Melksham Town 0-2 Bridport – Toolstation Western Premier, Sat. 12th Dec.

Melksham entertained Bridport at The Conigre after the game passed two early morning pitch inspections and went down to a disappointing 2-0 defeat.

This was a game that the visitors controlled until a spirited last 15 minutes from the uncharacteristically sluggish Melksham Town side.

Bridport showed their intentions from the off, and Salter would have been disappointed that he failed to connect with a close range diving header on three minutes, whilst Melksham were indebted to a goal line block from Stradling and keeper Rob Brown to deny Richardson when he found himself free in the box after a corner on five minutes.

Melksham responded only in fits and starts without any real direction, and a dangerous Ben Thomson cross was cleared away from Higdon on 10 minutes whilst Stradling and Kovacs played a delightful 1-2 which put Kovacs through on goal, but his effort was blocked behind for a corner on 20 minutes in a rare Town attack.

On 34 minutes with Bridport looking for a reward for their play Richardson slashed his effort wide after a cross from Beasley, and on 35 minutes Kovacs picked up the first caution of the afternoon after kicking the ball away when he had been harshly penalised for stealing the ball off a defender.

Bridport’s Stewart also picked up a caution moments later for pulling back Kovacs.

Melksham nearly went ahead on 40 minutes when a long Jeffery freekick was headed on by Higdon, and Kovacs follow up header was cleared off the line and away for a corner.

As the half time whistle beckoned it looked as if Melksham might get to the break level and with the wind at their backs in the second period, but on 44 minutes Bridport took the lead when Byerleys long cross from wide on the right was misjudged by Town keeper Brown, and the ball slipped through his hands and into the net to give Bridport a 1-0 advantage at that break which on the balance of play was no more than they deserved.

On 55 minutes Town’s Thomson drove into the box and saw his cross shot go wide before Bridport went 2-0 ahead on 60 minutes when Richardson was given far too much time and space in the box to collect Stewarts cross, and slid the ball confidently into the net leaving the Town with a mountain to climb.

Town introduced Will Thomson and Shaun Benison for Thompson and Kovacs as they looked to get back into the game and Beasley and the impressive Buckler picked up cautions as Bridport defended their lead.

On 75 minutes Town skipper Bennet made a last ditch block on Salter as Bridport threatened a further goal, and on 77 minutes Benison narrowly headed a Thomson cross over the bar as the home side pressed for a way back into the game.

On 77 minutes Luke Aldrick was introduced from the bench for Fielding for his Town debut and Maidment picked up a caution on 78 minutes with a poorly timed challenge on Beasley as the Town’s frustrations mounted.

On 83 minutes a long range Higdon freekick bounced awkwardly in front of Bridport keeper Weeks and his save rebounded to Will Thomson who could only head the ball over the bar from close range.

As Melksham threw caution to the wind both Higdon and Stradling failed to get their efforts on target, and in the final minute Bennet picked up a caution in keeping with a miserable day for the home side.

The final whistle saw the visitors celebrate a well merited 2-0 victory and a double over Melksham this season.

For the Town all eyes now turn to Monday nights game against an in form Street team before a crucial Wiltshire Senior Cup quarter final at Royal Wootton Bassett on Saturday 19th December with the Town looking to get back on track and start to create more and hit the back of the net on a regular basis with only two goals in their last four games both from set pieces.

A comparison based on a similar number of games last season saw the Town scoring 42 goals from 24 games this season with 67 goals at the same stage last season painting the picture.

On a more happier note the following Sunday the Towns Under 18 team under the guidance of manager Barry Holloway gained a tremendous 1-0 victory over firm favourites Salisbury Town Youth in the quarter finals of the Wiltshire Youth Cup at Salisbury.

The only goal of the game came in 25 minutes when Zak Hillier tucked the ball home after an assist by Tom Jones, and despite some pressure by the home side a very young Melksham squad, in which Warren Maidment and Owen Pearce were prominent, repelled their opponents to set up a semi final clash in the New Year.