HARTLEY Wintney lost out by the odd goal in five as home side Merthyr Town scored three goals in five minutes at Penydarren Park, writes TYLER HOUSE.

The visitors took the lead midway through the first half with Ty Smith’s penalty, but Merthyr responded with three quick fire goals to lead at half time.

Row substitute Jack Ball capitalised on a defensive error to reduce the deficit in the second half, but Merthyr held on to secure all three points, lifting them to 10th in the table, while Hartley drop to 17th.

Hartley created chances early on in the match, with Josh Webb firing off target and debutant Joe Grant seeing his effort blocked.

Smith then went the closest to opening the scoring when his long distance shot was tipped over by Merthyr goalkeeper Alex Harris in the 30th minute.

Three minutes later, Sal Abubakar found Nathan Smart on the right, who won Hartley a penalty when his cross was blocked in the box by the arm of Merthyr’s Ben Swallow. The penalty was scored by Smith, who smashed the ball in confidently.

Merthyr responded well after going behind and a corner from Swallow in the 37th minute found defender Ismail Yakubu, who headed in the equaliser.

Two minutes later, the hosts broke forward again and when Smart was adjudged to have tripped an opponent from behind, the Martyrs had their own penalty, dispatched by Gethyn Hill to put the home side ahead.

The hosts then added a third goal in the 42nd minute when Kieran Lewis played in Ian Traylor who, despite Hartley appeals, was ruled onside and coolly slotted past goalkeeper Luke Williams.

Traylor had two more chances early in the second half but put both wide, before Hartley took control of the game.

In the 58th minute, Ball replaced Mickel Platt, allowing Shane Hollamby to join the Hartley attack.

The Row then pulled a goal back from Smith’s free kick in the 63rd minute, when Harris collided with his defender, allowing Ball the opportunity to lift the ball over the home keeper to score.

Two minutes later, Abubakar curled in a shot from the left that produced an excellent reflex stop from Harris.

In the 71st minute, Hartley went close to equalising again but Louie Paget’s 30-yard effort hit the crossbar and went for a goal kick.

The Row continued to push for an equaliser and Webb shot just wide in the 83rd minute.

A late set piece from Smith then found Hollamby, who flicked the ball on towards Grant, but Merthyr were awarded a free kick for a handball.

The Martyrs hit the crossbar in injury time with a shot from substitute Ryan Prosser, before Hartley’s final chance was put wide by Smart.

After the match, Hartley manager Anthony Millerick said: “We were the better side going forward and played much better than last week. The first goal we conceded was soft and it was unlike us to defend like that from a set piece. After that, it was a combination of our own defending and the officiating.

“I was pleased with our second half. I said at half time that we had to get ourselves on the front foot and we did just that. Merthyr still had chances and that was down to some mistakes, but we had to leave ourselves exposed to try and get a result.”.

“Joe Grant played excellently on his debut and will be a real asset for us.”

On Tuesday night, Hartley are in home action against Bashley in the Hampshire Senior Cup.