
MATCH REPORTS 2022/23
- Match Reports by Chris Pullen -
Merstham 3-1 Egham Town- Saturday 29th April - Inter-Step Play-Off
A season with far more lows than highs ended in the best possible way as the Moatsiders secured their future at Step 4, with a deserved victory against a spirited Egham Town. Of course, this being Merstham, they did it the hard way by going a goal down after just 17 minutes and having to battle back.
All week it appeared that top goal scorer Bryan Zepo would not be available as he was attending a family funeral in France. But on Friday, boss Peter Adeniyi was buoyed by the news that his striker was flying back early and would arrive back in the UK on Saturday lunchtime. There were a few nervous checks of flights during the morning, but there was a big cheer from the home dressing room at 1.30pm when their top scorer walked through the door. The only player unavailable was Michael Kamara. Aaron Goode came into the side to replace the centre back. In midfield, Adeniyi opted to bring himself back into the side, with Jordan Wilson dropping to the bench.
Merstham have got into a very bad habit of starting slowly, especially at home. However, against Egham they began well enough. Both sides had half chances in the opening exchanges, but the Moatsiders looked switched on. It was hugely disappointing therefore when they went behind to a very simple goal. Campion picked up the ball on the left and was given time and space to curl in a decent cross. Merstham's three central defenders all looked at each other as Muhemba rose unmarked 8 yards out and powered his header home. It could have been much worse for the Moatsiders. Just two minute later, Campion was in loads of space in the box but his tame effort went straight at Chalupniczak. And two minutes after that, Campion somehow put his shot wide from three yards out from Babajide's cross. But although the Moatsiders rode their luck, you always felt as though they were going to create chances as Trey Masikini and Adam Adam were causing the Town defence problems. Masikini in particular was a threat every time he got the ball and gave the Egham right back a torrid afternoon. Luke Read came close to equalising on 37' when his header clipped the top of the bar. Merstham pressure was building. A few minutes before the interval, Masikini went on another incisive run on the left. He ghosted past the floundering full back and past another defender before curling a beautiful shot destined for the top corner. Somehow, Egham keeper Gallifent got his fingertips to the ball to make a magnificent save. But the reprieve was short-lived. From the resulting corner, Aziz Sankoh's in-swinging corner was met by Aaron Goode's thumping header, giving the Moatsiders a deserved equaliser.
Merstham came out with renewed confidence at the start of the second half. Zepo fired one over the bar from 25 yards after excellent work from Reece Deakin. But Egham were still a threat and Charlie Alexiou did well to clear a dangerous ball in the six-yard box. On the hour mark, Masikini rolled the ball to the edge of the box were Adeniyi was arriving at pace unmarked, but the Merstham boss scuffed his shot wide. But three minutes later, Merstham went in front. Once again it was Masikini who was instrumental. A goal kick was flicked on by Adeniyi. Zepo collected the ball and fed Masikini just inside the box. The winger took a touch and curled a low shot towards the far corner. Gallifent could only parry and Adam Adam was quickest to react and fired home from six yards. Merstham looked in control of the game and Adeniyi had another effort which didn't trouble Gallifent. In the 82nd minute, Merstham made sure of their win by adding a third. A free kick was only half cleared by the Town defence, unfortunately for them straight to Masikini. He again tormented the hapless full back with a series of step overs as he made his way into the box before firing a low cross to the far post where Adam was unmarked and smashed his shot past Gallifent and defenders on the line to make it 3-1. Masikini almost put the icing on the cake minutes later, when he went on another mazy run, leaving defenders in his wake, but just lacked the finish as his effort went into the side netting. Egham didn't really threaten and after seven minutes of added time, the referee's whistle blew to spark wild celebrations around the worldflow stadium.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Alexiou, Read, Goode, Sankoh (Wilson 88'), Adeniyi, Adam (Gharbaoui 87') Allen, Zepo, Deakin, Masikini.
Unused subs: Lewis-Brown, Quisassaca
Man of the match: Trey Masikini
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Chertsey Town 0-1 Merstham- Saturday 15th April - Isthmian League
After 38 games, it all comes down to the last game of the season, next Saturday, at home to Westfield. A Bryan Zepo goal in the 91st minute gave the Moatsiders three priceless points and lifted them out of the bottom four for the first time since August. It's not quite in their own hands. There are a number of different permutations, but a point will keep the Moatsiders out of the automatic relegation places and they would go into a play-off game. A win would mean only Ashford Town could overtake them. Either way, it's going to be a tense afternoon at the worldflow stadium.
After their Easter Monday mauling at the hands of Walton & Hersham, Merstham had to dig deep and find that team spirit that saw them go seven unbeaten a month ago. That they did, and every single Merstham player gave everything in a spirited display. Boss Peter Adeniyi opted to play with a flat back four and went with a fairly conventional 4-4-2. He was pleased to be able to welcome back both strikers from injury, with Reece Deakin starting and Bryan Zepo fit enough to take a place on the bench.
Chertsey needed a win to get into the play offs and they started brightly, moving the ball well. A few times in the opening 20 minutes the ball flashed across the Merstham box but there was no-one in blue and white stripes to get on the end of it. But Merstham gradually grew into the game and the pace of Mario Quiassaca and Jean-Pascale Misikini was starting to cause problems for the home defence. On more than one occasion, Merstham carved open the home side, but there seemed a reluctance to shot. Deakin and Masikini both went close with efforts,
but the best chance for either side fell to Quisassaca. Clean through on goal cutting in from the left side, the Merstham striker blazed wildly over the bar from 10 yards. Filip Chalupniczak was relatively untroubled aside from a few high balls to deal with. The half ended goalless, but Merstham were very much in the game.
Right at the start of the second half, Merstham had a golden oppoetuntity to take the lead. A Jordan Wilson free kick was half blocked by the Town wall, but the ball squirted through and Quisassaca and the Town keeper both lunged for the loose ball. Quisassaca got there first and tried to lift it over the on-rushing Jupp, but the burly frame of Chertsey's number one blocked it and the ball ran away for a corner. The massed ranks of Merstham supporters behind the Town goal all had their heads in their hands at the near miss. Masikini was causing all sorts of problem's for Town's right back and with Aziz Sankoh bombing forward to support Masikini, the threat of a quick Merstham counter attack was always there. There were a number of occasions when the ball into the box just didn't quite drop for a grey shirt. At the other end, Michael Kamara and Luke Read marshaled the Merstham defence superbly. Reid in particular was everywhere. Winning headers, making tackles and clearing his lines. But as the game moved into stoppage time it looked as though both sides would have to settle for a point. That is, until Bryan Zepo stole the show in the 91st minute. Taking a difficult ball on his chest, the striker shrugged off the Town centre back before firing it past Jupp from 12 yards to send the travelling supporters wild. Zepo was quickly submerged under a pile of teamates and the entite Merstham bench, with the referee trying in vain to get the Merstham players back to re-start the game. There was a nervy 4 minutes of added time still to play, but when the final whistle went, you could see how much it meant to the players and supporters alike.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Alexiou, Read, Kamara, Sankoh, Wilson (Goode 87') Adam (Gharbaoui 85') Allen, Quisassaca (Zepo 67'), Deakin, Masikini.
Unused subs: Bangurahini, Adeniyi.
Man of the match: Luke Read
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Merstham 2-2 Bedfont Sports- Saturday 8th April - Isthmian League
This was a 'must win' game for both sides and at the final whistle, nether side were happy with the draw. Bedfont, having had a two-goal lead at the break and looked in control at the interval will probably feel they let it slip. Merstham on the other hand, came roaring back in the second half and really should have won it.
Merstham began brightly and Adam Adam had a great chance on 8' at the far post but his close-range effort was blocked by ex-Moatsider Mo Otuyu in the Bedfont goal. At the other end, Fili[p Chalupniczak had to be alert to push away a shot from Brown at his near post. It was a pretty even affair, and both sides looked dangerous but lacked quality in their final pass or shot. That changed on 26' when Hogan beat Charlie Alexiou on the right flank just inside the box. The Bedfont forward then chipped a cross to the far post but ended up chipping it over Chalupniczak and into the net to put the visitors one up. Bad went to worse for the Moatsiders when six minutes later, Hogan notched his and Bedfont's second goal. A chipped cross from the right side saw Hogan all alone 8 yards out in the middle of the goal and he side footed it home, leaving Merstham with a mountain to climb. Boss Peter Adeniyi had seen enough and brought himself on a few minutes before the break. Merstham were forced into a second change before the break when Bryan Zepo also limped off and Reece Deakin, who was carrying a knock being forced to come off the bench to replace him.
When you're two nothing down at the start of the second half, you always feel you have a chance of getting back into the game if you can score early, and that is exactly what Merstham did. Adam Allen, who put in a sterling effort in the second half, drove into the Bedfont box and Conteh made a rash challenge. It was a clear penalty and up stepped Deakin to fire home the penalty on 54' to give the Moatsiders hope. That hope increased further when Bedfont midfielder Case picked up a brainless yellow for throwing the ball away and then a couple of minutes later, a second yellow for a lunge at Ayman Gharbaoui, leaving Bedfont to play the last 28 minutes with ten men. Just eight minutes after the red card, Merstham drew level. Wilson drove into the box and flicked a ball into the box which Masikini headed on. The ball fell kindly to Allen who volleyed it superbly past Otuyo to make it 2-2. At that point there only looked one winner. Allen went close again when he met a low cross in the six-yard box, but somehow it cleared the bar. A combination of desperate defending and poor finishing kept the Moatsiders at bay. Everyone thought Allen was about to win the game when he was put clean through on goal but Otuyo got the faintest of touches to Allen's shot and the ball tricked just wide of the post. But at this stage of the season, Merstham fans went away thinking it was 2 points lost rather than a point gained.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Read, Goode, Alexiou, Sankoh, Gharbaoui, Wilson, Adam (Adeniyi 42), Allen, Masikini (Cameron-Brown 86'), Zepo (Deakin 44')
Unused subs: Lewis, Masikini
Man of the match: Bryan Zepo
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Merstham 0-2 Binfield - Saturday 25th March - Isthmian League
Merstham's seven match unbeaten run came to an abrupt end with a desperately disappointing performance in front of their biggest home crowd of the season. Almost 400 fans turned up to watch the Moatsiders try to continue their climb out of the relegation zone, but on Saturday, Merstham didn't get out of base camp. Binfield dominated the game from the start and aside from a ten-minute spell just after the interval, Merstham really didn't threaten Binfield's superiority.
Binfield made all the early running, and it was a sign of things to come when Luke Read had to throw his body in the way to superbly block a goal-bound effort in the 8th minute. Binfield should have scored on 15', when a long throw wasn't dealt with, and the ball dropped to Ngunga who tamely shot straight at Chalupniczak from 6 yards. But the writing was on the wall, as Merstham became hemmed into their own half and just couldn't get out. The midfield was being overrun and at times it felt necessary to count just how many Binfield players were on the pitch, as it seemed like they had at least one extra player, such was the time and space they enjoyed. Eventually the pressure told, and in the 26th minute, Binfield went ahead with a very simple goal. The ball was crossed from the right flank into the feet of Lynch who turned smartly and fired home. The remainder of the first half was more a case of the Moatsiders hanging on and trying not to let the game get away from them by conceding a second.
