Big day next Saturday 6th August

[wingooner]

Come down to the Charters Community Stadium for our 1st game in the Southern Premier South

[optimist]

I feel someone ought to write something about the Poole match.

I'm sure many of us were a little apprehensive about how the new-look side (with only 5 starters from last season) would fare against the big boys from Poole. We needn't have worried. Although Poole put in a generally strong performance and deserved to win, we were by no means outplayed and the 3-0 result doesn't tell the whole story. One of their goals was a bit lucky when it rebounded off one of our players, we hit the post in the first half and missed two almost open goals in the second half. Apart from having to make one good save, Charlie Philpott didn't really have a lot to do. All in all a positive start with the new look team no doubt needing time to gel and some lessons learned for the future. The next 2 games (Harrow Borough and North Leigh away) should give a better feel for how competitive we are going to be in this league. Difficult to pick out a player but I thought I K Hill has grown a lot stronger whilst he has been away and put in a skilful performance before he was injured and taken off in the second half.

A reasonable crowd bearing in mind the holiday season, enlivened by a lovely bunch of singing and chanting Merthyr Town supporters who disembarked in Winchester after their team coach had broken down on the way to their match at Gosport.

All in all a very positive start in my opinion and great credit to the manager in having put together such a strong team in difficult circumstances.