After one of their best performances of the season, Hanwell Town beat Merthyr Town 3-2 on Saturday (15 November 2025) to march into the Third Round Proper of the Isuzu FA Trophy.
Playing against a side in the level above at their historic Penydarren Park – reportedly once the site of a Roman military settlement – the Geordies delivered a performance for the ages to equal their best ever run in the competition.
Proceedings didn’t initially go to plan for Hanwell though when in the 19th minute, Merthyr’s Lewys Twamley was brought down in the box and Ricardo Rees made no mistake in dispatching the resulting penalty.
But led by the brilliant Alfie Pendlebury– who proved to be a constant nuisance up front and was unlucky to not convert several first half opportunities – Hanwell responded well to going behind and were well worth their superb Will Hall equaliser just before half time. Having recently re-signed for the club, Hall saw his perfectly curled shot blast into the top corner of the Martyrs net.
Despite their loftier league status, Merthyr didn’t cause Hanwell a huge amount of problems in the first half. Full of energy and lovely touches though, bustling midfielder, Aneurin Livermore, will have given the Geordies something to think about during the interval and was by far Merthyr’s standout performer.
So Livermore’s sending off in the 50th minute – for a terrible challenge on Roberto Nditi – was certainly a significant moment in the game and provided the Geordies even more confidence in their ability to pull off an upset.
Hanwell didn’t wait long to press home their one-man advantage. In the 57th minute, Mo Bettamer struck home to make it 2-1. Ten minutes later, Pendlebury increased the lead further after collecting an incisive through ball from Dan Carr, rounding the keeper and walking the ball into the Merthyr net.
Despite an injury time goal from Noah Smerdon, the Geordies played out the remainder of the game in relative comfort and now look forward to Monday’s (17 November 2025) third round draw (live on TalkSport 2 at 3.15pm).
After their cup heroics in both the Trophy and London Senior Cup, Hanwell’s attention turns to the league and their away game against Chertsey Town on Tuesday evening, before a homecoming against Wimborne Town on Saturday 22 November 2025 at 3pm (tickets can be purchased here).
Merthyr Town: Cogman, Evans (c), Handley, Lewis (Smerdon 60′), Livermore (red card 50′), Lucas (John 76′), Rees, Smalley (Cox 60′), Spiers (Jarvis 71′), Twamley, Williams. Unused subs: Ryan-Phillips
Hanwell Town: Beasant (c), Wilson, Carr, Nditi, Duncan, Hall, Cooper, Woodcock, Pendlebury (Mongoy 78′), Bettamer (Clayton 91′), Rice (English 88′). Unused subs: Hoath, Seabrook.
, after a 4-2 victory against Rayners Lane at their Tithe Farm ground.){kind=link}