For a brief spell at the start of the second half, with the blustery wind at their backs, Merstham began to put the visitors under a little pressure for the first time in the game. That said, it took a goal line clearance on 47' from Reid to deny Hobbs. The right back had ghosted in at the far post and his header was hacked off the line by Merstham's vigilant centre back. At the other end, a Merstham corner caused panic in the visitor's defence, as an attempted clearance hit Alexiou and went narrowly wide of the post. Moments later a Sankoh cross was completely missed by the Binfield keeper, but there was no-one there in an amber shirt to capitalise. On 62' a horrendous mix-up between Chalupniczak and Goode gifted Binfield a second goal out of nothing and really settled the game. Under no pressure, Chalupniczak rolled the ball out to Goode, but the sub couldn't haul it in and Nguna robbed him before squaring it to Lynch to notch an easy second. And that was that. Merstham didn't really look like scoring and Binfield were content to hold what they had. But the Merstham players will be kicking themselves at failing to take the chance to move out of the relegation zone for the first time this season.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Adam (Quiassaca 84'), Kamara, (Goode 46'), Read, Alexiou, Sankoh, Gharbaoui (Masikini (72'), Allen, Adeniyi, Deakin, Zepo
Unused subs: Bangurah
Man of the match: Luke Read
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Merstham 1-1 Ashford United (Middlesex) - Saturday 11th March - Isthmian League
After the superb win and excellent performance away to Guernsey in midweek, this was a far more workmanlike affair from the Moatsiders. But at this stage of the season, it is all about results and Merstham made it back-to-back wins and seven games unbeaten with this win over an Ashford Town side in free-fall. In addition to the three points, the win also puts the Moatsiders just two points behind the visitors.
Merstham boss made one change to the side that performed so well in the Channel Isles, with Michael Kamara coming back into the side and Adam Allen dropping to the bench. It meant a change of position for Luke Read, who was pushed into an unfamiliar midfield role.
The game was only 90 second old when Bryan Zepo had a great chance to open the scoring after good work by Deakin and Adeniyi to set him up with a clear sight of goal. But Merstham's leading scorer blazed his shot high and wide from just inside the box. Despite their poor run of form, Ashford started well and played the better football in the opening 45 minutes. Their problem is scoring goals and that was underlined when Johnson's effort cleared the bar by some distance in the eighth minute when he should at least have tested Filip Chalupniczak. After a bright start, the game became a rather turgid midfield battle. Merstham looked as though they hadn't really recovered from their excursion in midweek and much of their play was disjointed and the passing rather aimless. Town's Mensah fired one inches wide of the far post while Reese Deakin might feel he should have done better with a shot from the edge of the box on 28'. But as the game headed into 3 minutes of added time at the end of the first half, Merstham got a huge stroke of luck. Zepo got the ball wide and played it to the far post. Aziz Sankoh was arriving late and it looked as though the Ashford defender didn't see him coming. He swung a boot at the ball but instead caught Sankoh full on. It was a stonewall penalty. Reece Deakin's spot kick wasn't the best-struck penalty you'll ever see, but it squeezed under the Town keeper to put the Moatsiders one up at the break, somewhat fortuitously.
It was a much-improved Merstham that came out for the second forty-five minutes They almost added a second on 50' when Adeniyi's through ball to Deakin was a whisker away from putting the striker clean through after a delightful move. But Town still carried a threat. A few minutes later, Chalupniczak made a fine save low to his left to palm away a shot from Goulter from 25 yards. On the hour, Merstham got that all important cushion of a second goal. A free kick from Sankoh was won by Aaron Goode and his header found Zepo who finished coolly from six yards for his eleventh of the season. For the remaining half hour, it was all about managing the game and Merstham did that well as Town were reduced to speculative shots from distance that were more danger to neighbouring gardens than Chalupniczak's clean sheet. Merstham did look dangerous on the counterattack and probably should have added a third. But no-one was complaining when the referee's whistle sounded to signal back-to-back wins and 15 points from their last 7 games.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Cameron-Brown (Adam 71’), Goode (Allen 77'), Kamara, Alexiou, Sankoh, Gharbaoui, Read, Adeniyi, Deakin, Zepo (Quiassaca 84')
Unused subs: Lewis, Masikini
Man of the match: Bryan Zepo
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Merstham 1-1 Uxbridge - Saturday 4th March - Isthmian League
A penalty in the 90th minute salvaged a vital point for a below-par Merstham. With most of the sides in the lower reaches of the table picking up points too, it may prove to be a very valuable one come the end of the season. With Reid suspended and Kamara missing due to work commitments, boss Peter Adeniyi was again forced to reshuffle things at the back. Aziz Sankoh moved into the back three and Cameron Lewis-Brown took Sankoh’s spot at left wing-back. With Jordan Wilson about to begin a three-match ban, he was left on the bench and Adeniyi returned to the starting eleven.
Merstham begin brightly and had the ball in the net in the 4th minute, but they were denied by the assistant’s flag. They were unlucky not to go in front after eleven minutes when a low cross from Vendrells found Byran Zepo all alone, but the striker, at full stretch just couldn’t get over the ball, and it looped agonisingly over the bar. But Uxbridge were not sitting back and should have gone ahead on 22’ when Witton missed an absolute sitter. But his blushes were spared as just a minute later, Goueth went past Sankoh too easily on the right and pulled the ball back for Mendy to finish from six yards. That goal rocked the home side and their good start evaporated, allowing Uxbridge to control the rest of the half, aided and abetted by some awful Merstham passing. But thankfully for the Moatsiders, a combination of excellent defending, especially by Goode and Alexiou, restricted the visitors to half chances and shots from distance.
Hopes of an improved Merstham performance after the break failed to materialise and most of the second half was hugely forgettable, with both sides giving the ball away with monotonous regularity. As the game entered the last 10 minutes, Uxbridge began to defend deeper looking to preserve their lead, which rather invited the Moatsiders on. With five minutes remaining, Adeniyi was through on goal and a clumsy challenge by an Uxbridge defender brought the Merstham player/manager down inside the box. Everyone looked to the referee, beseeching and imploring him to give the penalty. But the man in black was unmoved and waved away the loud appeals from all around the worldflow stadium. But a few minutes later he did point to the spot when a defender stopped Lorenzo Lewis getting to a through ball by sticking out an arm. With Merstham’s failure from 10 yards this season uppermost in everyone’s minds, Reece Deakin stepped up confidently and smashed home the penalty, much to the relief of everyone in amber and black to secure the point.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Cameron-Brown (Adam 63’), Goode, Alexiou, Sankoh, Allen, Gharbaoui, Adeniyi, Deakin, Zepo (Wilson 68') Vendrells (Lewis 63’)
Unused subs: Quiassaca, Masikini
Man of the match: Charlie Alexiou
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Merstham 1-0 Chipstead - Monday 27th February - Isthmian League
At this stage of the season and with the Moatsiders desperately trying to pull away from the drop zone, performance is very much secondary to the result. That was certainly the case in this hard-fought encounter at the worldflow stadium. Merstham have certainly played much better over the past few months and come away with nothing. But no-one in Merstham colours cared about the performance, only the much-needed three points.
With Luke Read suspended, Merstham boss Peter Adeniyi recalled Charlie Alexiou from loan to slot into the back three. Alexiou didn't let anyone down and turned in a Man of the Match performance. Chipstead will no doubt feel a little unfortunate they didn't get something from the game, having dominated much of the first half. But a combination of excellent defending and poor finishing meant they couldn't capitalise on all their possession. The Moatsiders have certainty tightened up at the back in recent weeks and have only conceded once in the past four games.
Right from the kick off, Chipstead dominated proceedings and the lively Kabuikusomo was a constant threat in the opening 20 minutes, exemplified by his strike from the edge of the box after just 90 seconds which went narrowly wide. Chipstead's approach play was excellent and they managed to find gaps between the lines, leaving the Merstham midfielders constantly having to turn and retreat. But they couldn't find an end product and Filip Chalupniczak wasn't really tested, although an audacious chip from Bradley Wilson from 40 yards had the keeper backpedalling furiously and he was relieved to see it just clear the cross bar. A minute before half time, and very much against the run of play, the Moatsiders took the lead with a simple route one goal. A long kick from Chalupniczak wasn't dealt with by Perkins as Reece Deakin made a nuisance of himself. The ball broke to Bryan Zepo who drilled one into the bottom corner, although questions might be asked about the Chipstead keeper's positioning. Chipstead very nearly equalised in first half stoppage time and only a superb block by Aaron Goode to deny Kabuikusomo from six yards allowed the Moatsiders to go into the break one up.
The second half got off to an explosive start. In the 47th minute Perkins and Jordan Wilson got involved in a tussle after the ball went out for a Merstham throw. In the ensuing melee, most of the outfield players inevitably got involved and it took a couple of minutes before order was restored. Referee Peter Dingle reached into his pocket and showed a red card to first Perkins and then Wilson, leaving both teams down to ten men. The remaining 43 minutes was relatively uneventful. Both sides had promising situations and a few half chances, but neither keeper was seriously extended. There was plenty of endeavour, but not a great deal of quality on show. But no-one in amber and black cared very much.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Kamara, Goode, Alexiou, Sankoh, Allen, Wilson, Gharbaoui, Deakin (Adeniyi 83') Zepo (Masikini 71') Vendrells (Quiassaca 75')
Unused subs: Lewis, Lewis-Brown
Man of the match: Charlie Alexiou
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Merstham 1-1 Thatcham Town - Saturday 4th February - Isthmian League
Merstham are entering a phase of the season where every game is becoming a 'must win', especially against sides in the bottom half of the table. Saturday's encounter against Thatcham certainly fell into that category, which made the drab draw doubly disappointing. The three points were there for the taking, but the Moatsiders turned in a disappointing performance and didn't deserve anything more than a point against very mediocre opposition.
The game started badly for Merstham when they fell behind in the seventh minute. Alves made inroads down the right flank before pulling the ball back to the edge of the box where Ceesay was waiting unmarked. He found the bottom corner from 10 yards to give the visitors a dream start. The football that followed was decidely scrappy from both sides. Merstham's first shot on target was a Jordan Wilson free kick from 25 yards, which Town keeper Fisher palmed away for a corner. From the resulting corner, Wilson's in-swinger hit the crossbar, bouncing to the far post where Luke Read headed it back across goal. Adam Allen was first to react and his downward header from a couple of yards was blocked right on the line by a Town defender. But Allen will probably agree that he should have scored. That was the closest Merstham came until the 40th minute when they got a gilt-edged chance to get back on level terms when they were awarded a penalty, after Bryan Zepo went down following a clumsy challenge by a Town defender. For those who've watched the Moatsiders from the start of the season, they will know that their success rate from 12 yards hasn't been anything to write home about. The success rate dipped still further as Jordan Wilson's tame spot kick was comfortably saved by Fisher to leave the score 1-0 to the visitors at the interval.
The second half got off to the ideal start for the Moatsiders. In the fifty-seventh minute, a Wilson corner was met with a thumping Luke Read header to make it 1-1. That felt like the moment when the Moatsiders would seize the initiative and go on and win the game. Except it didn't happen. Adam Allen did have a great chance five minutes after the equaliser, after good work by Zepo gave him a clear sight of goal from 10 yards. But he scuffed his shot and the chance had gone. The remainder of the game is probably best forgotten as neither side could string more than a few passes together. Thatcham were content to boot the ball forward, but Merstham didn't do enough when in possession to create any decent opportunities and the game rather petered out.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Charles-Cook, Read, Kamara, Sankoh, Allen, Wilson, Adeniyi, Masikini (Lewis 56') Zepo, (Quiassaca 71') Vendrells (Adam 76')
Unused subs: Bello, Alexiou
Man of the match: Luke Read
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Basingstoke Town 3-1 Merstham - Saturday 28th January - Isthmian League
Two goals either side of half time gave Basingstoke the points, but Merstham will take heart from a much better second half display. The real difference between the two sides was the clinical finishing of the Basingstoke front runners. Merstham had plenty of good situations in the final third, but the decision-making or final ball left a lot to be desired.
