Tuesday 19 October 2004 - Twerton Park - kick off 7.45pm Southern League Premier Division

With Bobby Ford failing to overcome his leg injury the only change to the side that made FA Cup progress three days earlier was fit-again Matt Coupe replacing Sam Bailey. Both sides began brightly although it was City who looked more threatening in the opening stages. Graeme Power’s deflected shot was well saved by Morris and then Alex Sykes brought another stop out of the keeper. The visitors seemed content to defend in numbers and break with pace and on several occasions this approach had City’s rearguard struggling to cope. However, Paul Evans was not called into serious action and with 25 minutes gone City should have taken the lead. Scott Partridge latched onto Steve Jones’ ball forward and picked out Sykes at the far post. Unmarked, he only had Morris to beat but fired a shot straight at the keeper legs. In response the dangerous Shephard was allowed too much space in the City box only for Evans to parry his shot. Steins looked certain to turn the rebound home but slipped at the vital moment. Partridge then shot straight at Morris and Bale’s long range effort flew narrowly side. Stein also failed to take advantage of far post cross that deceived Power, while Evans produced another good stop from Shephard’s shot. Just before the interval the visitors were grateful to their keeper as he somehow blocked Jones’ close range header from a Sykes corner, although their was a suggestion that he was helped Williams’ hand.

This lucky break for Merthyr was even more crucial as they took the lead within 90 seconds of the interval. Keddle was allowed to advance on goal after collecting the ball on the halfway line and when a challenge finally came in from Mike Trought he easily skipped past it and drilled a low shot into the net that seemed to catch Evans slightly flat-footed. Understandably Merthyr were now even more determined to stifle City’s attack and time and again Partidge and Williams found themselves surrounded by three red-clad defenders. Jimmy Benefield did manage to create sufficient space to force another flying save out of Morris just past the hour mark. Twenty minutes from time Williams was replaced by Steve Tweddle and then Reinier Moor came on for Benefield but these changes failed to shake City loose from the stranglehold Merthyr had on the game. Shephard had wasted two good chances but with fifteen minutes remaining he made no mistake, blasting a shot past Evans into the roof of the net. Seven minutes from time City almost found a way back into the game. Another Jones header looked goalbound only for Morris to keep it out. When Partridge could only stab the rebound wide it was clear that it was not going to be City’s night and that what luck they had against the Martyrs had been completed used up in the first meeting.