With both teams on the edge of the play-offs, this was always going to be a close
contest and so it proved, with one moment of magic from Mitchell Weiss enabling Kings
to take all three points. Dylan Switters was suspended, so Dean Hitchcock regained his
midfield position and Alex Tokarczyk passed a late fitness test, thus denying his
promising young deputy Ryan Schmid his debut in goal. He was joined on an
experienced and talented bench by Gary Connolly, Josh Coldicott-Stevens, Louie
Collier and new signing Lewis Putman. The first five minutes proved to be the most
exciting of the half as Tokarczyk was immediately called upon to produce a full length
save from Ashley Evans and when play switched to the other end, his opposite number
Lewis Webb blasted a clearance straight at the incoming Andronicos Georgiou, who
was just unable to steer the rebound home from a narrow angle. The remainder of the
half was a dour affair, with Kings unable to find their passing rhythm on a heavy pitch,
the Martyrs having slightly the better of the exchanges, but both sides cancelling each
other out as defences dominated.
The second period began in the same way, with Merthyr stepping up the pace and
looking more likely to break the deadlock. But then came the key moment as Dean
Hitchcock delivered a measured through ball into the path of Mitchell Weiss and the ace
striker shrugged off two defenders to beat Webb with an angled shot to the far side
netting that was almost a duplicate of his goal in the last match. The visitors brought on
the dangerous Ian Traylor, throwing everything at Kings and thinking that they had
equalised when a lofted cross produced a far post scramble, with Town claiming it had
crossed the line and officialdom disagreeing. As the minutes counted down and the
pressure mounted, the referee found an additional eight minutes of time added, but
Kings defence stood firm, limiting the number of clear chances to record a first time
victory over their rivals.