Alex. Lucky boy – why he had protested to get a yellow is daft. He'd done the deed and his mate had pulled his chestnuts out of the fire..

Reprieved, Ciren grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and dominated the final half hour. We made Ash work. And, by and large he was was safe, though even he made fumbles. Unfortunately, his defence was smart and got most things clear, no problem.

Chances for Ciren, created mostly by the mobile Steve Robertson and the rampaging Harry Etheridge, were being spurned. On 62 minutes Hally was quick to collect a pass out of defence by Davo, fed Chapman and was in space to collect the return.

Turning, with shouts from all over the park as to where he should send it, he spotted Robbo getting into the space behind Griffiths. And fed him, spot on.

Robbo collected on the edge of the box left side, went at Griffiths and was past him and had already spotted Shez making the break for the far side.

Absolutely perfect cross found him in space, 8 yards out. Easy for me to say but a touch and then a knock would have notched, with time to pick his spot. But he first timed it, wide of Morris and wide by a yard of the far post. It was a golden chance.

Ciren kept winning the ball, with Nathan and H by now totally dominant in front of a comfortable Ciren defence. And kept just not quite getting the field dominance turned into goals. Chapman turned away with disappointment etched on his face when yet another set of passes got him clear down the left.

His only option was a low ball driven for the far post. Delivered to perfection, he turned away with a grimace when neither Shez nor Hally had seen it and gone for that spot. Only needed a side foot in. But you've got to burn for that space when your mate has bust a gut to get in, wide, to deliver. Not stand there, on your heels, and then think, Oh dollops, great cross. You're a forward and that's your job. Gamble – get in there.

But, even though to my mind he was feeling a tweak and not as driving on as he'd been on the Wednesday, Chapman still persisted with the service the superb Robbo was giving him and won a series of corners. Off the final one, Nathan just got his head to a near post swinger and then drove back to get under it again off the deflection.

Under pressure – and it really was pressure – young Matt Harris flipped the ball with his hand off Nathan's head. The ref had no problem with that and why Darren Davies talked himself into the book can only be down to a chuntering attitude the visitors had decided was going to get them a result today.

They had by now, 74 minutes gone, “wasted” nearly 300 seconds of playing time by dilatory taking of throw ins and free kicks. And wasted another 45 seconds while, for gawds sake, Williams had a lengthy chug of nectar from Morris' water bottle. If he was that thirsty I'd have had him off. No wonder I can't update my ref's badge, eh?

No problem. Alex Stanley set himself and buried the spot kick low into the bottom corner for the equaliser Now it was a game to win and Merthyr were not happy bunnies.

Too much excitement. Nathan yet again was first to a loose ball in midfield and with both Danny Wallington and Davo clear and free up the right, went direct and tried to find Robbo up the middle and instead gave Morris an easy collect.

There was still time for a further catalogue of missed chances. Nathan had heard his horoscope being read by Oggy and when he again won a key tackle, this time fed Big H who in turn sent Wallo wide right. Superb run and cross, the only ball had to be for the space outside the six yard box.

It was perfect, curving in, tempting Ash to come and then to hesitate with the defender desperately turning. Soddin Henry. Both Shez and Hally are standing, admiring it, 10 yards away. Get in there!

The most glaring miss came on 86 minutes when Phil Hall was worked clear after a superb series of passes from Etheridge and Robertson that shredded the defence. With Morris half way out of his goal and the whole target to hit, Hally was in the clear, on the edge of the box and with nobody near him.

I've been there. It is jelly leg time. But, at this level, you just must be deadly. Take a touch. Drill it across him into the far post. Or, curl it over him, top corner. But you must hit the target. Hally seemed to be transfixed by the situation and tamely lobbed the ball into the relieved keeper’s hands.

Michael M was standing beside me at the time. Allegedly, he'd not seen much of the second half at Cinderford because of the quality of their lights, though a few cruel souls put it down to him trying to take Drunken Dai's crown from him ... No way. Michael goes for ale, not that fizzy pop that is served in the more manky end of the bar.

Anyways, Michael's point today is spot on. “ We've got away with this and really should be winning games against teams like this. Forwards at this level must hit the target. We're going to struggle if we can't put teams away when we get so much on top”

This is a long time speccie speaking, who has watched what must be nigh on 1000 matches. He can see it. We can see it. We must be deadly when the chances arrive.

It could have been worse. Merthyr had never given up playing some neat football themselves. On 90 minutes Steve Williams fired a long cross beyond the far post and we did not get it away. Matt Glassey controlled on the left of our box and fired for the inside of the near post with Matty Bulman going full length not only to stop but also hold the strong and on target effort.

If that had gone in, more than a few of us would have given up and joined Drunken Dai. Who, I understand, did actually find the bus at 5.30 and got home safely.

Kev Davies did his best to get a straight red with a reckless dive on Carpenter on 90 mins but he survived, as did we from the free kick calmly pouched by the ever reliable Matt Bulman. A loss today would have been a bitter pill. But, we should really have won that one.

Mr Viveash could not fault the effort and commitment of his team. But he must sometimes wonder if the players will ever reach a situation when all that is needed is a cool head and steady nerves when, after all the good football is played to make the opening, the net must be hit.

We've got Clevedon next Saturday, in the Cup. Mikey Symons and Steve Cook up front for them, former Centurions both and no mugs when it comes to playing. We need to bury our chances. Nuff said.

Centurions: Matt Bulman, Dan Wallington, Andy Chapman, Alex Stanley Y58, Lee Molyneux [Kevin Davies 45 Y89], Chris Collins (c), Nathan Haisley, Michael Jackson [Phil Hall 55], Steve Robertson, Nick Stanley Y33 [Ian McSherry 56], Harry Etheridge
Other subs: Paul Hunt, Jon Else

Martyrs: Ashley Morris, Steve Williams Y33, Darren Davies Y74, Andrew Thomas, Dale Griffiths [Dean Clarke 80], Kyle Graves, Kris Dimond, Matt Harris [Rhys Carpenter 88], Mike Jones, Marcus Griffiths [Craig Steins 82], Matt Glassey
Other subs: Tarrant Watkins, Gary Haman

Ref: Mr N Brimming, Bristol Did OK – the assessor mentioned that he had not taken action on the time wasting. He will learn from this game, as we shall as well.

Att: 170 We are down to our bare bones. The Martyrs brought a fair few, in my estimation well over 30. Way down on past visits but still welcome. It is our team that has to do the biz to get our own speccies coming back in numbers.

Ciren MoM: Robbo got a lot of mentions as did Bully (his fan club is firmly centred at the moment with the Muppets; and quite right too) but today, by a one vote but well deserved margin in front of Robbo, it was Harry Etheridge.