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Merton reclaimed second spot with a narrow victory over the high-flying Barnes Eagles in a gale-swept Beddington Park.  The hosts started brightly and took only 3 minutes to go in front when Craig Stanley latched onto a good through ball and sprinted clear to slot the ball past the keeper.  Barnes came back with several corners, but these did not come to anything.  The game was evenly matched, but good football was impossible in the gale-force conditions.  After 8 minutes Barnes took advantage of Merton defending on the half-way line when the offside trap was beaten with a precision pass.  Barnes then squared the ball for a forward to run through unchallenged and score.  Jamie Streat was prominent in the Merton midfield skipping through numerous challenges, but the hosts were not playing well and nothing of substance was created.  Merton seemed to lack steel in midfield, and the ball was being given away too easily going forward.  In response, Barnes surged forward from midfield at every opportunity, and some lapses in the centre of defence could have proved costly, but Barnes failed to take advantage.  Daniel Johnson then fired in a long-range effort that sailed past the wrong side of the upright.  As the half came to a close, Jamie Streat and Daniel Johnson carved out a good opportunity for Craig Stanley, but the striker hurried his shot and the Barnes keeper made a comfortable save.

Barnes started the second half very strongly, and inside the first five minutes Merton were saved twice by the woodwork when long-range shots cannoned off the post and crossbar.  Merton gradually pulled themselves together and began to look more solid, both at the back where Adam Marie was excellent, and in a midfield that now included Jack Malin, with Craig Stanley operating alone up front.  Despite this Barnes looked marginally the better side, but it was Merton who took the lead.  On 40 minutes Daniel Johnson threaded a ball through to Jack Malin whose shot was blocked by the Barnes keeper.  However, the predatory Craig Stanley was on hand to lash the ball past a couple of defenders and into the back of the net.  Merton gradually got on top, and in particular Eddie Lyne and Jamie Streat looked dangerous.  Any Barnes counterattacks were absorbed by the solid Merton defence and midfield. The most threatening raids came down the left, but most of these were broken up by Adam Marie.  The hosts continued to enjoy the better of the game, but Barnes were well organised at the back and difficult to break down.  The breakthrough came ten minutes from time when Jamie Streat unleashed a great 20-yard shot that cleared the keeper to hit the roof of the net. Five minutes later Daniel Johnson clipped the far post with a shot from inside the area.  A very late rally by Barnes saw them pull a goal back in the dying seconds when Stuart Reddington failed to hold a speculative long-range shot, and the ball eventually trickled over the line with two defenders in pursuit.

Reporters man of the match: Adam Marie

Team: Stuart Reddington; Adam Marie, Jonathan Kehoe, Lewis West, Billy Kelly; Eddie Lyne, Jamie Streat, Daniel Johnson, Spud Bradley; Craig Stanley, George King. Sub: Jack Malin.