Coming into the game having not played for a couple of weeks was hardly ideal preparation to face the side sitting on top of the table. The Moatsiders certainly looked off the pace in the opening exchanges and as early as the second minute, Luke Read did well to head one off his own line. It took Basingstoke just eleven minutes to take the lead. A ball was chipped over the top of the Merstham defensive line and Read couldn't climb high enough to get his head properly to the ball. His header looped up and over him straight to Wilson who calmly volleyed it into the top corner from 10 yards. Merstham gradually settled into the game and played some neat football, but all too often the moves broke down in the final third without the Moatsiders getting a shot away. There was a tendency to try and play an extra pass or beat one player too many and the chance had gone. Basingstoke always looked threatening in possession, but Filip Chalupniczak had little to do. Bryan Zepo came close to an equaliser in the 17th minute when a low cross from the right from Jordan Wilson found him a yard out, but his effort was smothered by the Town keeper on the line. But going into half-time just one down, you felt that the Moatsiders were still in the game. However, in the second minute of added time, Basingstoke landed a telling blow when a loss cross from the left was stabbed home by Read from close range.
Conceding a goal just before the break was bad enough but just 45 seconds into the second half, Town made the game safe with a superb goal from Wilson. Merstham gave the ball away going forward and with the defensive shape all over the place, Wilson cut in from the left wing and curled one into the top corner from the edge of the box. It was a great finish, but Wilson had all the time in the world to pick his spot. Earlier in the season, Merstham had crumbled in similar situations and conceded four or five, but this team is made of sterner stuff. Boss Peter Adeniyi had seen enough and just five minutes after half time he made two changes that turned the game on its head. Off came Merstham's two wide players who had been largely ineffectual and on came Lorenzo Lewis and new signing, Noe Vendrells. Suddenly Merstham had both pace and energy up front. Lewis was a threat with his willingness to run at defenders on the left, while Vendrells offered both pace and work rate on the other flank. Merstham began to dominate possession and for the first time in the game, the Town defence was under real pressure. Charles-Cook was unlucky when his shot went straight at the keeper. Either side and he would have scored. With fifteen minutes left, Merstham got the goal they deserved, and it was the two subs who combined to make it happen. Lewis did well to beat his full back on the left, got to the bye-line and pulled it back to where Vendrells got there just ahead of a defender to bundle it home. From that moment on, the game became really stretched and it was end to end stuff and a bit like a training exercise of attack against defence. Lewis' goal-bound effort was blocked by a defender, while Town's Schuster should have scored from 12 yards. But there was a sense that if the Moatsiders could grab a second, it would really be game on. But for all their good work, they couldn't muster another clear-cut chance. However, a much improved second half display and a promising debut from Vendrells were crumbs of comfort on the long drive home.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Charles-Cook, Goode, Read, Sankoh, Allen, Wilson (Aziaya 84') Adeniyi, Adam (Lewis 50'), Zepo, Quiassaca (Vendrells 50')
Unused subs: Masikini, Ellaway
Man of the match: Aaron Goode
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Southall 3-3 Merstham - Saturday 7th January - Isthmian League
Two goals during nine minutes of added time deprived Merstham of a well-deserved three points after a storming second-half fightback.
On a wet and miserable January afternoon, the Moatsiders' performance in the opening 25 minutes did very little to lift the spirits. On a muddy, heavy pitch, it was always going to be difficult to play football, but it was Merstham's shape and pattern of play that was the real concern. They lost control of the midfield from the outset and Southall found time and space in which to turn and run at the Moatsiders' back four. That said, Merstham had the better chances and should have taken the lead in the 10th minute, but Aaron Goode's close-range header went wide from a deep corner. Instead, Southall took the lead in the 19th minute. Their left winger got in behind Roman Charles-Cook on the right and his low, near-post cross was turned in at close range by O'Connor. But Merstham really should have equalised as both Bryan Zepo and Michael Kamara had free headers inside the six-yard box.
Peter Adeniyi changed formation at half time and went to a 3-5-2 and Merstham were transformed. Kamara almost scored on 48' with a near post-header that was nodded off the line by a defender. It was all Merstham as wave after wave of attacks penned the home side in their own half. The seemingly inevitable equaliser came in the 59th minute. Adam Adam scythed through the home defence, but his well-struck shot smacked against the foot of the post with the keeper beaten. The ball rebounded straight to Adeniyi just outside of the box. Instead of trying to hit it too hard, the player manager side-footed it into the vacant net from 20 yards to put his team back on level terms. Four minutes later, the Moatsiders went in front with a superb goal. Adam and Charles-Cook played a neat one-two on the right side and the full back delivered a hard, low cross to the near post where Zepo's deft flick took it past the keeper into the net. Instead of sitting back, the Moatsiders went in search of more goals and the way they were playing, it seemed likely that they would. In the 71st minute a low, in-swinging corner found its way to Zepo in the six-yard box. He and the Southall keeper lunged for the ball, but the Merstham man got there first and poked it over the line to make it 3-1 and the game looked done and dusted. Then came a bizarre piece of refereeing that helped change the game. A Southall player received a cut on his neck. He walked unaided to the touchline to get treatment but was allowed to stay on the pitch to be patched up, which took the best part of six minutes! The referee apologised after the game for his error in judgment, but there is no doubt it allowed Southall to reorganise and took away the Moatsiders' momentum. A total of nine minutes of added time was indicated. In the 92nd minute, Chalupniczak made a superb one-handed stop, but from the resulting corner, Thomson-Brisset hit an unstoppable shot from 25 yards to give Southall a glimmer of hope. The Moatsiders began to look nervy as they clung onto their lead and the defending became a bit panicky. Just when it looked as though they would hang on, a corner in the 100th minute was swung in, and Pearce thumped home a header to give the home side a share of the points.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Charles-Cook, Goode, Read, Sankoh, Kamara, Wilson, Adeniyi, Sterling-Parker (Lewis 46'), Adam (Allen 87'), Zepo (Quiassaca 76')
Unused subs: Aziaya, Bello
Man of the match: Bryan Zepo
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Merstham 3-3 Walton & Hersham - Monday 2nd January - Isthmian League
A stirring second-half fightback earned the Moatsiders a well-deserved point against high-flying Walton & Hersham. Merstham may be down at the bottom of the table, but the fighting spirit the team has shown in recent weeks augers well in the coming months.
The Moatsiders suffered a real blow before the game when on-loan keeper Filip Chalupniczak, who has impressed in recent weeks, was ruled out with illness. Connor Beattie was signed with just a minute to spare on New Year's Eve to make his debut. The visitors began well and for the first 20 minutes, they dominated both possession and territory. They set up in a 3-5-2 and the extra man in midfield was causing the Moatsiders a lot of problems. But for all their possession, Merstham's debutant keeper wasn't tested. That changed on the half hour with two goals in three minutes. Merstham were very much the architects of their own downfall. In the 32nd minute, a Jordan Wilson pass in his own half was easily intercepted and the ball broke kindly for Adeyemi, who comfortably slotted the ball home from 10 yards. Three minutes later, Peter Adeniyi was dispossessed bringing the ball out and the ball was dinked into the box, where Simon took a touch before knocking it past Beattie. Two down, and with the Swans looking in rampant mood, Merstham fans must have been fearing the worst. But in first half added time, the Moatsiders clawed their way back into the game. Aziz Sanko took a free kick on the right side, which was cleared but straight to Luke Reid, who played an excellent first-time ball out to Sankoh. The full back took a touch and then rifled a shot from 25 yards into the far corner, which Swans keeper Liam Allen could only watch. Going into half-time only one down was a real shot in the arm for the Moatsiders.
Things got even better three minutes into the second half. A ball into the channel by Adeniyi found the run of Adam Adam, brought on at the interval. As he cut into the box, Ogun-Forster fell across the Merstham man's legs, bringing him down and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. After the normal lengthy delay, up stepped Lorenzo Lewis who calmly fired home the penalty. From looking in complete control, the visitors now looked rattled and with Merstham pressing high up the pitch, they found it increasingly difficult to play out from the back. That was perfectly illustrated on 65', when Wilson and Adeniyi combined to win the ball back deep in the Walton half and set up Bryan Zepo. The Merstham man checked back inside the last defender and with the goal at his mercy blazed high and wide from just 10 yards. Merstham were made to pay for their profligacy sixty seconds later, when Gilbert played a one-two with Adeyemi and volleyed past Beattie to put the Swans back in front. But Merstham refused to throw in the towel and straight from the kick off, Wilson scythed through the visitors back line, but his powerful shot was straight at the keeper. It was end-to-end, breathless stuff and Zepo was inches away from turning in a diving header at the far post from Adam's cross. In the 76th minute, Adam's free kick was fisted away by Allen, but Roman Charles-Cook picked up possession and delivered a high, hanging cross into the box. Allen is a relatively small keeper, and his lack of inches counted against him as, under pressure he could only get a touch to the cross and the ball dropped straight to the feet of Jordan Wilson who side-footed it home from six yards. In the remaining minutes, both sides had promising situations, but it ended a point apiece after a highly entertaining second half display from the Moatsiders.
Merstham: Beattie, Charles-Cook, Goode, Read, Sankoh, Allen, Wilson, Adeniyi (Aziaya 78'), Sterling-Parker (Adam 46'), Lewis, Zepo (Quiassaca 83')
Unused subs: Kamara, Bello
Man of the match: Aziz Sankoh
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South Park Reigate 1-1 Merstham - Monday 26th December - Isthmian League
A superb Bryan Zepo volley six minutes from time earned Merstham a point, but it was no more than they deserved after dominating the second half. Up until that moment, the game had all the hallmarks of a typical performance from the Moatsiders this season. They dominated posssession and played some excellent football, but in the final third, that weren't incisive enough to turn their possession into chances and goals.
For the first twenty minutes, the match was largely played in the South Park half, as the Moatsiders began brightly and moved the ball around nicely. There were a couple of shooting opportunties from outside the box, but they were more danger to low-flying birds than the South Park goal. South Park gradually grew into the game and possession became more even, but neither keeper was called into serious action. In recent weeks, Merstham have conceded far too many goals from set pieces and that again proved their undoing on the half hour. A corner was whipped in but not dealt with by the Moatsiders, and the ball dropped kindly to the feet of Park's Marcell Campbell, who poked it home from close range. It was harsh on the Moatsiders, but unfortunately not unusual to find themselves a goal down, having played much the better football. Five minutes before the break, Raheem Sterling-Parker did superbly to beat two men and cut inside. But his goal-bound effort was blocked by ex-Moatsider Ryan Healy who dived in front of the shot and blocked it with his head. The midfielder was down for a few minutes afterwards, and the lack of a concussion protocol in football was all too evident.
Boss Peter Adeniyi made a change at the break, bringing on Lorenzo Lewis for Adam Adam, who'd been on the receiving end of a late challenge early in the game. Two minutes after the restart, Bryan Zepo turned superbly in the box and his shot, destined for the far corner was well saved by the outstretched boot of Park keeper Basey. Merstham were on the front foot and again dominating possession, but couldn't create that elusive clear-cut chance. On the hour, Adam Allen was introduced in place of Michael Kamara and the Moatsiders had a irm grip on the midfield. South Park still looked dangerous when they broke quickly, as the Moatsiders committed more and more players forward. Merstham had a stroke of luck when a long-range effort beat Chalupniczak, but hit the underside of the bar and Adeniyi was first to react to get to the rebound and smother the danger. But for all their possession, it began to look as though Merstham would leave empty-handed. But six minutes from time it was a Merstham corner that led to the equaliser. The ball dropped to Zepo at the far post who hit an unstoppable volley into the far corner to give the Moatsiders a valuable point.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Charles-Cook, Goode, Read, Sankoh, Kamara (Allen 61'), Wilson (Belo 83'), Adeniyi, Sterling-Parker, Adam (Lewis 46'), Zepo.
