Merthyr Town 3, St Neots Town 0

Merthyr Town stepped up their Southern League Premier Division play-offs challenge thanks to a comfortable home win against struggling St Neots Town.

Ian Traylor, Kayne McLaggon and substitute Eliot Richards scored the goals for the Martyrs, who now turn to their home clash with Cinderford Town at Penydarren Pak on Boxing Day (1pm).

They have scored 10 goals and conceded two in their last three matches, all at home, and earned seven points.

Their success against St Neots was as much of a routine victory as Merthyr are likely to enjoy this season and they climbed one place to fourth.

Visiting goalkeeper Alex Archer was outstanding and saved his team from a heavier defeat with a string of fines saves.

It was always going to take something special to unlock a well organised St Neots defence and Traylor produced it for the all important opener for Merthyr on 37 minutes with a superb individual effort.

Picking up the ball on the far touchline he produced a delightful piece of skill to drift past two defenders before skipping past another two before finding the bottom corner.

With it virtually all one way traffic Merthyr were only denied by the heroics of Archer, but even he was unable to stop Mclaggon’s stooping header following a fabulous ball into the box by Keyon Refell.

The third goal, which gave the scoreline a more realistic look, arrived on 83 minutes when Richards scored with a stinging drive from 25 yards.

Archer certainly did his best to keep it out, but even his touch couldn’t stop the ball finding the net.

Merthyr remain unbeaten at Penydarren Park and welcome Cinderford to their stadium on Boxing Day with an early kick-off.