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Ex-Bluebirds Captain Darren Purse Heads In For Merthyr Town Test

Cardiff City Stadium. Pic: Graham Hunt/Alamy Live News

Cardiff City Stadium. Pic: Graham Hunt/Alamy Live News

Former Cardiff City captain Darren Purse is due back in South Wales this weekend. The big defender plays for Chesham United, who take on Merthyr Town in an EvoStik Southern League match at Penydarren Park this Saturday (3pm). Purse, 38 has played in more than 90 per cent of Chesham’s fixtures this season, although he […]

Former Cardiff City captain Darren Purse is due back in South Wales this weekend.

The big defender plays for Chesham United, who take on Merthyr Town in an EvoStik Southern League match at Penydarren Park this Saturday (3pm).

Purse, 38 has played in more than 90 per cent of Chesham’s fixtures this season, although he is rated doubtful for the match at Merthyr because of a knee injury.

He is being assessed biomedical staff this week, but is likely to make the trip to Merthyr and help with coaching even if he is unable to play.

Chesham also have 44-year-old former Fulham and Leicester City striker Barry Hayles in their squad and he has netted six goals this season.

The Martyrs are still unbeaten in 2017 and won 2-1 at Dorchester Town in their last fixture.

Manager Gavin Williams and his team have earned eight wins and two draws from their last 10 matches, scoring 23 goals and conceding five.

Goalkeeper Oliver Davies and his defenders have kept six clean sheets in that spell.

Their leading scorers are Kayne McLaggon on 15 goals, one more than Ian Traylor.

Merthyr are second in the Premier Division table, one point behind Chippenham Town, and they have 13 fixtures left this season.

They have attracted an average attendance of 482 to Penydarren Park, with a high of 784.

Cardiff City and Swansea City season ticket holders are offered Merthyr match tickets at £8, a deduction of £2 off the general adult admission. Students aged 16-years-old pay £7, those aged under-16 £1 and children under six-years-old go in free.

EvoStik Southern League – top 8 only

Pl GD Pts

1 Chippenham Town 32 +30 66

2 Merthyr Town 33 +37 65

3 Hitching Town 31 +26 64

4 Leamington 31 +27 62

5 Slough Town 30 +21 58

6 Banbury United 33 +22 57

7 Frome Town 32 +13 54

8 Chesham United 28 +23 52

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