Unused subs: Williams, Barker Bateman
Man of the match: Bryan Zepo
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Bedfont Sports 4-2 Merstham - Saturday 10th December - Isthmian League
Bizarrely, Merstham were by far the better side for the majority of the game, but some calamitous mistakes at the back and some inept work by the match officials condemned the Moatsiders to an unlucky defeat.
On a bitterly cold December afternoon, lit-up by the landing lights of a steady stream of planes arriving at Heathrow Airport just over our heads, Merstham dominated the opening 20 minutes. Their football was neat, one-touch at times, and they moved the ball crisply. However, as has been the story for much of the season, that dominance did not result in a goal, although Bryan Zepo did have the ball in the net, but it was chalked off for offside. Bedfont opened the scoring in the 23rd minute totally against the run of play with a freakish goal. A free kick on the right, halfway inside the Merstham half, looked innocuous enough but sailed over everyone in the box, including Merstham keeper Filip Chalupniczak, and ended up in the back of the net to give the home side a very undeserved lead. But the Moatsiders hit back almost immediately. A similar free kick was hoisted into the Bedfont box and Ore Bello was first to react to the bouncing ball and fire home from six yards. Merstham continued to dominate but Bedfont retook the lead in the 32nd minute with highly controversial goal. A long, hopeful ball was played over the top of the Merstham defence to Bedfont's Kannady, who initially stopped thinking he was offside (he was) and then almost as an afterthought, lobbed it over the stranded Chalupniczak into the net. The linesman kept his flag down and the goal was allowed to stand. During the interval, the Bedfont Directors estimated that their man was 'at least three yards offside' as they were perfectly in line with it. So, we reached halftime with the home side 2-1 up, despite being outplayed by the visitors.
The second half followed a similar pattern. The Moatsiders gave a passable impression of the Spanish national side, with a lot of possession, but no penetration. That changed on the hour mark, when Peter Adeniyi brought himself on and immediately began to dictate proceedings in the middle of the park. Suddenly the Moatsiders were looking far more dangerous. It was no great surprise when they equalised in the 72nd minute. Zepo's shot from the edge of the box squirmed under the body of ex-Merstham stopper, Mo Utuyo, and the Moatsiders were back level at 2-2. At that point it seemed that there would only be one winner. Unfortunately, it turned out to be Bedfont. On 77', Adeniyi appeared to be fouled on the right touchline, but nothing was given and Ngunga cut inside and hit a superb strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards. Moments later, Zepo was hauled down when through on goal, but the referee decided the contact had occurred 6 inches outside the box. He also decided it wasn't a clear goal scoring opportunity, despite Zepo just having the keeper to bear and only brandished a yellow card at the defender. The free kick came to nothing. With 6 minutes left, Bedfont added a fourth, when a corner wasn't dealt with, and Morrison was on hand to fire home and condemn the Moatsiders to defeat.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Charles-Cook, Goode, Read, Sankoh, Kamara, Allen (Sterling-Parker 82'), Wilson, Bello, Adam (Adeniyi 60'), Zepo.
Unused subs: Williams, Barker Bateman
Man of the match: Peter Adeniyi
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Merstham 1-1 Chertsey Town - Saturday 3rd December - Isthmian League
A Charlie Greenwood penalty two minutes from time earned the Moatsiders a well-deserved point in a game that was always highly competitive, but rather short on quality. No-one could fault the work-rate of both sides, but what was lacking was any real finesse or incisiveness in the final third. As a result, both keepers had a relatively quiet afternoon as shots on target were few and far between.
Boss Peter Adeniyi only made one change to the team that won at Westfield, bringing in Adam Allen for Dom Duvall.
The ball was treated like a hot potato in the opening 30 minutes, with both sides turning the ball over all too frequently and surrendering possession cheaply. Far too often, the ball was played forward more in hope than expectation, and rarely did either side try and play through the lines. There were moments when the Moatsiders threatened, but the final pass or cross into the box wasn't good enough. It wasn't until the 34th minute that the first shot on target was registered by either team when Montague hit a tame effort straight at Filip Chalupniczak. Three minutes later, Merstham had their best chance of the game. Adam Allen picked up the ball 40 yards out and rather than play sideways or backwards, he went straight at the Chertsey defence. He weaved past three Town defenders before slipping the ball into the path of Adam Adam, but the midfielder dragged his shot wide of the far post. It was no great surprise that it was scoreless at the break.
The second half began as the first half had ended, with both defences on top and neither side looking capable of breaking the deadlock. Credit though to the Moatsiders back four. Aaron Goode and Luke Reid were commanding in the middle and full backs Aziz Sankoh and Roman Charles-Cook were solid in defence and looked to burst forward when they could. If ever a game was destined to be 0-0, it was this one. You could only see a goal coming from a mistake or a moment of individual brilliance. With fifteen minutes remaining it was the Moatsiders who made the mistake. A routine high ball should have been cleared but was mis-cued into the path of a Chertsey forward. Two passes later and Town's Sam Murphy was put through on goal and he finished with aplomb. A few weeks ago, Merstham may well have crumbled and lost by two or three. But this side is made of sterner stuff. They were, however, indebted to Charlie Greenwood when he got back to make a superb block on the goal line to prevent Murphy adding his second and putting the game to bed.
With two minutes left, the Moatsiders were awarded a free kick inside the Chertsey half. The ball appeared to be sailing out at the far post, but Bryan Zepo hung in the air and got his head to the ball, trying to nod it back across goal. The ball struck the outstretched arm of Chertsey's Gogonas. There was no intent but under the current interpretation, it was a clear penalty, and the referee had no doubt. After the customary and tiresome complaints from the Chertsey players, Charlie Greenwood stepped up and calmly slotted home the spot kick. There was a little late pressure for the Moatsiders to endure as a series of rather debateable free kicks were awarded in the last few minutes of stoppage time, but the game ended with honours even, which was the right outcome.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Charles-Cook, Goode, Read, Sankoh (Sterling-Parker 85'), Kamara (Adeniyi 58') Allen, Wilson (Bello 77'), Greenwood, Adam, Zepo.
Unused subs : Hendy, Barker Bateman
Man of the match: Luke Read
Sponsors' man of the match: Roman Charles-Cook
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Westfield 0-1 Merstham - Saturday 26th November - Isthmian League
Finally! On the fifteenth time of asking, the Moatsiders claimed their first league win of the season, with a well-deserved three points at high-flying Westfield. Merstham could and perhaps should have won more comfortably as they certainly had the better chances over the course of the ninety minutes.
Manager Peter Adeniyi gave debuts to right-back Roman Charles-Cook, on loan from Sutton United and Adam Adam on dual registration from Worthing. Both had good games, with Charles-Cook Merstham's man of the match. Michael Kamara was shifted into a holding midfield role with Aaron Goode, who also had a fine game, moving into the centre of the defence.
Merstham began the game well, having the lion's share of possession and looking solid at the back. As has been the case in recent weeks however, good approach play tended to break down in the final third and it wasn't until the twentieth minute that they offered a real threat. A superb through ball from Charles-Cook hit Bryan Zepo perfectly in stride. The Merstham striker took one touch and his strike from 18 yards flew past the Westfield keeper but smacked against the post. Westfield offered an occasional threat, but usually only after the Moatsiders gave the ball away in their own half. Merstham had another great chance to take the lead when the ball found Dom Duval on the edge of the box, but the winger's effort flew high and wide. On the stroke of half time, Duval whipped in a cross from the left flank and Kamara unmarked six yards out, really should have hit the target with his header.
The second half really continued in much the same vein. Duval tested Wheeler with a shot that skimmed across the surface from 25 yards. Moments later, Filip Chalupniczak made his first save of note when he pushed away a well-struck effort from Walters. But Merstham finally got the goal they deserved when Charlie Greenwood nodded home on 65'. It was Greenwood who began the move by winning the ball in midfield and launching a quick counterattack. He combined well with Zepo and continued his run into the box to get on the end of Charles-Cook's cross and head past Wheeler. Six minutes later, Zepo had the chance to add a second when he weaved his way through the Westfield back line. Wheeler was out quickly to block Zepo's first effort and did well to recover and block Zepo's second shot from the rebound. Peter Adeniyi brought himself on with 12 minutes left and almost immediately created a great chance for Aaron Goode. The player-manager beat two defenders by the corner flag, got to the bye-line and pulled the ball back to where Goode was waiting unmarked on the penalty spot. But the defender couldn't keep his shot down and blazed over the bar. Having conceded an injury time equaliser in the previous game, the seven minutes of added time were torturous for Merstham players and supporters alike. A free kick into a crowded box in the sixth minute of added time dropped to a Westfield foot, but the ball flew wide of Chalupniczak's goal. Moments later, the referee blew for full time and the Moatsiders were finally able to celebrate that elusive first league win.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Charles-Cook, Goode, Read, Sankoh (Adeniyi 78'), Kamara (Allen 63'), Wilson, Greenwood, Adam, Duval (Diallo 85'), Zepo.
Unused subs: Bello
Man of the match: Roman Charles-Cook
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Thatcham Town 1-1 Merstham - Saturday 19th November - Isthmian League
Merstham were denied their first league win on the season by a goal in the 3rd minute of added time. To make matters worse, Lorenzo Lewis was sent off for a lunging challenge in the final seconds of a bad-tempered game. There is no doubt that it was a reckless challenge, but as ever it was the reaction of the opposition players that helped ensure the referee reached for a red card. In the ensuing melee, Town's Joshua Edwards also received a second yellow and joined Lewis on his way to the dressing room.
The Moatsiders gave a debut to keeper Filip Chalupniczak, signed on loan from Sutton United. He was without question Merstham's man of the match, not just for a string of fine saves, but also his commanding presence on the pitch. Overall though it was a poor game. Neither team could be faulted for their effort, but there was a lack of quality all over the pitch. The Moatsiders have played far better in recent weeks, but the players certainly gave their all for the cause.
Thatcham started the better and forced the early running with Ramarni Medford-Smith advancing down the left and seeing his cross go untouched as it bobbled narrowly wide. Mo Ceesay and Levi Heholt both saw shots pushed behind by Chalupniczak, though both were relatively comfortable saves. Merstham rarely threatened, in part because the front three didn't manage to retain possession long enough to link play and bring the midfield into the game. However, Merstham gradually grew into the game and moments before the interval, as Town failed to clear a corner, Bryan Zepo fired straight at the town keeper from close range. Goalless at the break.
Early in the second half, the Moatsidsers were again indebted to their keeper as Chalupniczak pulled off two fine saves. The first with his legs from a shot that was deflected from the edge of the box, and a second from point-blank range to deny Martin, who should have scored. A few minutes later, Thatcham paid the price when Zepo eluded a couple of defenders and fired home from the edge of the box with a well-taken goal. From that moment on, the Moatsiders defended resolutely and worked tirelessly in midfield to deny Thatcham time and space. Adam Allen in particular was everywhere, and Peter Adeniyi led by example. As the game became increasingly scrappy and heated, the visitors looked set to claim the much-needed win as Thatcham had really run out of ideas. Then as the game entered added time, Merstham launched a counterattack. But Jordan Wilson was caught in possession in the Thatcham half and with a number of players caught in transition, suddenly gaps appeared. Jaime Obama-Nvumba, on as a substitute, won possession and played it to Mo Ceesay who off on a surging run before returning the ball back to Obama-Nvumba, who rounded the keeper before slotting it home to deny Merstham their first win of the season in heart-breaking fashion.
Merstham: Chalupniczak, Goode, Read, Kamara, Sankoh, Wilson, Adeniyi, Allen, Duval (Sterling-Parker 46'), Lewis, Zepo.
