The Town followed up last Saturday’s fine victory with a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Sydenham League Bemerton.
This set up a final against all conquering Salisbury City led by ex pro and BBC pundit Steve Claridge’s in the final to be played on Wednesday 27th April at a venue to be confirmed.
The Town shuffled their line up with Perrott, Hiscocks and Barnett unavailable from the last game and Ibrahim, Benison and Fielding returned to the side.
The game started at a lively pace with Bemerton settling into the game quickest with the Town looking surprisingly on edge .
However despite Bemerton’s promising opening it was Melksham who went ahead after 11 minutes when Dave Thompson’s ball over the top was brought down by Hulbert and laid off to Higdon who saw his shot smash off the inside of the post only for Stradling to ram home the rebound.
Despite playing into a stiff breeze Melksham pulled 2-0 ahead on 29 minutes when a driven free kick from Ian Jeffery was expertly guided home by the head of Hulbert from 10 yards.
On 38 minutes Bemerton got their just desserts for a decent first half display when they brought the score back to 2-1 after a clever turn and cross shot which went in off the far post giving Brown in the Town goal no chance.
The half time interval saw the Town hold a slim 2-1 advantage with both sides aware the next goal was likely to be crucial.
On 49 minutes Bemerton failed to take advantage of a good opening and were left to rue that some two minutes later when Higdon and Thomson combined for Thomson to crash the ball home and put Melksham 3-1 ahead.
With Hulbert and Higdon combining well and the Town attacking with pace it was Melksham who were now in control of the game and both central defenders Bennet and Fielding went close with headers from set plays around the hour mark.
On 68 minutes Melksham went 4-1 ahead when Hulbert guided a delightful freekick over the Bemerton wall and into the net from 25 yards.
On 77 minutes a long throw in from Ibrahim was controlled and volleyed in by Thomson to put Melksham out of sight at 5-1 up, and manager Perrin brought on substitutes Will Thomson and Tom Jones for Higdon and Thomson.
On 80 minutes Town introduced Forester for Stradling and in the final few minutes Thompson nearly hit the sixth when his back header from a Benison freekick dropped just wide.
The final whistle saw the Town run out 5-1 victors and bring their unbeaten run of games to nine and keep their season very much alive.
