Report courtesy of Bromsgrove Advertiser
MERTHYR Tydfil ran out comfortable winners against an out of sorts Rovers at Penydarren Park on Bank Holiday Monday.
A brace from Craig Stiens - one in each half - put paid to any aspirations the Greens had of getting anything from this match.
It could have been much different had Rovers taken a chance in the first 30 seconds of the match.
Sam Alsop's cross was presented to Nathan Lamey but Merthyr goalkeeper Ashley Morris smothered the ball at the striker's feet before he could shoot.
On five minutes Dave Bridgwater's through ball was met by Neil Davis, and the striker took the ball around Morris but was denied by a timely tackle from full-back Steve Williams.
But it took the Martyrs just eight minutes to strike, when Kris Dimond's near post corner came off Lucan Spittle's head and Stiens was on hand to bundle the ball home at the far post.
The home side dominated the play for the rest of the half, playing the direct ball up to big centre-forward Michael Jones who won the majority of aerial balls against Rovers' defenders.
And just before half-time their "route one" approach almost paid dividends.
Morris's big kick upfield was flicked on by Jones and Stiens effort was almost fumbled into the net by Karl Lewis as it took a wicked bounce off an uneven surface.
Rovers lost the services of Davis with a groin problem at half-time, the forward being replaced by Gary Hay.
Rhys Carpenter who was giving Rovers' defenders a torrid time down the left, produced a cross to the far post which found Stiens, but his header was brilliantly turned around the upright by Lewis to keep Rovers in the game.
Misfiring On the hour mark there was further evidence that the Greens had not brought their shooting boots as efforts from Bridgwater, Lamey and Hay failed to trouble the Martyr's goalkeeper Morris.
Rod Brown then threw caution to the wind, changing to a 3-4-3 system, with Jermaine Clarke replacing Wayne Dyer.
But it was to no avail. Jones' extravagant overhead kick just cleared the crossbar after Lewis could only parry away an effort by Stiens, while the killer goal came in the 80th minute.
Rovers were caught out in midfield and the ball was fed out to the left to Carpenter.
His cross was met at the near post by Stiens, giving Lewis no chance from close range for his and Merthyr's second goal.
Lewis denied Stiens his hat-trick in the 85th minute with a fine stop low down by his post.
Rovers finally managed to call the home goalkeeper into action in stoppage time, when Bridgwater's free-kick had Morris scrambling across goal to touch the ball around the post.
Paul Lloyd went close in the fifth minute of time added on when his volley from the edge of the area just grazed the angle of post and bar.
But it was a poor showing from Rovers ahead of their visit to free-scoring Team Bath on Saturday.
MERTHYR TYDFIL: Morris, Williams, Glassey (Watkins, 83 mins), Thomas, Griffiths, Rewbury (Davies, 19 mins), Dimond (Clarke, 70 mins), Harris, Jones, Stiens, Carpenter. Unused: Griffiths, Haman.
ROVERS: Lewis, Lloyd, Petty, Heeley, Spittle, Snape, Bridgwater, Dyer, (Clarke, 65 mins), Davis (Hay, 45 mins), Lamey, Alsop (Taylor, 61 mins). Unused: McHale, McNally.
Referee: Mr A.Newell (Yate). Attendance: 431. |