Coming off one of our best victories in years against Gloucester midweek, confidence was high in the camp. Last season we beat Merthyr twice, and when we visited them we won 4-1. One of the scorers in that clash was Alex Barsa who would be playing today in his first game this season, following his return to the club last week.

During the first ten minutes of the game, both teams evenly shared possession, both playing a similar style of football and cancelling each other out. The first real opportunity came on the 17th minute with the ball pin-balling around yellow bodies inside the BORO’ box, allowing for John to latch onto a loose ball. Taking aim at goal but firing straight down the throat of Gosney.

The Hampshire-side came close five minutes later when a short corner was then looped in towards the far post. Chaos in the box gave Joe Morrison the chance to fire a header from close range at goal, hitting the crossbar before being cleared by the hosts.

Brad Tarbuck was looking to get his second in two games after seeing Cogman off his line. Trying to dink the keeper from distance, the effort came agonisingly close being a few inches too high of the net.

With ten minutes left of the half Smerdon strode down the left channel firing a cross into Jarvis, with the attacker glancing a header wide of Gosney’s left post.

Twamley was the next Martyr player to have a crack at goal. Right of the penalty box with a lot of time, the winger tried bending an effort past the Gosport defence. Good positioning from Gosney limited the attacker’s angle and in the end made for an easy save. With this effort the half-time whistle shortly followed:

Half-Time: Merthyr town 0-0 Gosport

Within a minute of the restart Gosport couldn’t have come much closer to breaking the deadlock. A ball went bouncing forward working its way perfectly onto the route of Stanley open in front of goal. Trying to putt a ball into the far corner, the striker’s effort went a whisker wide.

Ten minutes later former BORO’ player Alex John stretched to reach a cross, ending up launching a rocket over his former side’s crossbar.

Handley did have a late opportunity, taking an optimistic shot at goal. Sending a right-footed strike wide of Gosney’s post.

Gosport also had a late effort seeing Faniyan attempting to chip Cogman from close-range but the keeper made himself big making the initial block. Stanley on the follow up tried shooting a ball against the face of goal but unfortunately was straight at Cogman.

However the final chance of the game ended up being the best, falling to the hosts in the final kick of the game. In the ninth minute of added time Merthyr forced a late effort, winning a ball from Morrison. Top goalscorer Ricardo Rees from point-blank range somehow rifled wide in a near-scare for Gosport.

Full-Time: Merthyr town 0-0 Gosport

In the end both teams had great opportunities to win the game and felt like they could have stollen the three points, however this is still a huge point for both sides. Gosport will be looking to take this positive momentum when we travel to Wimborne midweek, so we’ll see you then. But final words from me: UP THE BORO!!!

Gosport Starting XI
Gosney, Kavanagh, Walsh-Smith, Morrison, Tarbuck, Murray, Hollands, Yearwood, Barsa, Wooden, Stanley

Subs
Faniyan, Cope, Lee, Agbeseyi

Picture by Jack Aldridge