Marine 1-3 Merthyr Town; Enterprise NLN; Tuesday 14th April 2026
Dave McMillan reports from the MTA…
Marine went down to a 3-1 home defeat on Tuesday night at the MTA, Merthyr Town returning to South Wales with all three points.
On an evening punctuated by heavy showers and more prolonged rain in the second half Marine’s prospects suffered an early blow, Declan Drysdale being sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity just six minutes in.
To make matters worse for the Whites the visitors took the lead from the resulting free kick, Lewys Twamley’s well struck shot being parried by Fraser Barnsley with Jacob Maddox reacting quickest to fire home the loose ball.
Marine made an early tactical substitution following the red card, Jack Hazlehurst being withdrawn and replaced by Marley Leuluai.
The Martyrs had other chances in the first half, Handley’s effort going well over the bar and Ryan-Phillips seeing a header go narrowly off target.
Despite being a man down the Mariners posed a threat coming forward, Fin Sinclair-Smith sending in a swerving drive that saw gloveman Jaimie Cogman make a good save to his left.
Town added a second goal on 68 minutes, Maddox finding the net again after his initial shot from inside the area was saved by Barnsley.
The points were wrapped up with 78 minutes on the scoreboard, a quick break finding Jac Thomas in space on the left of the area to fire an angled drive into the opposite corner of the net.
Marine had their chances and continued to attack throughout the second half, coming closest with an Offrande Zanzala effort cleared off the line, before substitute Sam Fielding drilled home a shot from 20 yards on 81 minutes to give them a glimmer of hope.
Substitute James Butler received a great reception from the Marine faithful as he returned to playing following a broken leg suffered in August, but Marine couldn’t find any more goals to reduce the arrears.
Merthyr returned to the play off positions with Marine still able to mathematically claim the last berth, needing to win their remaining three games with other results going their way.
Marine: Fraser Barnsley, Adam Anson (James Butler 89), Joe Ashton (Sam Fielding 73), Leigh Whelan (James Potter 80), Josh Wardle ©, Declan Drysdale, Fin Sinclair-Smith, Matty McDonald, George Newell, Offrande Zanzala, Jack Hazlehurst (Marley Leuluai 13).
Unused subs: Harry Huby, Jed Abbey, Jack McIntyre.
Merthyr Town: Jaimie Cogman, Callum Ryan-Phillips, Tom Handley, Kiban Rai (Tate Xavier-Jones 87), Lewys Twamley, Jack Evans © (Matthew Harris 90), Jacob Maddox, Cawley Cox (Jordon Garrick 74), Jay Williams, Jac Thomas (Will Spiers 80), Lee Lucas (Alex John 89).
Unused subs: Keiran Evans, Aaron Harris.
Referee: Jake Allsopp.
Attendance: 824.
