Evo-Stik Southern League.

Merthyr Town 1, Bridgwater Town 2

BRIDGWATER Town produced a highly impressive performance to win away at table-topping Merthyr Town, writes Eddie Robinson.

Tom Knighton netted either side of half-time for the visitors to seal the three points, while Merthyr were forced to play the majority of the game with ten men after Williams was sent off for an off the ball clash.

Merthyr went into the game having won 23 out of 28 league games.

At home their league record was twelve wins, two draws and only one loss, with some crushing wins on their 3G synthetic pitch.

Bridgwater forced the first corner which Craig Allan headed wide.

They took the lead on fourteen minutes when a good through ball from James Byrne set Tom Knighton free, but he was brought down by the keeper, who was very fortunate to escape with a caution, when, as the last defender, he could have easily been sent off.

Knighton confidently put away the spot kick.

Merthyr made their task more difficult when Williams was sent off for a stupid clash with Jack Welling, with the ball fifty yards away, but the referee on the spot.

With the extra man, Bridgwater used the ball very well - with Ollie Chamberlain and James Byrne in control of the midfield, and it was Byrne who thundered a thirty yard shot against the bar on seventeen minutes.

Craig Allan dominated at the back, winning everything in the air and on the ground, protecting Ben John who didn’t have a shot to save in the half.

Tom Knighton and Kyle Tooze down the wings were benefitting from good service and creating chances on breakaways.

Bridgwater reached half time well worth their one goal lead.

Merthyr freshened up their team with two half time substitutions and they carried more of a threat with a more direct approach.

They equalized on 72 minutes, when Harris’ shot swerved past John.

Just three minutes later Bridgwater regained the lead, their only corner of the half was headed back into the danger zone by Allan - and Knighton reacted quickest to slip the ball past the keeper.

Even with the man advantage, Bridgwater were not too adventurous preferring to play possession football. A rare attack saw Knighton’s header saved, following a cross from Jack Allward.

Nathen Rudge, and his fellow defenders, came under more pressure in the closing stages, conceding a number of free kicks.

Late in the game, John made three great reaction saves in as many minutes, which enabled Bridgwater to secure their most prestigious win of the season in front of a crowd in excess of six hundred.

Bridgwater: John, Grimshaw, Allward, Allan, Rudge, Byrne, Chamberlain, Welling, (O’Hare 68) Knighton(Cpt), Griffiths, (McNab 73) Tooze,(Robertson 87).