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Merton Juniors beat Aldershot Town in an exciting high-scoring cup game despite turning in an embarrassingly bad defensive performance against a side who recently suffered two heavy defeats.  A poor opening ten minutes saw Merton go two goals down, and it could have been three but for a terrific headed goal-line clearance by Jamie Streat.  It took the 'Shots just two minutes to take the lead when a forward outpaced the Merton defence to pick up a long ball and shoot past the advancing keeper.  Nothing could be done about the Shots' second goal, when two minutes later a forward netted with a thunderous long range shot from the left wing.  The Shots' purple patch ended on 11 minutes when Merton scored in their first real attack.  A nice pass from George King played in Louis Barron-Pell who wrong-footed a defender before scoring with a low shot.  Three minutes later Eddie Lyne levelled the scores by controlling a Lewis West corner and then crashing in a fine shot.  The game was then fairly even, but it was Merton who went in front on 22 minutes.  A defender conceded a silly penalty with a blatant push on Jack Malin, and Jamie Streat calmly converted the spot kick.  It was now largely one-way traffic, and on 27 minutes Louis Barron-Pell ran onto a long ball and held off a couple of challenges before beating the keeper with a neat chip.  Merton added a fifth just before half-time when Eddie Lyne broke away down the left and crossed for Louis Barron-Pell to complete his hat-trick after rounding the keeper.

The hosts made a purposeful start to the second half by pulling a goal back within two minutes.  A long ball over the top unhinged the Merton defence and a forward sprinted clear and shot past Warren McCourt.  Two minutes later the 'Shots were picking the ball out of their net for the sixth time when George King finished from close range after Daniel Johnson flicked on an Eddie Lyne cross.  After 37 minutes Aldershot would have scored from a powerful free kick, but once again Jamie Streat made a sensational goal-line clearance by heading the ball upwards and against the angle of the goal.  Merton then pushed forward with more purpose about them and after two near misses from Daniel Johnson, a seventh goal arrived on 48 minutes when Eddie Lyne was on hand to apply the finishing touch to a Jack Malin cross.  Three minutes later it was 4-7 when the Merton defence was caught napping by a quickly-taken free kick that left Aldershot with an easy finish.  Seven minutes from time the 'Shots scored again when once again the dire Merton defence was unable to cope with the long ball over the top.  However, Merton were soon back down the other end and Jack Malin shot inches wide after very good play by Lewis West.  The last minute saw Jack Malin score a very scrappy goal after tussling with several opponents inside the Aldershot penalty area.

Reporter's man of the match:Jamie Streat

Team: Warren McCourt; Adam Marie, Jonathan Kehoe, Lewis West, Billy Kelly; George King, Jamie Streat, Daniel Johnson, Eddie Lyne; Jack Malin, Louis Barron-Pell. Sub: Spud Bradley.