Unused subs: Greenwood, Diallo, Willcocks
Man of the match: Filip Chalupniczak
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Merstham 1-5 Basingstoke Town - Saturday 12th November - Isthmian League
Merstham seem unable to string together two good forty-five minutes this season. On Saturday, they played some excellent football in the first half, but fell behind early in the second half and began chasing the game, leaving gaps at the back for several proverbial London buses, never mind Town's clinical forward line, which exploited those gaps to the full. The game got off to a blistering start and could easily have been 2-2 after 15 minutes, with some great chances going begging at both ends. Mo Otuyo made a couple of fine saves, but the Moatsiders were also unlucky with shots blocked on the Basingstoke line. Merstham certainly had the better of the first twenty minutes without really forcing a save from Mark Scott, and they should have made more of their possession. Scott was then forced into action saving at full stretch from a marauding Aaron Goode. But the breakthrough came from the resulting corner. The ball was delivered into the six-yard box, headed up in the air, and Goode was quickest to react, volleying home acrobatically in the twenty-first minute. Ten minutes before the break, Town were level. Bradley Wilson went past Goode, who stuck out a leg and undid his earlier good work. James Clarke’s spot kick was unstoppable. On the balance of play, it was just about deserved. Merstham had played some lovely passing football, whilst the visitors moved the ball quickly forward and, in George Reid, had the most dangerous player on the field.
We’d played less than three minutes of the second half when the visitors completed the turnaround. It was that man Reid who made the breakthrough, a neat passing move saw him go past Otuyo and find the net from a narrow angle. The Moatsiders immediately tried to hit back, and a cross spun off Scott Armsworth’s boot two yards in front of his own line. The ball could have gone anywhere, but it cleared the bar. The corner came to naught, but another chance came to Goode, and his shot went inches wide of the keeper’s right-hand post. On fifty-four minutes, another corner for Merstham and this time Charlie Greenwood’s shot was deflected wide. The corner saw home fans scream for a penalty, but what they got was a throw in. Merstham were looking more than capable of getting back on terms and Adam Allen forced a fine save from Scott. Merstham pressed forward, while the visitors tried to catch them on the break, but on sixty-six minutes there was almost calamity for Merstham. Otuyo came out for the ball, slipped, Touray pounced, but was denied by Merstham's outstanding defender, Luke Reid who somehow got his body in the way to stop a certain goal. But eventually Merstham's cavalier defending did get punished when Reid received the ball on the edge of the box, cut inside and fired into the corner to make it 3-1 on 70'. Merstham kept up the pressure, whilst the visitors pulled almost everyone behind the ball and looked to break quickly. Six minutes later they did exactly that and this time, Otuyo couldn’t stop Wilson. Four-one, and without doubt, game over. Ten minutes to go, and a goalmouth scramble looked certain to end in a Merstham goal, but somehow ended up as a corner. Play went straight up the other end, and Wilson’s cross was turned home by Stefan Brown for five. Harsh on the Moatsiders, but they need to turn good possession into goals.
On Monday night, Merstham hosted Sutton United in the Surrey Senior Cup. Sutton fielded their Academy side, while the Moatsiders had a mixed side of a few first teamers, with one or two like Lorenzo Lewis and Rory Dacosta returning from injury, and a number of the Development Squad gaining much needed experience. There was also a debut in goal for Jordan Olds on loan from Bromley and Dominic Duval on loan from Farnborough. Sutton raced into a two-goal lead inside the first 20 minutes, thanks to some calamitous defending for the opening goal and the match officials failing to spot a blatant hand ball to rival Maradona's in 1986 for the second. The Moatsiders dug in, played some nice football but with no end product and Sutton added a third fifteen minutes from time.
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Chipstead 1-1 Merstham - Saturday 5th November - Isthmian League
That first league win remains elusive, but once again, Merstham will look back on a match they completely dominated for forty-five minutes, took the lead, but then failed to finish off the home side, allowing Chipstead to steal a point.
Merstham, as has been the pattern in recent games, started well, moving the ball crisply around on a greasy playing surface. The majority of the first half was spent camped in the Chipstead half, but for all their possession, Merstham only really carved out a couple of chances. The best was on 11', when Omar Koroma played a defence-splitting pass to Lorenzo Lewis. But Lewis delayed his shot allowing a covering Chips defender to recover and make the block. Alpha Diallo, who came on as a sub for the injured Lewis on 31', almost scored when he tried to control the ball coming in at the far post, but the ball cannoned off his skin and ended up going inches wide. As for the rest of the half, lots of promising situations, but the final ball lacked quality, or on occasions, players chose the wrong option. As a result, for all their dominance, Merstham failed to turn that superiority into goals. In fact, Chipstead nearly performed a smash and grab on the stroke of half time, when Kieran Lavery's shot was blocked by Mo Otuyo.
But three minutes into the second half, Merstham finally got the goal they deserved. A superb low cross from wing-back Aziz Sankoh skidded through the six-yard box and Omar Koroma was in the right spot to side foot the ball into the net from a yard. Just five minutes later, Merstham and Koroma were agonisingly close to extending that lead. Chipstead turned the ball over and Merstham launched a quick counterattack. Koroma picked up possession just inside the Chipstead half. He looked up and saw Chips keeper Kerbey well off his line and tried an audacious chip from all of 50 yards. The ball cleared the hapless keeper but smacked against the bar to deny Koroma a spectacular second. As the half wore on, the Moatsiders began to sit deeper to try and protect their lead and allowed Chipstead the initiative. There were a few half chances for the home side, and you could feel the nervousness spread through the Merstham side as they tried to hang on for that priceless first win. As a result, passes went astray or long balls were hit aimlessly upfield. On 71' Charlie Greenwood had a great chance to add a second, but his shot from 12 yards was blocked by Perkins. In increasingly difficult conditions, with a strong wind and swirling rain, the Moatsiders became camped in their own half. But on 74', Chipstead were given a lifeline when a long ball hit Aaron Goode's arm and the referee deemed it to be in an unnatural position and gave the Chips a penalty, which Lavery converted to make it 1-1. Chipstead with their tails up had a couple of half chances as the ball was in and around the Merstham 18-yard box. But it was the Moatsiders who could and should have snatched it right at the end. First Greenwood had a golden opportunity when the ball broke to him all alone ten yards out. He tried to pick his spot but ended up putting the ball well over the bar from 10 yards. Then with almost the last kick of the game, sub Raheem Sterling-Parker was inches away from turning home another Sankoh cross as he slid in. Honours even in the end, but again Merstham will feel they should have picked up all three points.
Merstham: Otuyo, Goode, Reid, Kamara, Sankoh, Wilson (Adeniyi 74'), Allen, Greenwood, Koroma, Lewis (Diallo 31'), Zepo (Sterling-Parker 74')
Unused subs: Barker Bateman
Man of the Match: Omar Koroma
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Merstham 0-3 Chatham Town - Monday 31st October - Isthmian League Velocity Cup
The Velocity Trophy was never going to be high up on Peter Adeniyi's priority list this season and a team that showed eight changes, featuring four youngsters making their debuts from Merstham's Development team gives you an indication of how the Moatsiders approached it. That said, it was a very good team performance, which was unfortunately not reflected in a score line that was harsh on a young Merstham side. The fact that Ben Card, the Chatham keeper was probably the man of the match, tells you a lot about the Merstham performance. But it was also a familiar tale of the opposition taking their chances, while the Moatsiders failed to convert some good opportunities.
The opening exchanges were very even and Merstham registered the first shot on target when a 25-yard free kick from Malakai Morris was tipped over by Town's keeper on 16'. Against an experienced Chatham side, which featured ex-Moatsiders Simon Cooper and Fabio Saraiva in their line-up, Merstham acquitted themselves well. Debutants Pharrell Willaims and Lewes Barker Bateman looked comfortable on the ball and didn't look at all overawed. However, Chatham took the lead on 31' when Saraiva got ahead of Williams to nod home a low cross from the right. Merstham had the chance to equalise almost immediately when a Wilson free kick was met at the far post by a Merstham head, but the keeper saved with his legs from point-blank range. On 39', Zepo was clean through on goal but he delayed his shot and Cooper got back to make a great tackle. Morris was then booked for a dive in the box after going past two players, but didn't pull the trigger. Merstham were made to pay on 40', when Gilbert hit a screamer from 30 yards after the ball was cleared from a corner. His shot flew through a mass of bodies in the box and past an unsighted Otuyo. Town led 2-0 at the break but that really wasn't a reflection of the first half.
But five minutes into the second half, a shot from 25 yards by Thompson skimmed off the wet surface to make it three and pretty much settle the tie. But the Moatsiders kept their heads up and kept pushing forward. On 70', Sankoh went on a barn-storming run and his shot was arrowing towards the bottom corner before Card produced a superb save with his right hand to keep it out. Harry Hendy and Charlie Sisarello were brought on to make their debuts and Sisarello almost marked his debut in style with a shot from the edge of the box destined for the corner, but once again the Town keeper produced an excellent save to tip the ball onto the post. There was still time for Morris to pick up a second yellow with ten minutes left for another dive in the box. Lorenzo Lewis almost pulled one back in the 90th minute, but, once again, Card was there to block his fiercely struck effort.
Merstham: Otuyo, Williams (Hendy 52'), Abubakari, Alexiou, Sankoh, Wilson (Sisarello 75'), Barker Bateman, Diallo, Morris, Lewis, Zepo (Bello 60').
Unused subs: None
Man of the Match: Jordan Wilson
Merstham 0-1 Hanworth Villa - Saturday 29th October - Isthmian League
Quite how Merstham ended up losing this game only they will know. As has been the pattern in recent weeks, they dominated the opening 45 minutes but managed to miss a host of chances. Hanworth scored with their only shot on target, which tells you all you need to know. Boss Peter Adeniyi made five changes to the side beaten at Uxbridge. New signings Aaron Goode, Adam Allen and Omar Koroma came straight into the side and both Adeniyi and Lorenzo Lewis came into the starting line-up.
Merstham suffered an early blow when Michael Aziaya was injured in the opening moments on the game following a robust, studs-up challenge. The midfielder tried to carry on but limped off in the 8th minute and was replaced by Bryan Zepo. Merstham were in control from the opening minutes and both Lewis and Bello shot narrowly wide. But for all Merstham's possession, they didn't create any clear-cut chances in the opening 20 minutes. Lewis looked dangerous and it took a cynical foul by Hanworth's Dunne to stop Lewis running at goal, which earned him a yellow card. From the resulting free kick, Koroma tested Villa keeper Buss with a low shot, but the keeper made a comfortable save. Minutes later, Buss was again in action as he pushed away another effort by Lewis and the rebound was hacked to safety. Five minutes before the break, Merstham had a golden chance to take the lead. A dreadful attempted header back to the keeper by a Villa defender went straight to Koroma, who was through on goal with just Buss to beat. The striker elected to take it around Buss, who seemed to get a touch on it and Koroma got the ball tangled under his feet. As defenders raced back, Koroma mis-cued his finish high, wide and not very handsome. On 42', a Merstham corner fell to Rory Dacosta and he shot straight at Buss who beat the ball away. The rebound fell to Goode on the edge of the box and his well-struck shot smacked against the angle of post and bar. The half ended goalless, but Merstham should have gone in at least two up such was their dominance.
The second half was only a minute old when Zepo had a free header from six yards out, but he failed to hit the target. Hanworth only really looked like scoring from a set piece and on 51', the inevitable happened. A long throw into the box was flicked on at the near post and Samra was on hand at the far post to poke the ball home from a yard. It was Hanworth's first shot on target. From that moment on, Merstham stopped playing football and in their anxiety to get back into the game, they started playing far too long and direct. That was meat and drink to the Villa defence who were content to sit and hold what they had. In fact, Villa might have scored on a couple of counter attacks as the Moatsiders committed men forward, but they failed to hit the target from good positions. Merstham huffed and puffed but lacked the quality and a little lady luck in the final third to test Buss.
