Melksham entertained league leaders Slimbridge at the Conigre looking to get back to winning ways after the disappointment of their FA Cup exit earlier in the week.
Manager Darren Perrin shuffled his line up with two changes from the last starting line up as Alex Hillier and Dean Flockton came in to the side.
Slimbridge opened the scoring after only 12 minutes when Lawson’s shot was parried by keeper Tom Drewitt only for Twyman to slam the loose ball into the net. Worse was to follow on 26 minutes when some poor defending saw Lawson with a free header from some 10 yards out following a freekick which he nodded home to put the visitors 2-0 ahead and leaving the Town with a mountain to climb to get back into the game.
Melksham were finding it difficult to create any openings but were gifted a lifeline on 39 minutes when Dave Thompson was pushed over in the box and the referee awarded Melksham a penalty.
Town striker Gary Higdon saw his low spot kick saved by the keeper leaving the striker still waiting to open his account this season and the half time interval was reached with the visitors sitting comfortably 2-0 ahead.
Early into the second period Flockton picked up a caution and Bennet flicked a Rogers cross just over the bar as Melksham strived to get back into the game.
However their hopes were dashed on 56 minutes when a simple ball over the top found Martin in loads of space and he calmly rolled the ball past Drewitt in the Melksham goal to put Slimbridge 3-0 ahead and effectively end the game.
The one bright spot of a miserable afternoon for the homeside was the return of Dan Kovacs from injury on the hour mark and hopefully this will mark the return of the Town striker . Both Ash Barnett and Will Stead were summoned from the bench and Melksham appealed in vain for a penalty on 67 minutes when Perrot’s shot crashed into the arm of a Slimbridge defender.
Stead and Higdon both saw long range efforts go wide and the visiting keeper saved well from a Perrot shot after a neat pass from Barnett, but in all truth the game had long since gone and the visitors ran out comfortable winners.
Next up the Town entertain Street.
The Town’s reserves have made a solid start to their return to the Wiltshire Premier League with their latest result being a 7-0 thrashing of Calne Town Reserves with Emelio Menghini scoring four, and goals from Griffiths, Robinson and Caws. This result followed a 1-0 loss against Trowbridge Town in a game Melksham dominated and a 1-1 draw against Sarum in their opening fixture.
The Towns Under 18s went down 2-6 to Pewsey in their opening game after being forced to field a side missing several key players. Both Melksham goals came from Dan Sibley.
