Year: 2014

Merton made it in to the second round of the AFA Senior cup after a real ding dong battle against a young and spirited Dorkinians side. The home side looked dangerous on the break all afternoon and it was no surprise when they went one up after 15 minutes. Merton hit back straight away after a well delivered corner from Dan Whiteman was met at the far post by Tilley to head in off the post before the Surrey men again took the lead in to the half time break with a well executed over head kick inside the box. The second half started well for Merton and after an exquisite passing move from back to front involving most of the team, Tom Rowe cooly passed the ball in to the corner of the net to level things up. Things got even better for the men in yellow after Jason Marsh came on from the bench to almost instantly lift the ball over the keepers head to send Merton ahead. With five minutes of normal time to go Dorkinians levelled things up with a well taken strike on the break after Ackers had missed the chance to put the game to bed. With everyone preparing themselves for extra time, Framer popped up in the area to rifle home a left footed strike in to the near corner of the net to send Merton through. The win was made all the more enjoyable in the bar afterwards with some excellent food and hospitality plus a couple of Merton stories from old from Terry and Dodge!

MOM:

Team: Angus, Framer, Graves, Clappers, Manton, Snook, Woods, Tilley, Whiteman (Marsh 60), Ackers, Rowe (Whiteman 80)

Written by: James Tilley

Merton came away from West London with a deserved three points and a good performance from what was an eventful game. Goal scoring opportunities were few and far between but the games defining moment came when Ackers created a yard of space in the box before squaring to Tills via a Bosher flick to guide home the winner. This was after BB Eagles midfielder was shown a straight red card after kicking out at Adam Snook. Merton’s back five were solid and commanding throughout and whilst there is room for improvement as an attacking force the midfield and forward three looked composed. Tills then went from hero turned villain after being shown a second yellow card for returning to the pitch too early after an injury. A great win though and attentions now turn to next week at the Hood where our home form needs sorting out.

MOM:

Team:Angus, Graves, Clappers, Browner, Manton, Tilley, Wood (Bosher 55), Low, Snook, Ackers, Whiteman

Written by:James Tilley

Merton made it four wins from the last five games after an entertaining and competitive clash against Norseman, down at the Hood. After heavy overnight rain the pitch was is excellent shape and it was Merton that started the better with some expansive attacking football from all quarters. Several chances came and went after some sloppy finishing before the deadlock was broken by Ackers (first goal on his return to the club) with a cooly driven shot inside the area in to the roof of the net. More excellent attacking play from Merton followed with Al G and Rat joining in at every opportunity from full back and it should have been 2-0 after Snooks, Tilley and Rat all missed gilt edge chances. Angus had to be on his toes after he denied the Norseman number 9 was through with a fantastic point blank save. It wasn’t long before the second goal came though as a well delivered Whiteman corner came back off the post from a Tilley header and Bosher was there to smash home the rebound. An all too familiar pattern of play followed after half time when the opposition were allowed back in to the game. A combination of some new blood in to the Norseman midfield and our collective switching off led to the scores quickly becoming level. Momentum swung back to the men in yellow though after a much improved end to the game which saw Ackers notch his second after a devilish Whiteman free kick cannoned off the bar and Snooks popped up to cooly convert his first goal in yellow after some good play from Ackers and Connor. Three points in the bag, second place in the league table and first home league win of the season registered. The next three weeks see a break from league proceedings with some tough cup fixtures ahead.

MOM:

Team: Angus, Al G, Clappers, Browner (Tom Rowe 75), Rat, Tilley, Snooks, Will Low, Ackers, Whiteman (Rainer 75), Bosher (Connor 65)

Written by: James Tilley

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Merton’s fine run of form continued as they earned a place in the second round of the AFA cup after a comprehensive victory against BoE on Saturday. With the Banks pitch in as excellent a condition as usual, Merton wasted no time at all in getting the ball down and creating some good openings. Bosher and Ackers both looked dangerous but it was the former that should have put the men in yellow one up after ten minutes after a great cutback from Ackers. It wasn’t long before the ball was in the net though as Snooks and Al G combined to release Woody in to the penalty area before he coolly slotted home the opener. The lead soon doubled after some good work from Bosher down the right wing resulted in a menacing cross and a crashing header from Rainer who had no right to get to the ball first, leaving the keeper with no chance. BoE could and really should then have halved the deficit after a defensive mix up left their number 10 one on one with Angus but the Merton shot sopped was quickly off his line to made a fantastic block. With the half coming to a close it was Merton that finished the stronger side and after some more good pressure it was left to Clappers to head home his first goal of the season from a well delivered Rainer corner. The second half saw Merton dictate proceedings further through solid performances from Will and Snooks in the midfield and the back four. The game became more stretched with BoE pushing for a reply but in doing so it left big gaps at the back which were exploited without really being capitalised on with Ackers, Bosh and big Jase all missing chances. The tie was finally put to bed after 70 minutes when after Woody plucked one out of the top draw when he drove in to the box and nonchalantly lifted the ball over the keepers head in to the far corner of the net. It was a great team performance and we can now look forward to the second round away at Old Chigwellians.

