Author: Matt Haswell

A rather strange game this for a number of reasons. It started in the usual way with our 12 selected becoming 10 with one cry off and one missing en route. Otherwise a strong looking team.  I missed the first 20 mins of the game as I went to collect the extra player and got back to find we had eleven and were 1-0 down to a dodgy penalty but otherwise were holding our own against a strong Carshalton side. We got to half time only 1 down and had the wind with us in the second half. Despite plans and exhortations at half time Merton started the second half sleepwalking and conceded a pen almost straight away. 2-0 then the game took a curious turn with Merton unashamedly playing the long ball over the top against a somewhat slow back four and scoring three goals (Will T 2 and Dom) in about 10 mins to take a surprising lead. 3-2 could have become 4-2 but the ref disallowed a goal for offside always tricky with no linos and a nailed on penalty when Will T was through for his hat trick. A screamer from about 25yds brought Cars their equaliser which in all fairness was the correct result. Cars were a good side with a lot of movement and it has to be said the pitch was in great condition and made me very envious. The ref took far too many decisions without ever being in control of the game. The 2s need to win a few games soon or we are down and out.

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In the build-up to the match against Ibis, the Merton 4s had been offered a choice of venue. The pitches on Tudor Drive had been surprisingly decent the previous week, albeit that Merton had succumbed to a disappointing 3-2 defeat to HSBC there. So they were favoured over the Wimbledon Common Extensions. Sadly, though, they had been hammered by the rain in the build-up, and looked a bit worse for wear upon arrival.

Sadder still was Merton’s own build-up to the kick-off. Late arrivals meant there was no time for a proper warmup, and the lads began the game with 10 men, including the much anticipated return of a slightly ring-rusty Doddsy, who hadn’t played since November.

And the Yellows looked exactly like a team who was cold and unprepared in the opening exchanges – so much so, that no one was particularly surprised that Ibis registered a goal inside three minutes. The goal itself had the intensity of a training ground exercise. A couple of triangle passes exposed the vast swathes of space in front of them, and a neat through ball left the striker with just Sam to beat. He made no mistake. 1-0. Too Easy.

Fortunately, the cavalry arrived a couple of minutes later, and back up to full strength (and full numbers), Merton began to dig in. Although they were still getting somewhat overrun, the defence showed good shape and discipline in the face of the onslaught, and for all their dominance, the visitors didn’t really carve out much in the way of clear-cut opportunities.

At the other end, chances were few and far between, but some good interplay did set Dulanie through on one occasion. Unfortunately his well-hit strike sailed just over the crossbar – the keeper seemingly not too interested in knowing much about it.

Merton continued to be dogged in their defensive work though, sticking to their task. Alas, with about 5 minutes to go before the break, the Ibis striker managed to double their advantage, as a blocked clearance fell kindly to him in the box; his finish leaving Sam with no chance.

At the break, the lads were a little bit flat, despite only being 2 goals down. Of course, on the previous occasion that these two sides had met, Ibis clawed back a three-goal deficit in the last 15 minutes to steal a draw. Could Merton do something similar, and get their revenge?

Unfortunately not. They started the second half poorly, and the goals flew in. Four of them in fact. Details on the goals? Hazy. They all happened so quickly that they kind of merged into one.  The third was a bit unlucky, as, on the edge of the box, Merton got a touch on a pass in a bid to intercept, but the ball merely fell fortuitously for an unintended player in red, and he stroked it home.

After that, a hapless Merton outfit watched on as the net continued to bulge. Four, Five. Six. One was a scorcher to beat Sam at his near post, another a deflected free kick. The other – hold my hands up, can’t remember it for the life of me. Nevertheless, at 6-0 with 20 minutes still to go, it had the makings of another cricket score-type humiliation.

But for once, the heads didn’t drop. Maybe Ibis took their foot off the gas, but Merton started to do some good things. They passed the ball around, they harried in defence, and, at long last, began to carry a goal threat. And after some sustained pressure, the goal finally came. Dom put a lovely through ball in to Jake, who did ever so well to beat his man and get to the byline. He then put in an excellent cross, and Ryan, who had made a lot of ground to get into the penalty area, slid in bravely and slotted the ball home. 6-1.

