A tightly contested fixture saw the league leaders return to winning ways as they collected all 3-points on the road at a Havant and Waterlooville side who were left to rue their missed chances.
The tie started out with both sides looking to stamp their authority on the game without giving too much away though it was the hosts who were seeing more of the ball.
A first talking point would come 13 minutes into the game as Leon Maloney would come together with Keiran Evans in the Merthyr area but the referee in a good position waved away the claims.
Continuing the positive spell, Havant continued to move the ball well and with purpose. The forwards combined as Ryan Seager clipped a ball forward for Callum Kealy to chase after, he got it under control before getting the strike away. A block came in from a Merthyr defender, sending it behind for a corner.
From that set-piece Laidlaw worked the ball into the area with Brendan Willson finding himself free. He rose high and from a couple yards out he could only direct his header over the crossbar with the goal gaping.
Just moments later Merthyr had given it away and Keane Anderson played a delightful ball forward into the path of Maloney. He beat Cogman to the ball and poked a looping effort towards goal. The recovery of Cole Jarvis saw him somehow scoop the ball off the line on the volley avoiding the Hawks bodies that were following it in.
Merthyr were limited to efforts from range as Livermore saw his effort fly over the bar as they looked to get a foothold in the game and create some opportunities to test Dudzinski.
HALF TIME – HAVANT AND WATERLOOVILLE 0-0 MERTHYR TOWN
The second half brought more of the same from a Havant point of view, working the ball and taking the game to Merthyr.
An opportunity well worked down the right hand side saw Stanley drive into space before feeding into Kealy. He intelligently flicked on to Seager who turned and struck at goal but once again Merthyr got the block in.
Dudzinski was called into action for the first time in the tie as Ricardo Rees attempted an audacious effort from range, a comfortable catch for the Hawks shot stopper in the end as Rees didn’t get as much behind it as he might’ve hoped.
Another chance would fall the way of Seager as once again he combined with Kealy. Falling backwards in the centre of the area as he looked to strike he didn’t get contact on the ball with Cogman able to make the stop in the end.
The breakthrough came for Merthyr as they delivered into the area, Stanley’s headed clearance only went as far as Aneurin Livermore who got the strike away just ahead of Atangana’s defensive attempts. The effort arrowed into the top corner, a brilliant strike to bag his first goal of the campaign for The Martyrs.
A reaction was needed and the Hawks set their sights on getting back level in the game. A pair of chances fell the way of Seokjae Lee just minutes apart. Seager got away from his man and set Stanley out wide, he delivered in and found Lee who struck first time but his effort went just the wrong side of the post. Minutes later Lee was again picked out in the area but a recovering sliding block cleared the ball off the line.
The best opportunity to pull square saw Lee swing a teasing ball into the area, Seager met the delivery but from close range could only pull the effort wide.
Merthyr managed the remainder of the tie well, becoming even more defensively solid limiting opportunities as still the Hawks would probe and push to find an equaliser which in the end they were unable to do.
The visitors took the points and the Hawks left scratching their heads as to how they’d managed to come away from the tie they’d created so many chances in empty handed.
FULL TIME – HAVANT AND WATERLOOVILLE 0-1 MERTHYR TOWN
Havant and Waterlooville: Dudzinski (GK), Stanley, Atangana, McNerney (C), Willson, Seager, Maloney, Kealy, Lee (Swann 83’), Anderson, Laidlaw
Unused Subs: Walker-Harris (GK), Tshaka, Goddard, Aston
Merthyr Town: Cogman (GK), Ryan-Phillips, Handley (C), Livermore, Jarvis, Thomas (Cox 88’), Simpson, Rees, Smerdon, Lucas, Evans (Sambu 73’)
Unused Subs: Whale (GK), Davies, Harris
Goals: Livermore 65’
Cautions: Livermore 40’, Rees 56’, Thomas 88’
Player of the Match: Seokjae Lee (selected by Goldcrest Cleaning Services)
Attendance: 769
Report By: Josh Verroken