Kettering Town 1, Merthyr Town 3
Curtis McDonald marked his Merthyr Town return with a goal in their Southern League match against Kettering Town at Latimer Park.
Centre-half McDonald returned to action after serving a one-match suspension and fired the Martyrs ahead after only eight minutes.
Eliot Richards made it 2-0 after 16 minutes with Corey Jenkins completing the Merthyr tally during the second half.
Former Newport County striker Rene Howe had pulled a goal back for Kettering in front of 500 spectators.
Manager Gavin Williams and his Merthyr team now focus on three successive home matches in a week, against King’s Lynn on Tuesday (7.45pm), Banbury United this Saturday (3pm) and Redditch United next Tuesday (7.45pm).
They are currently fourth in the Premier Division, just ahead of Banbury.
Merthyr went ahead against Kettering when McDonald headed in from a corner, making a run to the near post and losing his marker to score.
Centre-forward Ryan Prosser set up Merthyr’s second when he controlled a long throw and neatly laid the ball back for Eliot Richards to fire past goalkeeper Paul White.
Kettering pressed forward in search of a goal to give them hope, but Merthyr goalkeeper Oliver Davies made a couple of good saves to deny them.
The visitors almost added to their advantage when Richards find in a shot which was pushed against the bar by goalkeeper White, who was able to collect the loose ball.
Kettering hit back when Howe scored from a Wilson Carvalho cross after 66 minutes. Goalkeeper Davies and a defender almost cleared, but the referee signalled the ball had crossed the line.
The home team fired against the bar in their bid to equalise, but Merthyr regained control and Keyon Reffell almost scored from a corner.
It was substitute Jenkins who made it 3-1 when he ran onto a poor back pass and stroked his shot past White in goal after 76 minutes.
Merthyr Town: O Davies, A Davies, S Barrow, A Evans (Capt), C MacDonald, S Tancock, R Prosser, E Richards (K Patten 65), K McLaggon (C Jenkins 65), K Refell, I Traylor (B Watkins 82)
Subs not used: G Williams, K Copp.
