Merthyr Town 1-3 Marine Enterprise National League North Tuesday 19th August 2025
Max Ledson reports from Penydarren Park…
Marine come back from a goal down to win 3-1 after a long trip down to Merthyr Town.
The start of the game saw Marine happy enough to sit back and soak up the early Merthyr pressure. The Mariners soon began their high press however and started to grow into the game throughout the first half.
The opening goal came in the 41st minute against the run of play, for the home side after the ball fell kindly to Brandon Smalley who was able to curl the ball into the top corner.
Marine found an equaliser just before the break in the 45th minute after an Ash Hunter free kick eventually found its way to Josh Wardle who was able to find the back of the net from close range.
The visitors started the second half strongly before going on to dominate for the remainder of the match.
Bobby Grant’s side took the lead in the 52nd minute through a Fin Sinclair-Smith screamer from outside the box. After picking the ball up on the left hand flank he drove towards the 18 yard box before letting fly into the top corner.
Substitute Lewis Bell rounded off a brilliant Marine performance after a great cross field pass from Hunter, Bell touched the ball down well before cutting back onto his left foot and slotting the ball low into the corner past Jaimie Cogman in the Merthyr goal.
Merthyr Town: Cogman, Ryan-Phillips, Handley ©, Livermore (Sambu 74), Jarvis, Smalley (Lucas 62), Rees, Twamley, J. Evans, Smerdon (John 74), K. Evans (Williams 74).
Unused subs: A. Harris, M. Harris, Lewis.
Marine: Spinelli, Brown (Whelan 36), Sloane, Butler, Sinclair-Smith, Gregson (McDonald 44), Newell (Thomas 87), Marsden (Bell 67), Wardle, Hunter (Warburton 77), Fielding.
Unused subs: Cowderoy, Huby
Attendance: 1,795