MELKSHAM Town left Bitton with nothing to show after a battling performance on an understandably heavy pitch after losing 3-2 thanks to a last minute strike.
In their first game of the year the Town took a while to get into their stride and the visitors were grateful for a brave diving save from keeper Tom Drewitt after five minutes at the feet of Pollinger.
At the other end Shaun Benison was unlucky to see his first time chip over the keeper cleared away on eight minutes and on 10 minutes some good work between Higdon, Kovacs and Benison saw the later shots fly wide.
However the home side were causing the Town defence problems and on 16 minutes after an inswinging freekick both Pollinger and Bryan should have knocked in the opener but screwed their efforts wide.
On 20 minutes Bitton’s Bryan surprisingly missed from six yards out with the goal at his mercy as the Town held on, although in reply on 24 minutes Flower’s superb cross found Higdon only for his powerful header to be well saved by the home keeper.
On 33 minutes the home side were left to rue their missed opportunities when Luke Smith’s freekick was laid into the path of Dan Kovacs by Higdon, and Kovacs drilled a left foot shot into the bottom corner to give Melksham a 1-0 lead. On 38 minutes the Town nearly went further ahead but Will Stead’s powerful freekick was well saved by Rendell in the Bitton goal.
As the Town started to gain more possession and get into the game Bennet hit his shot over after a Benison corner was turned goalwards by Stead on 42 minutes. However just before the half time break Bitton levelled when Morgan knocked the ball home to leave the teams level at 1-1 at the half time interval.
Things were to get worse for the Town within the opening minutes of the second period when they failed to clear a corner with any conviction and Bryan gobbled up the opportunity to put Bitton 2-1 ahead. However the Town responded well, and drew level on 56 minutes when Benison’s right wing cross eluded everyone, and the ball ran into the path of Ian Jeffery who swept the cross into the roof of the net at the far post to bring the scores level at 2-2.
As the pitch took its toll on the players fitness, Melksham’s Tom Robinson was summoned from the bench to replace Smith and on 73 minutes Drewitt produced a smart save to keep out a dangerous effort as both teams looked to secure the three points and started to push men forward.
Town brought on Nick Ridout for Kovacs with 15 minutes remaining and the burly striker showed up well in the later stages but could not find the elusive breakthrough. On 81 minutes Town manager Darren Perrin made his final change when he threw on Leigh Rogers for Benison in an effort to create the winner, but as the game entered the last minute the homeside broke quickly through Corrick, after a Town freekick deep in Bitton territory, and the striker kept his cool and dispatched the winner leaving the Town disappointed not to have secured a point.
Next Saturday the Town face a quarter final home tie against Highworth Town in the Wiltshire FA Senior Cup.
Man of Match: Dave Thompson. Team: Drewitt, Flower, Smith, Bennett, Greener, Stead, Benison, Thompson, Higdon, Kovacs, Jeffery.