Unless the Moatsiders turn dominant opening halves into a complete 90-minute performance AND take their chances, that first league win of the season is going to remain elusive.
Merstham: Otuyo, Goode, Read, Dacosta, Sankoh, Aziaya (Zepo 8'), Adeniyi (Diallo 69'), Bello (Alexiou 65'), Koroma, Lewis.
Unused subs: Wilson, Abubakari
Man of the Match: Luke Read
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Merstham 1-2 Leatherhead - Saturday 22nd October - Isthmian League
Merstham remain rooted to the bottom of the table but will again look back on the chances they created and wonder how they only scored the one goal. It was a decent enough performance from the Moatsiders, but they should have scored at least once if not twice in the opening twenty minutes when they were dominant. In the end, they paid the price for profligacy in front of goal and two defensive mistakes allowed the Tanners to steal the three points.
In the opening 15 minutes, Leatherhead were pinned in their own half, but Merstham spurned chance after chance to go in front. As early as the second minute, from a corner, Luke Reid had a chance from an acute angle but his shot was deflected just past the far post. In the tenth minute, Charlie Greenwood found himself completely unmarked six yards out, but he scuffed his shot and Williams made a comfortable save. Two minutes later, Charlie Alexiou was clean through on goal, after the Leatherhead central defenders made a complete hash of a routine long ball. Again, Williams came to the rescue when his outstretched leg deflected Alexiou's shot wide. But gradually the visitors got themselves into the game and it became a much more even affair, with no further clearcut chances for either side. Dan Hector might have done better on 41' after he cut inside but fired wide from 18 yards. It remained scoreless at the break.
Leatherhead started the second half well and Tarpey should have done better on 52' but sliced his shot wildly. Michael Aziaya very nearly gifted the Tanners the opener when his awful header fell well short of Otuyo, but a combination of dithering by Allassani and then Rory DaCosta getting back to clear off the line reprieved Aziaya. But moments later it was a Dacosta error, when he dived in trying to win the ball on the halfway line, that did give Leatherhead the chance to go ahead, which Trey Williams accepted by slotting the ball past Otuyo on the hour mark. But Merstham were only behind for three minutes and drew level with one of the goals of the season. The Moatsider launched a quick counterattack and had an overload at the far post but appeared to have squandered the chance. The ball was half cleared and Aziaya, fully 35 yards out, didn't heisitate. The ball left his foot like a tracer bullet and flew into the top corner of the net. No goalkeeper in the world would have stopped that. Chances were few and far between but it always felt like one side would grab the winner. So it proved and it was a poor goal for the Moatsiders to concede. A long ball to the far edge of the box should have been cleared but wasn't. Hector picked up the ball, jinked inside and then hit a shot that nestled into the far corner with just six minutes left. Even so, the Moatsiders had a great chance to equalise two minutes later as the ball fell to Bryan Zepo on the six yard box who looked certain to score. But, like Greenwood in the first half, he mis-cued and gave Williams the chance to make the save and deny Merstham a deserved point.
Merstham: Otuyo, Wilson (Lewis 85'), Reid, Kamara, Dacosta (Hyman 69') (Trah 89') Sankoh, Aziaya, Greenwood, Diallo, Alexiou, Zepo,
Unused subs: Bello, Adeniyi
Man of the Match: Michael Aziaya
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Ashford Town (Middlesex) 0-0 Merstham - Saturday 15th October - Isthmian League
For the second time in a week, Merstham went into the second half with a 2-1 advantage and ended up losing 3-2. This time, the Moatsiders can point to two highly controversial decisions by the referee which turned the game in favour of the home side. Blaming the match officials is an easy option, but when they were cheered off by the home fans at the final whistle, it gives you a pretty good idea of their overall performance.
It must be said that Merstham were on the right side of a decision by referee Keane as early as the second minute. A hopeful long ball over the top wasn't dealt with by the Town defence and Lindell Stewart was tripped in the box. The referee instantly pointed to the spot. Up stepped Byran Zepo to fire the spot kick into the top corner to give the Moatsiders an early lead. The game was frenetic, but Merstham rarely looked in trouble defensively and had a measure of control. They didn't create further clear-cut chances until the 27th minute, when makeshift striker Charlie Alexiou was denied by the outstretched foot of the Town keeper after Zepo put him through on goal. The Moatsiders did add a second on 32'. A deep corner to the far post went through the hands of the Town keeper under pressure and the ball lobbed to Zepo who did very well to head the loose ball back across goal and into the far corner. But five minutes before the interval, Ashford pulled a goal back in controversial circumstances. A needless free kick was conceded 30 yards out and the ball was curled into the 'corridor of uncertainty' between keeper and defenders. It appeared to come off a Merstham leg and deflect past Mo Otuyo into the far corner. The Moatsiders were initially relieved to see the assistant flagging for offside. But referee James Keane went across and after a protracted conversation in which the referee did most of the talking, he turned and awarded the goal. Lorenzo Lewis had a chance to immediately restore the two-goal advantage but blazed over from 18 yards. On the stroke of half time, Otuyo made a superb save from a free kick on the edge of the box, spectacularly tipping the ball over the bar when it looked destined for the top corner.
Ashford began the second half very much in the ascendancy and began to ask questions of the Merstham defence. Luke Read was perilously close to turning the ball into his own net on 48' when he deflected a whipped in cross just wide. Moments later, Town's Ondo should have scored but managed to lift the ball over the bar from six yards out. Boss Peter Adeniyi tried to change the momentum of the game by making a double substitution on 56', bringing on Charlie Greenwood and Jordan Wilson for Lewis and Stewart, but that did little to stem the flow. The Moatsiders did have their moments on the counterattack and Zepo almost got his hat trick on the hour mark but shot straight at the keeper from 8 yards. That miss proved costly as less than a minute later from an Ashford corner, referee Keane again intervened and gave the home side a penalty. Apparently, it was given for a shirt tug in the box, though he was the only one that saw it. Keeper Mo Otuyo was desperately unlucky as he saved the initial spot kick only to see Yakubu turn the rebound into the net to make it 2-2 on 60'. From that point on, it felt as there was only going to be one winner, as the two controversial decisions seemed to knock the stuffing out of the visitors. A free kick for a tackle by Greenwood who clearly won the ball, epitomised the overall performance of referee Keane, which was littered with clear and obvious mistakes. On 71' Yakuba somehow missed the target from a yard and three minutes later Iqbal hit the post, which led to an almighty scramble as first Otuyo made a great block, then Reid did likewise before Kamara somehow bundled the ball off the line. A few minutes later, Otuyo produced another top drawer save to get his fingertips to Brown's curling shot from just outside the box. But Ashford finally got the goal their pressure deserved when Otuyo pushed away a low shot destined for the far corner, but it went straight to Maguire who turned it into the empty net. Merstham very nearly got a late equaliser as Jordan Wilson sliced through the Town rear-guard but his shot was straight at the keeper. In added time, a cross by Wilson went straight through the six-yard box but no-one in grey could get a touch.
Merstham: Otuyo, Hyman, Reid, Kamara, Sankoh, Aziaya, Blackwood (Adeniyi 81), Stewart (Greenwood 56), Alexiou, Zepo, Lewis (Jordan 56).
Unused subs: Diallo, Sterling-Parker
Man of the Match: Mo Otuyo
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Merstham 0-0 Marlow - Saturday 1st October - Isthmian League
This was certainly not a game for the football purist. To say this was a disappointing match is an understatement with both sides equally culpable for a general lack of quality throughout the ninety minutes.
The opening exchanges were scrappy, with both sides surrendering possession cheaply and frequently, which rather set the tone for the remainder of the game. Goalmouth incidents were few and far between and both goalkeepers were largely unemployed. There were two incidents of note in the first half. The first was when Merstham's centre back Luke Reid picked up a yellow card for a late challenge on a Marlow forward, which he could have no complaints about. The second in the 23rd minute, was a rare moment of quality from the Moatsiders. A series of quick, one-touch passing scythed through the Marlow defence and put Lindell Stewart though on goal. His shot was arrowing towards the bottom corner before Marlow's keeper got his fingertips to it and deflected it just wide of the far post. A mistake by Michael Kamara a few minutes later should have been punished by Marlow's Rogalski, but the forward dithered and eventually lost possession without getting a shot away.
The second half was arguably worse than the first forty-five minutes. Again, there was one moment of quality from Merstham. A superb through ball from Jordan Wilson found the ever-willing Charlie Greenwood running through on goal. The midfielder hit it first time but chipped it narrowly wide of the post. With ten minutes left, Reid picked up a second yellow and the Moatsiders had to play out the remaining minutes with ten men. However, despite forcing a series of corners and free kicks, Marlow managed to waste virtually all of them with quite lamentable delivery, much to the relief of the home side.
Merstham: Otuyo, Wilson, Reid, Kamara, Sankoh, Aziaya, Greenwood, Adeniyi, Diallo (Hyman 63), Stewart (Bello 76), Lewis (Sterling-Parker 69).
Unused subs: Blackwood, Trah.
Man of the Match: Charlie Greenwood
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Grays Athletic 4-1 Merstham - Sunday 25th September - Isuzu FA Trophy
With the game finely poised at one apiece at half time, Merstham threw away an opportunity to progress in the FA Trophy by conceding two sloppy goals in the first five minutes of the second half. Although the 4-1 score line was harsh on the visitors, the bottom line was that Grays took their chances whereas the visitors squandered a number of good situations.
Perhaps kicking off at 1pm on Sunday did not suit Merstham, because they began the game lethargically and were lucky not to be a goal down in the opening few minutes when a shot by Grays' Osude hit the foot of the post with Mo Otuyo well beaten. The game was end-to-end in the opening exchanges and Lorenzo Lewis had a great chance to put the Moatsiders in front on 6', but he fired his shot into the side netting from 10 yards. A minute later, Grays should have scored when Watts blasted the ball over the bar when all alone 12 yards out. It wasn't a great surprise when Grays took the lead on 12' when Watts hit a superb dipping volley from 30 yards out, which went over Otuyo and into the net. Merstham were giving the ball away with alarming regularity, but Grays defending was no better than the Moatsiders and there was always a glimmer of hope that the visitors could get back on terms. They did so on 23', when Lorenzo Lewis went down in the box after a Grays defender stuck a leg out as Lewis shaped to go past him. Given Merstham's lamentable record from the penalty spot this season, an equaliser was far from certain, but midfielder Charlie Greenwood coolly slotted the penalty past the keeper and the Moatsiders were back on terms. The game began to settle down and Merstham began to get a measure of control, although it took a fine save from Mo Otuyo on the stroke of half time to push away a close-range effort from Watts to ensure the game was all-square at the break.
The second half began disastrously for the visitors. On 48', a low cross from the right was half blocked and Jamal Abubakari, inside his 6 yard box decided to take a touch before clearing the ball, allowing Grays' Chukwu to charge the clearance down which bobbled into the net. Two minutes later, a free kick for Merstham just outside the Grays' box led to the visitors conceding another poor goal. Lewis' free kick was blocked and the ball hacked clear. From that point on it became a foot race as Grays' players sprinted forward in numbers, while Merstham were slow to recover. Merstham managed to avert the initial danger, but then gave the ball away in their final third. The ball was fed into the box from the left flank and Chukwu had time to receive the ball, swivel and fire it into the bottom corner. Although there was still plenty of time left, it felt like the contest was over. Merstham kept trying but all too often the quality needed in and around the box was sadly lacking. Grays rubbed salt into the wound on 72' when another Grays counterattack saw the Moatsiders shorthanded at the back and Gordon was allowed a clear run at goal before slotting it past Otuyo from 18 yards to make it 4-1.