Buoyed by this consolation, Merton got even better, and forced a couple of corners. And the second one was a thing of beauty. With a sea of yellow jerseys in the box, Mikey thumped his set piece in high, handsome and curling. Amid the melee – and a very cunning block on the keeper by Scholesy – the ball simply sailed straight into the goal. 6-2, and there were smiles in Yellow everywhere now.

Despite the still-embarrassing score line, Merton began to look as though they were starting to really enjoy themselves, and although the game was gone, were beginning to rattle Ibis in the closing minutes. Unfortunately no more goals were forthcoming, and the referee called time on what was, overall, still a forgettable encounter.

A shame too, as a season in which Merton had really started to hit their straps midway through appears to be rather petering out. Safe from relegation, perhaps, but this team knows they are better than the recent performances they have been putting in. One more match against HSBC left in order to finish on a high note. It really has become a must-win game to restore some pride and confidence in this team.

FINAL SCORE: Merton 4s 2 – 6 Ibis Eagles 4s SCORERS: Ryan Burchell, Mike Elgar MOTM: Ryan Burchell

STARTING LINE-UP: Samuel Singer-Ripley (GK), Ryan Burchell, Mike Todt, Steve Burchell (Jake Hewitt) Edward Plaistow, Chris Outred (Capt.), Chris Dodd (Mike Elgar), Glen Porter, Billy Dowie, Dulanie Richards, Dom Plumridge.

Todays Results. In the only games played our Under 11s (pic) beat Claygate Royals 7-3 and U14s lost 5-0 to Kew Assoc. The U10s Cup Final is on Sunday April 17th against Kingston Town Kings at Carshalton Athletic Ground 11.30 Kick off.

Today. 1s pick up valuable 3pts with a 3-1 win at Lloyds Warren (Al G and Tom Rowe (2) with the goals. 2s draw 3-3 with Carshalton on a very nice pitch at Beddington. Goals from Dom and Will t (2). 3s draw 1-1 away at Old Finchs. 4s lost 6 – 2 at home to Ibis Eagle s 4s, goals from Ryan Burchell and Mike Elgar. 5s lost 5 – 1 away to Bank of England 5s, only goal came from Dwayne Bedford.

The match against HSBC 4s was classed as a home game, but the very identity regarding such a phrase was rather dubious. Initially the fixture was due to take place at the Hood – a venue the Merton 4s could barely remember. It then changed to Wimbledon Common Extensions, a site where the lads had shipped 17 goals in just two games.

So when it was finally moved to King George’s, it was with some surprise that a half-decent pitch greeted the men in Yellow. Although the pitch last week wasn’t an excuse for what was still a poor performance, the key would be to put that one behind us, and get back on track against a side that didn’t look too flash, and were also struggling in the lower reaches of the table.

Game on, and despite having much of the wind against them, Merton began on the front foot. Still 4-5-1, the midfield looked superior, with Joe, Dan Gridley and Mikey working hard. Neal Davidson and Dulanie on either wing were finding themselves in acres of space, and were creating all sorts of problems for the HSBC defence, and goalkeeper.

It seemed only a matter of time before the goal came, and so it was. Except it came at the other end. The visitors launched a nothing long ball, but Mike miscued his header. However, the finish that followed was a thumping, first-time volley with the left foot from 25 yards, which left Sam no chance. Sometimes you just need to tip your cap to the oppo. 1-0.

However, no excuses for the second goal. This time Mike misjudged yet another long ball, which sailed over his head, allowing the opposing striker to get in behind. His touch was good, and his finish in a one-on-one with Sam was even better. 2-0 midway through the half. Scarcely believable given Merton’s domination of the play. Was it just going to be one of those days?

The Yellows kept their heads up though, and put their noses to the grindstone. And they continued to pose a significant goal threat. Other than one break away chance for HSBC, it was all Merton. Set pieces, long balls and even some good interplay in the opponents half seemed to produce the same agonising result time and again. The ball would bob around the face of goal, but no one could get a toe, head or anything onto it and the visitors would somehow hack it clear.