MOM:

Team:

Written by:James Tilley

This as a quick first round exit for the firsts against a very strong Sheen side. It was very even game with both Sheen goals coming in the second half of extra time. Merton were never as fluent as they had been last week and although we probably settled earlier it was always a struggle against a very well organised Sheen side. Although throughout the game Sheen had more possession and the greater number of chances we probably had the fewer but better chances but we did not take them and suffered the consequences. Our back 4 looked pretty solid but so did theirs and Ackers and Bosh did not get much change from their defence. We had a very good passing move but missed a good chance early on and hit the bar in the second half. As the game wore on Sheen began to take control and dominate. We were still dangerous on the break but had to rely on a few good saves from Angus to take the game into extra time. In the second half of extra time a corner was not cut out and crept in at the far post. The second goal came on the break and Sheen held on to be deserved winners. It was a very competitive game and at times quite physical so it was not the easiest game to referee and the ref was being assessed which never helps. Good luck to Sheen in the next round at Worcester Park. We have another difficult cup match on Saturday in the AFA Surrey/Kent Senior Cup at home to the very strong Honorary Artillery Company.

MOM:

Team:

Written by:Max Herbert

It was a slightly disappointing end, for us anyway, to a very good entertaining match of high quality. The HAC are a strong side who has a good record in AFA cups and we needed to be at our bets to take them on. They started very strongly with some good passing and two lively forwards but we got into the game and started to create chances. We went ahead after about 25 mins when a good crossfield passing movement gave Alex Gladkow a bit of space 25 yards and the keeper anticipating the cross came off his line to be beaten at his near post by a hard curling shot. But it was soon level when a free kick conceded on the edge of our box was taken too quickly for us and put in the net . We had a great shout for a pen before half time when Woody was brought down in the box. The Ref seemed to acknowledge that he was tripped but had gone down too easily. That’s Woody for you too obliging. Half time 1-1 and all to play for. We had the better chances in the second half but the they survived a terrific goal line skirmish I am still not quite sure how and we missed a couple of other good chances. Angus made a terrific save to make sure it was extra time. This was a pretty even slugging match between two increasingly tired teams but we seemed to be getting on top but straight from the Kick off for the second half their striker struck from the half way line with a brilliant shot that sailed on the wind and high into our net. I thought that was it but we were, if anything spurred on by this and continued to create opportunities with Bosh equalising and then having a winner disallowed with 5 mins to go. This was for a foul on the keeper at a corner but it was hard to undeatand as he had gone through a ruck of players and hadn’t said excuse me and seemed to collide with one of their lads. Ref was al ong time disallowing after having signalled aa goal. Well I thought he did. So to pens and despite Ackers and Bosh scoring we missed a couple and they didn’t. But that is the way it goes. Merton played some really good attacking football and even without our Leader, Clappers, the defence were only caught out by two opportunistic efforts. HAC were avery good side and a good bunch of lads who played very well. It is another Cup game this weekend Home to Old Chigwellians in the AFA Senior Cup and the team is playing well together and ready for the challenge. It should be another good game and well worth watching

MOM:

Team:Angus Lees (GK), Alex Gladkow, Andrew Graves, Browner, Pat Manton, Snooksy, Will Low, Woody, Dan Whiteman, Bosh, Ackers Subs Connor Murphy , Chris Rayner.

Written by:Max Herbert

Merton took the spoils against a typically competitive Crouch End side on a very wet and soggy Joseph Hood pitch. The game kicked off at a frantic pace with Woody dominating the ariel battle from the middle of the park and Ackers, Bosher and Snooks all causing the Vamps problems at the back. It was a matter of when, not if Merton would open the scoring and sure enough, after some half chances had gone begging it was Bosh that popped up inside the area to notch his sixth of the season. Not for the first time this year though, we failed to build on the good start and after some menacing play down the left, a Crouch End corner was headed in off the bar to send the teams in at half time on level terms. Back came Merton in the second half and it was Ackers that finished off from inside the box after Tillls had squared a cross from Snooks before Crouch End again levelled after their tricky number seven got in behind Browner to slot past Comnor. A flurry of good attacking play and poor finishing from Merton followed before Al G and Jason wrapped things up for us in the last 20 minutes for us. It was a well deserved three points with a good performance to match but we must learn to be more clinical in killing teams off if we harbour serious hopes of mounting a promotion challenge.

