Barnstaple Town 1-4 Melksham Town 4 – Toolstation Premier Div, Sat. 16th Jan

Melksham made the long 260 mile round trip to meet their North Devon opponents in a fixture that saw the respective champions of the 2014-2015 Western League Premier and First division meet.

The Town made a couple of changes from their midweek outing with Mike Perrott, Jack Morris and Syeed Ibrahim returning to the starting line up.

The home side started on the front foot and  Copp tried an effort from long range which failed to trouble Town keeper Brown, but despite this early pressure it was the visitors who took the lead from their first meaningful attack on 11 minutes.

A freekick from Town’s Ian Jeffery was met by the head of Gary Higdon and his header looped over the keeper and into the net despite the best efforts of a covering defender to put Melksham 1-0 ahead.

Brown was again called into action with a save at the near post from Turner on 25 minutes before Town skipper Bennet picked up a caution for a foul on 27 minutes from the man in the middle.

On 30 minutes vociferous Town appeals for a penalty were turned aside after Perrott appeared to be clipped in the box after latching onto a Morris pass,  and on 35 minutes Higdon somehow managed to dig out an effort from a difficult angle and saw his chip hit the bar and rebound away to safety.

Just before the break the home side were presented with an opportunity to get back into the game when the referee this time awarded a penalty to Barnstaple after adjudging Benisons challenge to have been a foul despite the midfielders protests to the contrary.

Up stepped Heeney to take the kick but his effort was well saved by Town stopper Brown diving low to his left and cleared away, and this was to prove a critical moment in the game.

Just before the break  Town full back Jeffery picked up a caution and the interval saw the Town holding a slender 1-0 advantage.

As expected the homeside began the second half looking for an early goal to get back into the game, and Turner and Jones shot over from good positions before Barnstaple drew level on 65 minutes, after a disputed freekick awarded against Stradling saw the ball fall to Pearse who diverted the ball in from close range.

The vocal home crowd now sensed an opportunity to win the game and the under fire referee cautioned both Thomson and Stradling for Melksham on the restart as the game threatened to boil over .

Manager Perrin introduced Thompson for the tiring Morris as Melksham were left to face a testing last 15 minutes, and at that stage most sides would have probably settled for a point.

However the Town players and management had other ideas, and on 75 minutes Melksham won a corner on their left and Benison’s in swinging kick was met by Thomson who saw his header rattle the bar, only for Bennet to react quickest and head the ball into the net from close range to put Melksham 2-1 ahead.

Only minutes later the Town again broke out quickly and a Perrott run and cross saw the ball crashed home from close range by Stradling to put Melksham 3-1 ahead, and moments later Barnstaple picked up their first caution of the game as their frustration became evident.

On 80 minutes Aldrick was introduced for Benison, and on 81 minutes Melksham put the game out of reach of the home side when they were awarded a penalty, as Higdon was pushed in the back looking to get into the end of another Thomson corner.

Higdon stepped up to take the kick only for Oliver to parry his kick, but the striker regained his composure and slammed home the rebound for his second of the game and put Melksham 4-1 ahead.

Immediately Higdon was withdrawn and Kurt James introduced from the bench for his Town debut and despite a late disallowed goal from the home side the Town saw out the last few minutes.

The final whistle saw the Town pick up a good three points against a Barnstaple side who have settled well into the league and themselves harbour hopes for the title and promotion.