Merstham: Otuyo, Alexiou, Reid, Abubakari (Kamara 77) Sankoh, Aziaya, Greenwood, Diallo (Sterling-Parker 73), Stewart, Hyman, Lewis (Bello 62).
Unused subs: Blackwood, Morris, Trah, Adeniyi.
Man of the Match: Charlie Greenwood
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Merstham 3-0 Hythe Town - Monday 12th September - Isuzu FA Trophy
Merstham finally got their first win of the season with a solid, all-round team performance in this FA Trophy First Qualifying Round game. Merstham manager Peter Adeniyi had used the previous week to revamp his squad, bringing in right-back Jordan Wilson from Kingstonian, centre-back Luke Read, who had made over 100 appearances for Carshalton in the previous four seasons and forward Stephane Trah from Chalfont St Peter. Both Wilson and Read went straight into the side, which showed five changes from last time out.
The Moatsiders began the game well, although Hythe came close in the opening minutes with a header that skimmed the bar from a long throw. But Merstham were moving the ball well and enjoying a lot of possession. With Byran Zepo back from injury, the forward line had a focal point, with Charlie Greenwood playing in a much more advanced position just behind Zepo to give him options. Reid settled in well in partnership with Michael Kamara and the shape of the team and pattern of play looked far more joined up than it had in previous weeks. Lorenzo Lewis was looking especially lively wide on the left and he opened the scoring in the fifteenth minute. It was a good Merstham move from back to front and Greenwood linked well with Zepo before laying it off to Lewis. Wide on the left, Lewis took a touch to go inside before hitting a low, hard drive from 25 yards. The Town keeper got a hand to it but was rather surprisingly beaten at his near post. But the Moatsiders didn't care as Lewis wheeled away to celebrate, chased by his teammates. On 24', Reid almost marked his debut with a goal when he slid in at the far post but from close range, he couldn't direct his effort and the ball flew over the bar. The Moatsiders were very much on top and looking capable of adding a second. That goal arrived on 26' and what a goal it was! Lewis played a defence-splitting pass to Greenwood who was brought down crudely by a Town defender just outside the box. On another day, Town's Fregene might have seen red, but the referee brandished a yellow instead. Lewis took the free kick and smashed it past the keeper, who was beaten by sheer power, to put the Moatsiders two up. Town had a good chance to reduce the arrears when Steventon had a free header from a corner, but he failed to hit the target. Just before the interval Greenwood had a chance to extend the lead with a close-range header, but he couldn't get over the ball and it ended up as a comfortable save for the keeper. But no-one could deny that the Moatsiders weren't full value for their two goal lead at half-time.
Hythe made a change at half-time, bringing on Gray at the back and switching to 3-5-2. They looked much better for it and the midfield, which the Moatsiders had dominated in the opening forty-five minutes, was far more competitive. On 50', it took a great block by Wilson to deny Collin on a swift counterattack. A few minutes later, Town's Goldsmith hit one from 30 yards that skimmed the bar. Hythe had plenty of possession, but really failed to test Mo Otuyo, who had a comfortable evening. Reid and Kamara looked dominant at the back and Hythe's only real threat came from set pieces. The Moatsiders continued to look dangerous whenever they came forward. The game was becoming very stretched which probably suited Hythe more than Merstham, who weren't content to sit back and defend. Greenwood went close on 68' with a shot from the edge of the box and minutes later, Zepo was agonisingly close to prodding the ball home as it flashed across the six-yard box. On 78' a mazy run by Alpha Diallo left several blue shirts in his wake as he ghosted past them. But his finish just lacked power and the Town keeper managed to get a foot to it and keep the ball out. A minute later, Diallo had an even better chance when he was all alone ten yards out. But his shot was superbly saved by Lee-Wharton low to his left. The Moatsiders had a great chance to wrap it up on 87' when Zepo did well to hold the ball up. For some reason, Steventon first grabbed him, then hauled him down and the referee pointed to the spot. Any Merstham supporter will tell you that this season has been a tale of missed penalties. That trend continued as Zepo hit the spot kick wide. But as the game went into added time, another Merstham counterattack found Diallo alone in the box. He took his time, drew a defender and then laid it off to Zepo, who looked like he must score, but his shot was cleared off the line by a covering defender. The ball broke to sub Malakai Hyman, who blasted it home from 12 yards to put the icing on the cake.
Merstham: Otuyo, Wilson, Kamara, Reid, Sankoh, Adeniyi (Blackwood 71), Aziaya, Greenwood, (Hyman 73), Diallo, Hyman, Lewis (Tray 70').
Unused subs: Ringer, Alexiou, Abubakari, Morris.
Man of the Match: Luke Reid
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Merstham 1-2 South Park - Monday 29th August - Isthmian League
Merstham made it a miserable Bank Holiday weekend with their second loss in three days, but they will be wondering how they lost a game that they dominated for 65 minutes. Although it was a far better performance than at Binfield, the Moatsiders missed too many chances and in the end individual mistakes cost them dear.
The Merstham line up showed four changes to the side that started at Binfield, with Mo Otuyo making his debut in goal. The opening exchanges were relatively even, though as the half wore on, the Moatsiders began to enjoy a greater share of possession and started to look threatening. Both sides had some promising situations, but the final pass or, at times, simple decision-making was poor. Merstham became increasingly dominant in possession and on 38' they were rewarded with a penalty. Some nice one-touch passing between Lorenzo Lewis and Malachi Morris ended with Morris having his legs taken away in the box as he shaped to shoot. Morris dusted himself down and took the spot kick himself. The Moatsiders had missed their previous two penalties, so it wasn't a huge surprise when Park keeper Basey got a good hand to the spot kick and will possibly feel he should have done better with it as he palmed it into the net. But one nothing almost became two in first half added time, when a powerful shot from Lewis cannoned off the foot of the post with Basey well beaten. How the Moatsiders could have done with that extra cushion.
The second half was only 40 seconds old when Malakai Hyman had a great chance to extend the lead. He went through with only Basey to beat, but his tame finish was easily smothered by the keeper. Two minutes later, another good Merstham attack ended with Siao Blackwood prodding the ball just wide with only Basey to beat. South Park had a great chance to get back on terms on 56', but McGee blazed over the bar from 10 yards. Hyman had another gilt-edged chance when put through on goal with just Basey to beat. He lobbed the ball over the advancing keeper but didn't get enough on it and the ball was easily cleared. But the Moatsiders looked comfortable and in control of the game, that is until the 64th minute. With no apparent danger, Charlie Alexiou went to play it back to his keeper, but his pass was woefully under-hit and Park sub Quiasssaca latched onto it and slotted the ball past a stranded Otuyo. In a blink of an eye the game turned, and South Park raised their game by 20% as the confidence seeped out of the Moatsiders. Quiassaca then won the game for the visitors on 76' when hesitant defending allowed him to run at the back four and slot the ball past Otuyo.
Merstham: Otuyo, Alexiou, Kamara, Abubakari, Sankoh, Blackwood, Aziaya (Greenwood 85), Morris (Sterling Parker 69') Diallo, Hyman, Lewis (Adeniyi 79').
Unused subs: Ringer
Man of the Match: Lorenzo Lewis
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Binfield 4-0 Merstham - Saturday 27th August - Isthmian League
Binfield cruised to a comfortable and deserved win, but Merstham made it easy for the Moles with a very poor performance.
Merstham began brightly and were on top for the first ten minutes, creating a couple of half chances. It wasn't easy to play football on a very poor surface but that was the same for both sides. The first half was relatively even until Binfield opened the scoring on 31'. A long ball over the top turned the Merstham defence and they were still all at sea when Harvey Harry's scuffed shot deflected past Joe Ringer into the corner of the net. A minute before the break, Jamal Abubakari needlessly tried to win out by the corner flag. That allowed Harry to get past him and into the box. Abubakari then compounded his initial mistake by bringing down the Moles striker from behind. Liam Tack converted the penalty to make it 2-0 at the break.
The second half was just ten minutes old when Merstham were handed a great chance to get back in the game. Raheem Sterling-Parker was needlessly fouled by Morgan as he dribbled into the box. Sterling-Parker took the spot kick himself, but it was a very poor effort and Moles keeper Grace saved comfortably with his legs. That knocked the stuffing out of the Moatsiders. On 74' a cross from Denton from wide on the right eluded everyone, including Ringer and went straight in to the far corner to make it 3-0 . In added time, Binfield rubbed salt into the wound when Efedje's near post finish made it four.
Merstham: Ringer, Alexiou, Kamara, Dacosta (Morris 45), Sankoh, Abubakari, Blackwood, Greenwood (Da Silva 45) Diallo, Hyman, Sterling-Parker (Lewis 75').
Unused subs: Adeniyi, Aziaya, Lewis
Man of the Match: Alpha Diallo
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Sevenoaks Town 2-0 Merstham - Wednesday 24th August - Emirates FA Cup
Merstham bowed out of the FA Cup and paid the price for failing to take their chances in the first game, as Sevenoaks progressed to the next round with a fairly comfortable win. Two goals in three first half minutes were enough to put Sevenoaks through and although the Moatsiders produced a spirited second half display, Town keeper McCarthy didn't have a shot on target to deal with. Injuries to both Ore Bello and Bryan Zepo picked up on Saturday forced Merstham boss Peter Adeniyi into two changes, with Morris and Abubakari coming into the side. Adeniyi also switched to a back three, with Abubakari coming in on the right alongside Kamara and Dacosta.
To say that the Moatsiders were poor in the first half is probably being a little kind. Sevenoaks were a yard quicker and won every challenge on the ground and in the air. In football terms, it looked as though they wanted it more. Joe Ringer was tested by a stinging shot at his near post from Hector as early as the third minute, which the Merstham keeper pushed behind for a corner. Hector was a constant menace and kept finding a pocket on space between the back three and Aziaya and Blackwood in midfield. Gondoh was running the show for Town and his shot on 20' went narrowly wide. For the opening 25 minutes, Merstham saw little of the ball as they were penned in their own half and when they did gain possession, they gave it back all to easily. Just when it felt as though Merstham were gaining a foothold in the game, they conceded a truly dreadful goal on 34'. It began with a free-kick to the Moatsiders deep in Town's half on the right side. A very poor delivery didn't clear the first man and it was headed comfortably clear. Town had proved several times how quickly they turn defence into attack and did so once again. Ringer came well out of his goal to deal with a through ball, and he had plenty of time to clear it. But the Merstham keeper scuffed his clearance which went straight to Hector on the halfway line. With Ringer stranded 40 yards from his goal most expected Hector to take a pot at the goal, but he elected to play it wide to Gondoh on the right. He cut in, drew Ringer and unselfishly squared it to Bamba to tap into an empty net. A few minutes later, Sevenoaks showed the Moatsiders how to take a free kick. From wide on the left, the ball was beautifully flighted in by Wilson and Olurunnisomo bundled it across the line on 37'. It was hard to argue that Town weren't good value for their 2-0 lead at the interval.
Merstham boss Peter Adeniyi made two changes at half time, taking off Morris and Aziaya and replacing them with Charlie Greenwood and Malakai Hyman, who went up front. But the whole side came out with a different level of energy and commitment and looked so much better for it. That said, it was Sevenoaks who almost extended their lead as twice in the opening ten minutes of the half Ringer stood up well to block shots from first Gondoh and then Hector who were both through on goal. But Merstham were having more of the ball and looking threatening too for the first time in the game. Raheem Sterling-Parker had a great chance to pull one back on 57' but blazed over the bar from just inside the box. Ringer produced another fine save low to his left to keep out a skimmer from Mensah that was heading for the bottom corner. On 71', Merstham came close to pulling one back after great work from Greenwood wide on the left and Alexiou, arriving late at the far post could only stab the ball wide at full stretch. That was really as close at the Moatsiders got. They enjoyed plenty of possession in the final 15 minutes but couldn't create anything of note and Sevenoaks were happy to sit deep and defend in numbers.
