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Merton eventually prevailed in an evenly contested local derby to record their first double of the season, and thereby maintain their promotion challenge.  The game was switched from Beddington to Cheam because of the waterlogged pitch.  Merton started slowly and early on neither side created very much with both keepers reduced to spectators. After ten minutes of stalemate Merton settled.  Jamie Streat carved out a glorious chance for Craig Stanley, who sprinted clear and somehow managed to screw the ball wide of a static keeper.  The visitors were looking the most likely to score, and they were very unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Craig Stanley was fouled in the box.  Unfortunately, the referee changed his mind after putting the whistle to his mouth.  Most of Merton's play was confined to the congested right flank, and it was from here that George King swung the ball over for Jamie Streat to put in Craig Stanley.  The striker looked certain to score, but he fired across the keeper and wide of the far post.  The Vultures came back and tested Warren McCourt with a couple of shots from distance, and then play went back down the other end for Craig Stanley to be denied by a good save after some chaos in penalty area.  Merton, however, did not dominate because the Vultures played like terriers in the midfield, which stifled Merton's passing game.  As half-time approached another chance fell to Craig Stanley, but again the ball was driven wide of the advancing keeper.

The start of the second half saw Merton begin positively, but after about five minutes the Vultures started applying some pressure of their own.  Jonathan Kehoe and Spud Bradley needed to be at their best to prevent some serious penetration down the right wing, and a minute later Warren McCourt looked very uncomfortable when dealing with a couple of tame shots from inside the area.  After 40 minutes Jamie Streat threaded a beautiful ball into the path of Craig Stanley, who went clear before firing a great shot past the advancing keeper.  Despite breaking the deadlock, Merton will still unable to dominate, and the Vultures continued to provide plenty of work for the Merton rearguard.  Another scare in the Merton goalmouth saw the keeper fail to use his hands, and Jonathan Kehoe was forced to make a very important clearance. However, Merton extended their lead on 45 minutes when Tsepher Sawdon released Jack Malin on an explosive run down the right flank and into the Vulture's penalty area.  The ball was driven low across the area to the waiting Craig Stanley, who beat a defender before whipping the ball home from eight yards out.  Three minutes later the result was put beyond any doubt when Jack Malin again burst in from the right to send over a cross that Craig Stanley flicked into the path of Nicholas Holley, who forced the ball home from close range when under pressure.  The Vultures did not lose heart, and they should have scored when a forward somehow managed to shoot wide of an isolated keeper.  This was followed by a strong shot that cleared the bar.  As time was running out, Merton continued to cause problems, especially down the left from Nicholas Holley and to a lesser extent via some neat combinations on the right involving Tsepher Sawdon and Jack Malin.

Reporter's man of the match: Jonathan Kehoe.

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