Merthyr hit back to draw 3–3 at Radcliffe with a stoppage-time equaliser

Sunday 1 November 2026 · By Toby Ravenscroft

Merthyr Town drew 3–3 at Radcliffe on Saturday, with Margetson scoring an equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time. The draw leaves them 19th in the Enterprise National League North on 16 points, and winless in seven league games.

The Non-League Football Paper headlined its report “Margetson has the final word” and said the late equaliser “broke Radcliffe hearts”. It reported that Callum Ryan-Phillips gave Merthyr the lead from a corner, with the referee and linesman deciding that the ball had crossed the line, and that Tyler James levelled for Radcliffe on the stroke of half-time. According to the BBC’s match events, Pearson made it 2–1 to Merthyr in the 54th minute before Radcliffe scored twice more, through McCarthy and Jon Taylor, to lead 3–2 in the 83rd. The BBC is the only source found for Pearson’s, McCarthy’s and Taylor’s goals. The BBC gave the attendance as 621.

Merthyr’s form reads L D D L L D. They lost 3–0 to Oxford City on Tuesday 27 October, so the draw was a point from a game that they had been losing late on. They have played 15 league games and have won three, drawn seven and lost five, scoring 18 goals and conceding 22, a goal difference of minus four. Their seven draws are the most in the division, ahead of Hebburn Town and Harborough Town, who have five each. At home they have won two, drawn three and lost two, and away they have won one, drawn four and lost three.

They are level on 16 points with Marine and Radcliffe, and goal difference separates the three: Marine are on minus two, Merthyr on minus four and Radcliffe on minus eight. Scarborough Athletic, in 21st place on 15 points, are one point behind them. Only the champions are promoted automatically, with second to seventh going into the play-offs, and the bottom four are relegated.

Merthyr’s next two games are at home. Hebburn Town visit on Saturday 7 November, with kick-off at 15:00 GMT, and Hebburn are 14th on 20 points after a 1–1 draw with Harborough. The FA Trophy second round brings Harborough Town to Merthyr on Saturday 14 November, kick-off 15:00 GMT, in one of six all-North Trophy ties.

Merthyr then travel to Spalding United on Saturday 21 November. Bedford Town are the visitors on Tuesday 24 November, and Worksop Town come to Merthyr on Saturday 28 November.

The reports found carry no quote from manager Paul Michael after the Radcliffe game, and the match details above come from the Non-League Football Paper and the BBC.

Merthyr will be pleased not to have lost, but seven winless league games and a table this close mean that victory over Hebburn would be welcome.