Late Woe For Terrors At Merstham

Tooting will be the more disappointed of the two sides following this afternoon’s sharing of the spoils with Merstham having twice been in front in a closely fought contest between two evenly matched sides.

In a performance that was a vast improvement on Tuesday night’s showing, Tooting opened the half brightly with Mike Dixon returning to lead the line with Sandy Cunningham and Billy Dunn playing just behind him. Most of the first half pressure came from Tooting with their best effort being a Billy Dunn shot from just inside the area which was turned round the post for a corner by Chris Haigh getting down quickly, low to his right. Merstham looked at their most dangerous when breaking quickly, and shortly after Billy Dunn’s effort, did so down the Terrors’ right hand flank, forcing Kyle Merson into great save as he flung himself high to his left.

After a slow to start to the second half, which saw the woodwork come to Tooting’s rescue for the second time in the game, Tooting began to find their rhythm, and start to put Merstham on the back foot. After 57 minutes, Tooting won a corner following an attacking run into the box down the right hand side by Sandy Cunningham. The corner was swung in low by Peter Wedgeworth, somehow evading the head of Quincy Rowe on the edge of the six yard area, before being forced over the line from 4 yards out by Mike Dixon. Five minutes later Dixon could’ve doubled the lead as he broke forward down the left. As the keeper came out to close him down, Dixon curled the ball round him with his right instep, only to see his effort strike the post and run to safety. Merstham drew level though on 68 minutes when following a break down the left hand side a Merstham striker was clipped by Juevan Spencer as he cut into the box towards goal. Ryan Hall took the resultant penalty and despite Kyle Merson guessing right, Hall’s well struck spot kick was placed accurately in the far corner of the net. There was plenty more to come though as just three minutes later on 71 minutes, Tooting went in front for the second time. A free kick won just inside the Merstham half was quickly taken by Peter Wedgeworth, chipping the ball over the top of the Merstham back line where it was met by a perfectly timed run from Sandy Cunningham. As he ran clear and closed in on goal he flicked the ball past the advancing ‘keeper with the outside of his right boot and watched as the ball ran towards goal and over the line just inside the near post.

For the remainder of the half, Merstham pressed forward determinedly as Tooting fought hard to keep them at bay with Kyle Merson being called into action twice in quick succession to make good saves to keep the Terrors in front. However it wasn’t to be. With just three minutes of normal time remaining on the clock, Billy Dunn was caught in possession as he tried to dribble the ball across the front edge of his own penalty area. The ball was taken from him by Youssef Bamba who then fired a long range effort on goal which appeared to go under Kyle Merson’s outstretched left hand before hitting the back of the net to draw the home side level.

Photo credit: Sam Conquest

#TootingAndMitcham #Tooting #Merstham