The whistle went, and a beleaguered home side trudged off for the break wondering how on earth they were losing this game. But they were determined. They’d come back from a deficit like this before against Old Wilsonians earlier in the season, and on this occasion they could definitively claim to be the better side. It just took one goal, and they knew everything would change.

So when play resumed, Merton went for it. And it was good football too. They used the width, they bossed the midfield, and they carved out an inordinate amount of half; even three-quarter chances. But time and again, without relent, the ball just would not fall for them on the countless occasions that it bobbed around in the HSBC box. And when it did, the defenders or goalkeeper would get in the way of it – more by accident than design.

They came even closer when, after a weak HSBC clearance, Scholesy latched onto a loose ball just outside the 18-yard area. With his allegedly weaker right foot, he unleashed a rocketing curler that had the keeper beaten all ends up, and looked destined to nestle into the right-hand corner. Excruciatingly though, the ball snuck past; mere centimetres wide of the post.

But if that was frustrating, what followed was truly galling. On a rare occasion that the visitors found themselves in the Merton half, they won a free kick in a dangerous position. The marking was pretty shoddy, and an HSBC head got on the end of the delivery. The looping header bounced and bounced and bounced, and somehow snuck in off the post. 3-0. Smash and grab. Heart-breaking, and completely at odds with how the game had actually gone.

A broken Merton side could have easily given up the ghost. But, with 15 minutes to go, they threw caution to the wind. The chances kept streaming in, and, FINALLY, one of them ended in a goal. The ball bobbled around agonisingly from a Dan Gridley free kick that rebounded off the post, and even though the HSBC defending was appalling, it threatened to escape the clutches of a Yellow player YET again. However, after a goalmouth scramble, the ball fell to Dom, who smashed it home. 3-1. 10 to go.

And a few minutes later, Merton had their second. In similar fashion to the scrappy opener, the hosts this time won a corner. And once again, the ball hopped around the penalty spot after a fine delivery from Mikey, not falling for anyone in particular. Eventually it came to Dom again, in an almost identical position to the one he was in just before, and managed to sneak the ball over the line.

Merton hurried back to the halfway line while the visitors were claiming that the ball hadn’t crossed the line. It was a tight call by the referee and HSBC were right to appeal, trying their utmost to protest by virtue of demonstrating where the divot from the clearance was. Nevertheless, the decision stood. 3-2 with three minutes to go.

It was a Yellow siege for the closing exchanges, but this time, the lads were unable to carve out any chances of significance as they camped in the HSBC half. The final whistle then closed the curtain on what had been a desperately disappointing afternoon. This really was three points that got away, against a side that were there for the taking, and had pulled off a swindle on Merton.

But it is the scoreboard that counts. Two games left to make it right – one of them, as it turns out, against the same opposition. A good opportunity to exact revenge, and, more importantly, some much-need points.

FINAL SCORE: Merton 4s 2 – 3 HSBC 4s SCORERS: Dom Plumridge (2) MOTM: Dom Plumridge

STARTING LINE-UP: Samuel Singer-Ripley (GK), Billy Dowie, Mike Todt, Chris Outred (Capt.), Edward Plaistow, Neal Davison (Ryan Burchell), Joe Plumridge (Sevan Mutafyan), Mike Elgar, Danny Gridley, Dulanie Richards, Dom Plumridge.

Good News. Peter is out of hospital. After a particularly nasty injury following an accidental clash with the Ibis Eagles keeper Peter has spent the week in hospital defying medical science but has been released today. Out for the rest of the season but is going to come and watch the 6s next home game. Never for the squemish and probably not wise but good to see him.

Haven’t played at the home ground for a while, wondering why home games have been called off or played at other grounds? These are the current condition of the Hood’s three pitches, they need working on to get them playable again.  They are slowly drying out but very uneven in places.  We need volunteers to help out to get these pitches playable again.

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