by Ian Lamont

Ryman League Division One South

Merstham 2

Corinthian Casuals

DALE Marvell's performances have been one of the bright spots of Merstham's recent poor results.

"Best player on the park," was boss Graeme Banyard's appraisal after the left midfielder scored the first goal and created countless chances after Merstham somehow failed to beat Corinthian Casuals on Saturday.

The 29-year-old, one of two players at the club to become fathers in the past fortnight, joined at the start of February because he wanted to return to the Ryman level.

Last at Epsom & Ewell, he was top scorer when he played for Carshalton Athletic.

He has scored twice in his eight games, the second on Saturday, equalising when Merstham should never have been behind. Yet for all his efforts Merstham have one just once in that time.

Unfortunately it was left-back Freddie Myers' mistake, launching himself at Danny Green 25 yards out, that gave away the free-kick from which Matt Kidson converted a chance to give Casuals a 2-1 lead late on.

Banyard said Merstham "should have been out of sight by then", given their numerous chances and was not apportioning blame to a defensive line that he felt had done their job.

Casuals had scored on eight minutes. Confusion induced Merstham's debutant keeper Neale Manning into giving away a penalty, bringing down Jamal Carr. Kane Sergeant tucked away the spot kick.

Marvell created chances and shot wide himself before volleying a David Smith cross from the other wing across the keeper and into the net.

Merstham again had the better of the play in the second half. Tom Hughes had to replace Craig Vernon after the centre-back suffered a heavy challenge to his right ankle on 55 minutes. Just bruised, it was the same area that he had damaged before but he is determined to return in a couple of weeks.

Merstham's day was summed up when Marvell's free-kick was pinballed around Casuals' box, Gavin Gordon unable to jump to direct it goalward. The ball was cleared. Carr sprinted with the ball from the halfway line and scored for 3-1.

Four minutes into injury time, Gordon netted from Reggie Savage's short pass, but it was too late to spark the sort of late comeback that had seen Merstham win 4-3 at Casuals late on earlier in the season.

Merstham: Manning, Moriarty, Myers (Waddell), Duke, Vernon (Hughes), Ferguson, Smith, Goggin (Williams), Gordon, Savage, Marvel. Unused Subs: Deacons, Chatfield.