Adam Marriott’s four-goal salvo sent Merthyr Town crashing to EvoStik Southern League defeat against Royston Town in Hertfordshire.
A year ago Marriott was playing for Lincoln City against Arsenal in front of 60,000 spectators at the Emirates Stadium when Oliver Giroud, Aaron Ramsey and Alexis Sanchez were among the scorers.
The Gunners won the FA Cup tie 5-0, while Marriott opted to leave full-time football over last summer and signed for Royston.
He has netted 22 goals this season and led his Royston team to a 5-1 Premier Division win against the Martyrs in front of a 181 attendance.
Marriott was part of a Lincoln side who won the Vanarama National League title last season and earned promotion to the Football League, but turned down the offer of a new contract.
“I have no regrets, I just want to play as much as I can,” says Marriott. “I’m only 26 and need to play as much I can. It was a great season with Lincoln and I played a bit, but I need to be playing matches and get my name out there.
“I’ll keep scoring goals and we’ll see what happens.”
Marriott scored four goals in eight starts and 17 substitute appearances for Lincoln, but felt he would play far more regularly for Royston.
Merthyr fielded a young team at Royston and were missing senior players including goalkeeper Oliver Davies and top goalscorer Ian Traylor.
There were more problems with the team coach caught up in heavy traffic because of a road accident ahead of them and the kick-off was delayed until 8.15pm.
The Martyrs started well and after 30 minutes the score was 1-1, but Royston gained the upper hand and ran out winners.
Owain Jones scored Merthyr’s goal from a penalty after 25 minutes.
Marriott had fired Royston ahead during the first half and he then netted three times in six minutes – after 79, 83 and 85 minutes.
Adam Murray scored for the home team on the half hour, a goal which put Royston 2-1 ahead at the time.
The next match for Merthyr is against St Neots at home on Saturday, March 17 (3pm).
Royston: Tibbetts, Scott-Morriss, Chappell, Bridges, Murray, Brathwaite, Castiglione, Corcoran, Marriott, Thomas, Gordon, Royston. Subs: Asafu-Adjaye, Alomenu, Hankins, Powell, Taylor.
Merthyr Town: Hewitson, Franklin, John, Reddy, Dima, Harris, Price, Hobakken, Jones, Morgan, Mahagan.
EvoStik Southern League Premier Division
Merthyr Town remaining fixtures 2017-18
March
Saturday 17 v St Neots Town H
Saturday 24 v Biggleswade Town A
Saturday 31 v Bishops Stortford A
April
Monday 2 v Frome Town H
Saturday 7 v King’s Lynn Town A
Tuesday 10 v Chesham United H
Saturday 14 v Kings Langley H
Saturday 21 v Banbury United A
Saturday 28 v Redditch United H
The Martyrs have five hime fixtures left this season. Admission is £10 adults. while concessions pay £8 (Over 65, Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County season ticket holders).
Merthyr RFC season ticket holders pay £5 and under 16’s £1
Premier Division top scorers: 1 Brandon Goodship (Weymouth) 28 (including 3 penalties); 2 John Mills 25 (6); 3 Adam Marriott (Royston Town) 22 (4); 4 Aaron O’Connor (Kettering Town) 19 (0); 5 Ian Traylor (Merthyr Town) 19 (1); 6 Levi Landricombe (Tiverton Town) 19 (1); 7 Jefferson Louis (Chesham United) 18 (3); 8 Matthew Stevens (Kettering Town) 17 (1); 9 James Dobson (Slough Town) 16 (0); 10 Christopher Flood (Slough Town) 15 (1); 11 Jamie Cureton (Bishops Stortford) 15 (1); 12 Samuel Smart (Basingstoke Town) 15 (0).
EvoStik Southern League
Premier Division
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | Hereford | 35 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 26 | 5 | 4 | 86 | 28 | 58 | 83 |
| 2. | King’s Lynn Town | 37 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 24 | 7 | 6 | 80 | 31 | 49 | 79 |
| 3. | Weymouth | 37 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 6 | 8 | 80 | 42 | 38 | 75 |
| 4. | Kettering Town | 34 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 82 | 39 | 43 | 70 |
| 5. | Slough Town | 32 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 7 | 6 | 76 | 37 | 39 | 64 |
| 6. | Chesham United | 37 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 11 | 9 | 74 | 44 | 30 | 62 |
| 7. | Royston Town | 34 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 19 | 4 | 11 | 67 | 46 | 21 | 61 |
| 8. | Tiverton Town | 35 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 19 | 2 | 14 | 58 | 53 | 5 | 59 |
| 9. | Banbury United | 37 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 75 | 49 | 26 | 58 |
| 10. | Basingstoke Town | 36 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 7 | 14 | 71 | 54 | 17 | 52 |
| 11. | Hitchin Town | 35 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 51 | 50 | 1 | 50 |
| 12. | Frome Town | 34 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 5 | 14 | 65 | 66 | -1 | 50 |
| 13. | St Neots Town | 37 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 61 | 65 | -4 | 50 |
| 14. | Stratford Town | 35 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 13 | 53 | 55 | -2 | 48 |
| 15. | Farnborough | 37 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 5 | 18 | 70 | 90 | -20 | 47 |
| 16. | Redditch United | 36 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 60 | 57 | 3 | 45 |
| 17. | Merthyr Town | 37 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 61 | 80 | -19 | 44 |
| 18. | Biggleswade Town | 35 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 16 | 39 | 42 | -3 | 43 |
| 19. | Bishop’s Stortford | 36 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 7 | 17 | 56 | 64 | -8 | 43 |
| 20. | Dorchester Town | 37 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 18 | 54 | 72 | -18 | 39 |
| 21. | Kings Langley | 37 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 19 | 44 | 77 | -33 | 30 |
| 22. | St Ives Town | 33 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 21 | 43 | 78 | -35 | 24 |
| 23. | Dunstable Town | 37 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 30 | 24 | 119 | -95 | 13 |
| 24. | Gosport Borough | 36 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 31 | 24 | 116 | -92 | 9 |
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