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Merton's promotion hopes took a serious dent when they slumped to a depressingly bad defeat against lowly Halliford on an atrociously muddy pitch.  Halliford were not a bad side, but Merton could only produce a sub-standard performance, especially at the back where Jonathan Kehoe was overworked covering for lapses elsewhere.  The opening exchanges were scrappy, but chances were created and missed at both ends.  Craig Stanley was put through on goal, but shot straight at the keeper.  This feat was soon repeated by Louis Barron-Pell, and then by Jack Malin following a sweeping run down the left.  Merton were not fluent and gave the ball away far too cheaply, especially in the right midfield and at the back.  This put Merton under pressure several times, but the Halliford shooting was either weak or off target.  Merton were most threatening from the bursts of Jack Malin down the left.  One great run was terminated in the area by Louis Barron-Pell who hooked the ball off his feet and into the hands of the keeper. Another powerful run put in Jamie Streat who flicked it on for Craig Stanley to race clear and shoot tamely wide.  After 17 minutes Halliford broke down the left and eventually took the lead with a freak goal when the ball ricocheted up off a forward's shins and looped into the net.  A second Halliford goal was not long coming when a forward latched onto a ball through the middle and then outpaced a Merton defender before slotting the ball past Warren McCourt.  This signalled some changes as Lewis West and Jack Malin moved into midfield and Daniel Johnson went on the left flank.  This did not lead to any discernable improvement, as the play continued in a scrappy manner, but eventually it resulted in a Merton recovery.  Three minutes before the interval Merton managed to string three passes together and this sent Louis Barron-Pell weaving through a couple of challenges before finally planting the ball in the net. Two minutes later Jamie Streat sent Craig Stanley goalward to equalise with a neat finish.

The second half opened and within five minutes Halliford were in front when poor defending let in a forward whose scuffed shot somehow went through Warren McCourt for a very soft goal. After this setback Lewis West returned to defensive duties, but there was no improvement in that department. Jonathan Kehoe performed well at the back, but appalling mistakes elsewhere showed gaping holes in the defence. Serious problems were created by slack marking combined with the last man playing these forwards onside. Warren McCourt made a couple of decent saves and on another occasion a forward shot weakly wide from a good position. In response Merton created a whole host of chances, mainly through Jamie Streat and Daniel Johnson, but Craig Stanley and Louis Barron-Pell were firing blanks, and Halliford defended very well or rode their luck. Midway through the second half Halliford put the result beyond doubt when a series of mistimed challenges presented a forward with a scuffed shot that found the net from close range. Merton pressed forward but Louis Barron-Pell missed an open goal when a defender cleared his casual shot off the line. This was followed by a Jack Malin effort that was deflected round the post for a corner, and then further chances went begging from Craig Stanley and Jack Malin again. Halliford remained dangerous and scored a fifth goal on 56 minutes when some dreadful defending allowed a forward time to beat Warren McCourt with a low shot from inside the area. Merton continued to create and miss chances, but they also remained vulnerable in defence and were lucky not to concede a sixth goal in the dying minutes when the ball was given away yet again, this time on the left side of the defence.

Reporters man of the match: Jonathan Kehoe.

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