| Date | Saturday 23rd September 2017 |
| Match | Merthyr Town v Royston Town |
| Competition | Evostik League South: Premier Division |
| Result | Lost 2-1 |
| Attendance |
413 |
| Royston Scorers | Scott Bridges |
| Crows MoM |
Joe Welch |
The Crows first ever visit to the Welsh Valleys ended in disappointment as Martyr’s skipper Ashley Evans scored twice to secure the points for the home side.
On a pristine 3G surface the crows struggled to get a foot hold in the game and the home side could quite easily taken an early lead as they carved out two good chances but were denied by Welch in the Crows goal. This proved to be the pattern of the game as the Martyrs Cameron Pring and Ian Traylor caused havoc down the left flank often creating 2 against 1 situations against the Crows right back Gus Scott-Morriss. Fortunately Welch in the Royston goal was in outstanding form and beating him was to prove more difficult than breaching the crows defence.
It wasn’t all one way traffic though, in the 13th minute Josh Oyinsan was picked out by a delightful cross from Lee Chappell but his header failed to test the home stopper Oliver Davies.
In the 31st minute and against the run of play, the Crows, opened the scoring when a long throw from Chappell was flicked on by Adam Murray and Scott Bridges followed in to score.
The lead was short lived as just 7 minutes later a floated cross from the left saw Evans rise highest at the far post to head home.
HT 1-1
Scott-Morriss was replaced at half time by Sam Ives hoping a change of personnel would quell the attacks but the situation did not improve and the Pring/Traylor combination continued to create chance after chance but fortunately for the Crows inept finished kept the scores level.
A tactical change saw Sam Corcoran replace Ryan Ingrey with skipper Scott Bridges pushed further forward and his driving runs caused problems almost immediately, in the 60th minute a through ball from Corcoran found Bridges but his lob over the advancing keeper rebounded off the crossbar. Four minutes later another driving run saw Bridges bundled over in the box and a penalty awarded. Bridges took the kick himself but his shot lacked his normal conviction and was easily saved by Davies in the Merthyr goal.
The home side movement continued to cause the crows problems and eventually they got their just reward when in the 84th minute a long punt created hesitation in the Crows defence and skipper Evans shot low and hard from the edge of the box to give the Martyrs the lead and with it the points.
FT 2-1
Royston: 1-Welch, 2- Scott-Morriss, (Ives) 3-Chappell, 4-Bridges, Scott (c), 5- Murray, 6- Asafu-Adjaye, 7-Potton (Bridges, Stuart), 8-Thomas, 9-Oyinsan, 10- Marriott, 11- Ingrey (Corcoran)
Unused Subs: 12-Powell, 16-Vasey