MOM:

Team:

Written by:James Tilley

It is now five wins from seven and and up to third place in the league for Merton after a narrow victory against a gritty Carshalton side at the hood. The game lacked the intensity of previous encounters with clear cut chances few and far between but it was Merton that dominated the opening exchanges and should have gone ahead after Ackers and Tills both spurned decent half chances in quick succession. It wasn’t long after half time break before Merton did take the lead and it was the inform Ackers that cooly lifted the ball over the keeper from a Whiteman cross that broke the deadlock. With the back four and midfield looking fairly solid it was against the run of play when Cars equalised. A long clearance eluded Rat before their left winger skipped past Browner and slotted past Angus. Merton came back strongly though and after some excellent work from Dave Hitch from left back and Ackers it was Snooks’s speculative shot from the right that squirmed past the keeper to score the winner. Jason and Manton came on to shore things up but the defence withheld some late Carshalton pressure to ensure that the points were safe. A good team performance and three points.

MOM:

Team:

Written by:James Tilley

An excellent 3-2 victory over Weirside Rangers, on Saturday, saw us leapfrog them into second place. We started the game very well, dominating possession and preventing Weirside getting into their stride, only to fall a goal behind astheir pint sized striker turned Browner and volleyed a worldy over Angus and into the top corner. Undeterred we maintained our good start and were soon level as Clappers powered in a header from a pinpoint Woody corner. We continued to push and probe and went 2-1 up after a good interchange down the right saw a low Bosher cross turned in by Ackers from the edge of the six yard box. Weirside came out stronger after half time and pushed for the equaliser but our back four kept them at bay and Angus was still only dealing with long range efforts. The game then turned. Tilley had a good goal ruled out for offside then Weirside equalised and their tails were up. They rejigged their forward line and pushed for the winner. However excellent defending continued to deny them and gave us the platform to come again. Another good move down the right allowed Bosher to move into the box and rifle a left foot winner into the roof of the net. A well deserved victory against a side who will win their fair share of games this season. The back four deserve special mention for keeping Weirside’s lively forward line out but MOTM goes to Woody for his all round performance. Dominating his man in midfield and contributing to two of the goals.A win on Saturday will ensure we maintain second place going into 2014

MOM:

Team:Angus, Graves, Clappers, Browner (Tom Rowe 46), Al G, Will Low, Woody, Tilley, Ackers, Snooks, Bosher (Manton 75)

Written by:James Tilley

Another three points, three goals and a good team performance to boot means that we finish the year in second spot in the league table and all to play for going in to 2014. With the referee running late Van’s little book of warm up drills was stretched to the limit but it clearly worked as we settled well on Bank’s excellent pitch and were quickly on the attack with the front three of Ackers, Snooks and Bosher all getting in behind the defense although none of them could force home the opener. It was left for Woody who was again excellent throughout, to pick up a Bosher pass up on the edge of the box, side step a couple of tackles before cooly finding the corner with a powerful drive. BoE then came in to the game more although the back four and Angus snuffed out everything that came their way and it wasn’t long before Tills found space down the right to find Ackers in the box with a deep cross which he dispatched clinically with a smart header in to the far corner of the net. Half time saw a personnel change with Browner coming off with a dodgy stomach from a Thursday night Brick Lane curry so Tills slotted in at centre half next to Clappers whilst Tom Rowe entered the fray on the right. Bank came out for the second period with purpose but couldn’t manufacture a clear shot on goal and with our front three still causing havoc up front it was left to Tom to smash a VanBasten esque volley back across the keeper in the net and the points were safe. Spirits were high with the points in the bag and it was back to the Hood to kick off the annual Christmas fancy dress run through Wimbledon village. We’d certainly earned it with a great end to the year and a promotion challenge to look forward to in January.

MOM:

Team:Angus, Graves, Clappers, Browner (Tom Rowe 46), Al G, Will Low, Woody, Tilley, Ackers, Snooks, Bosher (Manton 75)

Written by:James Tilley