Tuesday 18 January 2005 - Twerton Park - kick off 7.45pm Southern League Cup 3rd Round

In contrast to the Somerset Premier Cup defeat at Brislington where Owers fielded a team consisting almost entirely of youth team players, this time their involvement was confined to the bench although teenage first team squad players Ricky Hulbert and Yan Klukowski did made the starting line-up. Luke Corbett, back after being cup-tied for Saturday’s FA Trophy defeat against Canvey Island, partnered Hulbert up front, and Darren Hawkins made his first start since returning to the club for a third spell. The only real makeshift area of the team was in defence where Owers and Russell Milton occupied the full-back spots with Jim Rollo switching into the centre alongside Steve Jones. Completing the outfield line-up were Jimmy Benefield and Ben Cleverley in midfield. Despite this makeshift side City began the game brightly and were soon passing the ball around well on the increasingly worn looking Twerton Park surface. However, despite the pretty approach work the final pass or cross was lacking and, with former City star Jon Holloway outstanding at the back, Merthyr keeper Morris was rarely called into action. And even when City did get a clear sight of goal the final shot was weak or off target. The only exceptions to this were a great low cross from Benefield after 14 minutes that Morris just claimed ahead of Corbett and an Owers shot that crashed against the outside of the post on 29 minutes after a surging run through the Merthyr defence. At the other end Owers was called into defensive duty to deny Steins and twice Paul Evans claimed long range efforts with little difficulty.

The second half saw the Marthyrs exert a greater influence on the game although it was City who still looked the likely scorers. Fifteen minutes after the interval a dipping 25 yard effort by Owers forced Morris into a flying save and soon afterwards Owers was denied his first goal of the season by a goaline clearance. After these chances came and went the game entered a quiet spell and looked to be heading for extra-time and possibly penalties but with 13 minutes left the visitors grabbed the deciding goal. It came from nothing as Jones looked to have the danger covered but he allowed French to steal the ball away from him and his cross was fired home from ten yards out by Bale. This turned out to be Jones’ last involvement in the game as he was replaced by Josh Brigham and the youth team defender almost set up an equaliser with a couple of minutes left. He burst forward and cleverly lifted the ball over the Merthyr defence into the path of Corbett only for the loan striker to fail to make contact. Before the final whistle Merthyr were fortunate to finish with eleven men on the pitch. Keddle had already been booked for pushing Brigham and he then aimed a clear kick at Benefield while he was on the ground with the ball trapped beneath. Incredibly the referee only awarded a free-kick and Keddle was allowed to stay on the pitch.