Football: Battling Veterans give Splott a real scare

May 1 2008 by Our Correspondent, Merthyr Express

Splott Albion 1
Merthyr Veterans 1(Splott win 4-3 on aggregate)

A FINE display just failed to earn Merthyr a place in the final of the Wales Veterans Championships’ Super Vets Cup (Over-45s) as they went out 4-3 on aggregate.

Splott, with a goal advantage from the first leg of the semi-final played at Pentrebach, must have thought they were in for an easy passage through at Splott Park, with Neil Minett and Brian Sparkes sidelined through injury.

But Merthyr had other ideas.

In an effort to upset the strong Splott defence, Merthyr gambled with Mark Evans moving from full-back to centre forward with instant results. His fast and physical style of play set the tone for the day and the whole team responded to produce their best performance of the season after a lacklustre showing the previous Sunday.

With the wind at their backs, the visitors always looked more threatening in the first half.

But Splott's back four hung on with some fierce tackling and excellent aerial defence.

Both defences were solid and it was going to take something special to make the breakthrough.

Paul Fisher and Terry Collins were outstanding in the heart of the Merthyr defence before Collins sustained a nasty injury.

After half time Merthyr continued on top and it was no surprise when Richard Owen put them ahead and level on aggregate after a superb reverse pass from Minett who defied injury to come on as a substitute.

Five minutes later Evans ran on to a ball from the left edge of the area and crossed to Ashley Jones who looked like hitting the winner only for the ball to be deflected over the bar for a corner.

Paul Clark struck back, hitting the bar for Splott. Then when the game looked like going to penalties, up popped sweeper Terry Williams to beat ‘keeper Martin Lloyd to give Splott a meeting with Bryndeg, Swansea, in the final.

Merthyr really turned things around after the first meeting with everyone on top form with Neil Jones and Jeff Hill magnificent on the left.

Conditions were difficult on a bumpy pitch but the referee had a good game.

So the Merthyr Vets ended their season having enhanced their reputation as a successful and sporting club with hopes of greater things to come next season in the championship and FA Umbro Cup competition.

They had to pull out of the latter tournament this season as their scheduled home match with Herongate, Essex, clashed with the Splott encounter.

Sparkes, the former boss of Welsh League side Troedyrhiw, who sustained a serious ligament injury in the first game with Splott is uncertain whether he will play again.