Merthyr Saints 5-1 Canton Liberal: Saints shock title-chasing Libs with five-star performance
It was a day to forget for Canton Liberal as they suffered a crushing 5-1 defeat to Merthyr Saints on Saturday afternoon.
The Cardiff based side were able to boast the fourth best defence in the division, surprisingly conceded five to Saints at the ICI Rifle Field.
Liberal now fall five points behind league leaders Penydarren, having played five games more than the Merthyr side.
It was a cold afternoon at the ICI Playing Fields as Merthyr Saints were trying to make it two consecutive wins on the trot after a midweek win against Cardiff Corries meanwhile Canton Liberal were trying to bounce back after a recent loss to Ynyshir Albions.
The game started in a flyer as both sides were looking right up to the affair with some early aggressive tackles. But it was Merthyr Saints who found a foot hold in the game as they were winning the second balls that occurred and their individual battles all over the field.
It was the home side who struck first blood as striker Josh Toomey found the back off the net from a great shot which was fired past Canton goalkeeper Aaron Fettah into the bottom right corner.
Saints then meanwhile were pressing hard forcing the away side into making sloppy mistakes as they looked to add to their early lead. One half chance came just after as Luke Jones whipped in a high cross targeted at the back post and it then was Toomey again who got onto it but his header fell into the goalkeepers arms. Saints’ second came through no other than Toomey again who got on to a Craig James cross to finish side footed into the back of the net past goalkeeper Fettan.2-0 to the home side.
The second half brought much of the same as Saints began to dominate the early stages of the second period. Canton were eager to improve their first half performance but it got worse for the travelling side as Saints found their third of the game through midfielder Christopher Quinlan. The ball was cleared outwards by the Liberal defence to Quinlan who hit a volley with his weaker left foot that flew into the back of the Canton net.
Another goal for Merthyr Saints came shortly after through winger Richard Harris who composedly finished home past goalkeeper Fettah from a great delivery from Ashley Facey. Merthyr Saints were on fire at this point but it was Canton who pulled a goal back from midfielder Liam Pika who slotted home past Saints goalkeeper Jonathan Jones. The damage weren’t just finished as the home side got their fifth of the game. Matthew Saunders the scorer, who finished past Fettan to seal a shock win.
