Andy Munns
Salisbury’s winning streak ended with them leaving South Wales feeling more than a little hard done by following a couple of referring decisions.
Having won seven games on the trot, Salisbury knew the run had to end, but not because of referring decisions that saw them lose 2-1 at Merthyr Town.
Merthyr are a good side, sitting fourth in the table for a good reason. They caused Salisbury plenty of problems and opened the scoring with a beauty of a strike.
Keiran Evans cut in from the right-hand side and curled a beauty into the top corner, leaving Josh Gould with no chance after 19 minutes.
Salisbury pushed back and started to create chances of their own, and they levelled on 39 minutes.
Aaron Simpson whipped The ball from the right-hand side following a quick free kick. Harry Williams rose and headed home from just outside the 6-yard box.
It didn’t take long for Merthyr to retake the lead when 3 minutes later, Thomas Handley skipped past a couple of White’s defenders on his way into the box and finished well.
The home side led at halftime after a good, entertaining first half.
The second half was a more subdued affair until Salisbury were denied a goal by the assistant referee’s flag.
Salisbury were about to celebrate at Dan Fitchett headed home on 75 minutes after good work from Josh Hedges, but the flag went up, which insensed the Salisbury players who rushed to protest.
Replays suggest that Fitchett was onside, and the goal should have stood, but this is non-league football, and there is no VAR.
Salisbury kept pushing, as has been their trade mark in their recent run, for a late goal, and it was Fitchett who again came closest, but his header was stopped on the line by Will Fuller in the Merthyr goal.
Salisbury’s trio of away games continue as they travel to Poole town for a 7:45 pm kick-off on Tuesday evening (5th December).
Feature Image: Andrew Palk
