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Despite missing four regular players, Merton destroyed fellow-promotion candidates Barnes Eagles in Mortlake with an avalanche of goals. Merton started brightly and went ahead after 2 minutes when Nicholas Holley scored from close range after excellent play by Eddie Lyne and George King. After dominating the opening exchanges Merton lost the initiative, and the hosts nearly scored after a break down the right when the Merton keeper deflected a powerful shot onto the post. The result was a tremendous scramble which came to nothing. At the other end Nicholas Holley saw his powerful free kick tipped over the bar. Barnes then dominated play and went very close on 10 minutes with a shot that was only narrowly wide. The Merton defence looked very vulnerable to pace, and there followed an anxious five minutes with Adam Marie and Jonathan Kehoe breaking up numerous attacks. Nevertheless Barnes eventually equalised on 18 minutes. A long ball out of defence found a forward in an offside position just past halfway, and he sprinted clear to score with an unstoppable shot. Barnes continued to press forward, but were stunned when the visitors took the lead on 22 minutes. George King beat a defender on the right and sent over a low cross that Louis Barron-Pell converted after some good footwork. Merton then saw George King fire a great shot just over the bar, and soon after Louis Barron-Pell hit the inside of the post. The play was then evenly contested before the Barnes defence collapsed dramatically to leak three goals in as many minutes up to the interval. On 28 minutes Daniel Johnson found Louis Barron-Pell in an offside position, but with no flag, he dribbled clear to score after rounding the keeper. A minute later some goalkeeping errors allowed Nicholas Holley to sweep the loose ball home, and thereby dispel any hopes of a Barnes comeback. Almost immediately afterwards Nicholas Holley completed his hat-trick with a lobbed shot over the keeper, while the home defence were all at sea.

After the break Barnes looked a beaten side and they conceded a sixth goal on 36 minutes. Nicholas Holley and Louis Barron-Pell combined on the left, before the former delivered a high cross that left the lively George King the simple task of nodding home from point-blank range. Four minutes later Barnes came storming back and hit the woodwork twice before a forward rifled the final rebound into the back of the net. On 42 minutes some sloppy defending on the Merton left released a Barnes forward, but he shot straight at the keeper. A minute later George King received the ball in an offside position and he then created mayhem in the Barnes box with a terrific low cross. The result was a simple finish and a hat-trick for Louis Barron-Pell. It was now mainly one-way traffic, and Nicholas Holley missed two chances before George King lost out in a one-on-one with the keeper. After 53 minutes Jamie Streat played the ball out to Tshepho Sawdon who cut inside and beat the keeper with a powerful high cross that ended up in net. Merton continued the pressure, and Jamie Streat went close with two great headers, before dribbling clear down the middle and beating the keeper with a lobbed shot three minutes from time. A minute later Merton reached double figures when George King was left with a simple tap in after a scramble in the Barnes penalty area. An important victory for Merton, and one that was achieved with stretched resources.

Reporter's man of the match: George King.

Team: A N Other; Billy Kelly, Adam Marie, Jonathan Kehoe, Spud Bradley; Eddie Lyne, Jamie Streat, Daniel Johnson, Nicholas Holley; George King, Louis Barron-Pell. Sub: Tshepho Sawdon.