FA Cup Preliminary Round.

Cirencester Town 0 Merthyr Town 1.

CIRENCESTER TOWN deserved more than to be dumped out of the FA Cup at the first time of asking after a dominant display in the second half.

Former Centurions Nathan Davies and Jason Welsh returned with The Martyrs but Welsh's involvement was very short-lived after he fell awkwardly on the saturated pitch in the first minute and had to be taken to hospital with a bad shoulder injury.

Merthyr really could have had the tie in safe keeping in the first half when they were by far the better side.

Matt Sysum, at full stretch, cleared a Kris Leek shot off the line in the early stages and Merthyr also hit the bar and post, with Ian Taylor a constant threat down the left flank.

Ciren's best chance came from an opportunistic effort in the 35th minute when, with the Merthyr keeper Giles Cutlan stranded outside his area, Jamie Reid flashed a long-range shot just past the post.

Ciren must have had a good pep talk at the break because they looked a different side in the second half.

Alex Allard immediately brought out a fine save from Cutlan.

Cirencester were dominating the game and it was totally against the run of play when, in the 68th minute, Leek made a good run from the halfway line and finished it with low, hard shot from 20 yards which beat Matt Bath in the corner.

Ciren continued to press forward with Ben Wells firing a shot just over the bar. and Merthyr were lucky to survive a goalmouth scramble and several Ciren chances inside the box.

Ciren's best final opportunity was a powerful Scott Griffin header from a corner which was goalbound until deflected wide.

Attendance: 108 Cirencester Town: Bath, Bennett (Griffin, 60), Dunton, Sysum (C), Wells, Thompson, Reid, Mortimer-Jones, Collier, Allard, Packer. Unused subs: Bailey, Shepherd, Hawkins, Hale.