Merstham: Ringer, Alexiou, Kamara, Dacosta, Sankoh, Abubakari, Blackwood, Aziaya (Greenwood 45) Diallo, Morris (Hyman 45), Sterling-Parker (Lewis 75').
Unused subs: Adeniyi.
Man of the Match: Charlie Alexiou
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Merstham 1-1 Sevenoaks Town- Saturday 20th August - Emirates FA Cup
Merstham could and probably should be in the draw for the next round of the FA Cup. A missed penalty with fifteen minutes remaining was the clearest opportunity, but the Moatsiders also spurned a couple of gilt-edged chances in the final minutes of a highly entertaining cup-tie. On the plus side, it was a much-improved performance from Peter Adeniyi's young team and there were signs that the new-look side is starting to gel.
The match was end-to-end from the start, but both defences looked solid, and the two keepers were well-protected, although Joe Ringer did have to push away a speculative effort from ex-Moatsider Dan Hector in the fourth minute. The game was ignited by a cracking goal from Mertsham left back Aziz Sankoh on 24'. A long throw by Michael Kamara was only half-cleared, and the ball dropped to Aziz on the edge of the box who hammered it into the far corner. Town had a chance to test Ringer on 31', but an incisive burst by Olarunnisomo ended with a complete miskick when only 12 yards out. Just before the break, another Merstham corner almost led to a second goal. The corner wasn't dealt with, and Charlie Alexiou's close range effort was blocked by Town keeper McCarthy. The ball again ran free to Sankoh on the edge of the box, but this time his shot went straight at McCarthy. There was still time for Ore Bello to rob a Town defender, but he dragged his shot wide.
Sevenoaks responded by making two changes at the interval and started the second half strongly as Gondoh began to pull the strings in midfield. They drew level on 50' when the Moatsiders got caught in transition. Town sprang forward and with the home side trying desperately to get back, Sevenoaks left-back Duru cut inside his man before curling the ball into the far corner of Ringer's net. It was an excellent finish to put the visitors back on terms. For the next 10-15 minutes, it was Sevenoaks who were on top and looking the more likely to grab a second. But the Moatsiders dug deep, defended well and weathered the storm. As the game entered the final 20 minutes, it was Merstham who looked the stronger and began to ask questions of the Town defence, with Bryan Zepo proving a handful. It was Zepo's burst into the box on 28' that caused panic in the Town defence. The ball was taken off Zepo's toes as he went to shoot but ran to Bello. A lunge by a Town defender appeared to take the Merstham man's legs and referee Josh Langley-Fineing, who had an excellent match, immediately pointed to the spot. With Merstham's nominated penalty taker Raheem Sterling-Parker having already been substituted, skipper Michael Kamara placed the ball on the spot. Kamara opted for power rather than guile, but his effort cannoned against the underside of the bar and was scrambled clear. But that didn't deter the Moatsiders as they continued to push for a winner. Lorenzo Lewis was desperately unlucky when his superb strike from 20 yards was arrowing into the top corner before McCarthy produced a world-class save to tip the ball over the bar. Diallo was then denied by a superb block by Weaire with five minutes left. A series of corners saw a ball glanced on at the near post and ran straight through the six-yard box without an amber shirt able to turn it into an empty net. As the game went into six minutes of added time, an awful header by a Town defender put Lewis through on goal with just the keeper to beat, but his tame effort was comfortably saved by McCarthy
The Moatsiders must now travel to Sevenoaks for the replay on Wednesday evening at 7.30pm.
Merstham: Ringer, Alexiou, Kamara, Dacosta, Sankoh, Blackwood, Aziaya (Greenwood 90) Diallo, Bello (Hyman 77), Sterling-Parker (Lewis 64'), Zepo.
Unused subs: Adeniyi, Abubakari, Morris
Man of the Match: Aziz Sankoh
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Tooting & Mitcham Utd 0-0 Merstham- Tuesday 16th August - Isthmian League
Merstham picked up their first point of the season and almost snatched all three when Lorenzo Lewis hit the bar in the 90th minute. But it was an instantly forgettable encounter, which was high on endeavour, but low on quality.
Resplendent in their new grey and black away strip, manager Peter Adeniyi made four changes to the side that lost at home to Southall, with Sankoh, Sterling-Parker, Diallo and Morris all starting. It was Tooting who came closest to scoring on 10', when Mbango's cross shot went inches wide. Those behind the goal confirmed that keeper Joe Ringer got fingertips to the ball, and although the match officials gave a goal kick, it really was a fine save by the Merstham keeper. But that was as good as it got in terms of any real excitement in a poor opening forty-five minutes. Both sides treated the ball as if it were a hot potato and all too often the ball was launched forward more in hope than expectation. Both sides worked hard and no-one could fault the effort, but it was rare that either side strung more than a couple of passes together in their opponent's half before surrendering possession. The closest Merstham came to troubling the Tooting keeper was a Dacosta header that went narrowly over the bar ten minutes before the break.
The second half was a carbon-copy of the first, with possession given away cheaply and misplaced passes the order of the day. But in the final twenty minutes, the momentum of the game started to shift as the Moatsiders began to gain the ascendancy. They looked fitter and stronger than the home side and suddenly space, that had been at a premium all evening, started to appear in the Tooting half of the pitch. On several occasions the ball was fizzed into the Tooting box, but although the Moatsiders had plenty of players in and around the area, it wouldn't quite drop to a man in grey and black. It was generally a case of 'almost but not quite' as Merstham tried to fashion an opportunity. As the game entered the final minute, a good Merstham move on the left flank found Lorenzo Lewis in the box. The forward let the ball run across him before unleashing a powerful, right-footed drive which smacked against the angle of post and bar with the keeper well beaten. But over the ninety minutes, a draw was a fair result. Merstham's attention now turns to the FA Cup with a home tie against Sevenoaks Town on Saturday.
Merstham: Ringer, Alexiou, Kamara, Dacosta (Abubakari 79'), Sankoh, Blackwood, Aziaya, Diallo, Morris (Bello 86') Sterling-Parker (Lewis 67'), Zepo.
Unused subs: Adeniyi, Hyman
Man of the Match; Michael Kamara
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Merstham 1-2 Southall - Saturday 13th August - Isthmian League
On a blistering hot afternoon, more suited to cricket than football, Merstham began their campaign in the Isthmian South Central with a disappointing performance. They were beaten by two free kicks, but there is no question that the visitors deserved the three points. A brand-new side will no doubt take several games to gel, but there were very few individual performances of note, except for the introduction of Raheem Sterling-Parker from the bench, who galvanised a lack-lustre display.
Southall started by far the better. They almost went ahead on 9', when a shot from Heneghan crashed against the underside of the bar and bounced down on the line, before being hooked clear. It is fortunate that goal line technology is not available at this level, as it looked very close to being over the line. But by the 15th minute, the visitors were in charge, and it was no great surprise when they took the lead on 19'. A free kick was needlessly conceded 25 yards out. Heneghan bent the ball around the wall on the side they were meant to be covering and into the bottom corner. Questions must be asked about how the wall was lined up to go in like that. The Merstham faithful might have hoped for a response, but there really wasn't one. The Moatsiders seemed content to play the ball sideways and backwards without really trying to break the lines. After a while, patience ran out and a long diagonal ball was hit from back to front, but all too often it went out of play or straight to the Southall keeper, who was time wasting from the 20th minute, aided and abetted by a referee who seemed to believe that the ball being in play was somewhat of an inconvenience and took minutes getting the game restarted. If anyone deserved a yellow card for time-wasting, it was the match official. Aside from wasting time, the Southall keeper didn't have a shot to save in the opening 45 minutes. Joe Ringer in the Merstham goal wasn't overly busy either, but he had to palm away a shot from Mark on 38'. With five minutes of the half remaining, Merstham conceded another free kick in almost an identical position to the first goal. Once again Heneghan lined it up. This time he curled a superb shot over Ringer's grasping fingers into the top corner to make it 2-0 at the interval.
Peter Adeniyi brought on Malachi Morris up front at half time, but the game quickly settled into a familiar pattern of both defences largely on top. Undoubtedly conditions didn't help, but the Moatsiders build up was too slow and didn't really move a well-organised Southall defence around enough to create space. The pattern didn't really change until the 55th minute, with the introduction of Raheem Sterling-Parker. From his arrival on the pitch, he created problems for the visitors with his ability to hold the ball and link play up. He also was unafraid to turn and run at tiring defenders. A free kick won by Sterling-Parker was floated into the far post on 65' and Charlie Alexiou will wonder how he missed the target from close range. With seven minutes remaining, Taylor bundled needlessly into the back of Bryan Zepo and the referee pointed to the spot. It took the best part of 3 minutes to actually take the spot kick as the Southall players had undoubtedly some pleasant conversations with the match official. Eventually, Sterling-Parker stepped up to calmly convert the penalty on 40'. That led to a nervy last 10 minutes for the visitors, but the Moatsiders were unable to carve out a clear-cut chance to try and snatch a point.
Merstham: Ringer, Hyman, Alexiou, Kamara, Dacosta, Adeniyi (Diallo 83'), Blackwood, Aziaya (Morris 45'), Lewis (Sterling-Parker 55'), Bello, Zepo.
Unused subs: Sankoh, Abubakari
Man of the Match: Raheem Sterling-Parker
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Merstham 2-3 Reading XI - Saturday 23rd July - Pre-Season Friendly
As the centrepiece of the Merstham Community Day, the players of both sides produced an entertaining and free-flowing game, which could have gone either way. The Moatsiders battled back from two down to pull it back to 2-2, before Reading grabbed the winner with 15 minutes left.
Merstham had a great chance to go in front as early as the fourth minute. A ball over the top of the Reading defence saw the Reading keeper and Raheem Sterling-Parker in a race for the ball near the edge of the box. The Merstham striker got there first and nodded the ball past the stranded keeper, but a covering defender hooked it off the line. However, the referee had seen the keeper clatter into Sterling-Parker and pointed to the spot. Lorenzo Lewis stepped up to take the spot kick, but his well-struck effort smacked against the inside of the post and was cleared to safety. Both sides were playing some neat, attractive football and the home side didn't look out of their depth at all. Like many sides, Merstham like to play out from the back, but that always brings with it an element of risk. On 25', Merstham keeper Joe Ringer delayed his clearance fractionally longer than he should have done, as he was closed down by a Royals forward and the ball rebounded off the Reading player into the corner of the net to make it 1-0. With five minutes remaining of the first half, Reading added a second with a beautifully worked move. A series of one-touch passes was neatly finished off by Reading's centre-forward as he slid the ball past Ringer. But on the stroke of half time, the Moatsiders pulled one back when a cross from the right was turned in at the near post to make it 2-1 at the break.
The second half started as the first half did with Sterling-Parker in a race for a through ball with the Reading keeper. This time the Merstham forward finished with aplomb as he lobbed the ball over the keeper to make it 2-2 on 47'. The Moatsiders almost took the lead on the hour, but a goal bound effort that beat the keeper was cleared off the line. The Royals won the game with a carbon copy of Merstham's first goal. Good work down the right side led to a low, near-post cross that was turned in from close range on 75'. But the Moatsiders will have been pleased with their performance as they matched Reading throughout the game for fitness, work rate and quality on the ball.