Town slip into relegation zone after Westbury defeat

Monday 6th April

Melksham Town 0-2 Westbury Utd 

Melksham Town’s Southern League survival hopes took a huge hit on Easter Monday as they went down to a two-nil home defeat to Westbury United.

The defeat – and Willand Rovers’ 1-1 draw against Brixham on the same day – meant Town slipped into the relegation places on goals scored with just three games to go. They are level on 36 points and level on goal difference with the Devon side but sit below them by virtue of scoring three goals fewer, with Willand having one extra game to play.

Brixham are one point back with a much worse goal difference but with two games in hand over Town.

Manager Kieran Baggs was not happy with the performance. “I don’t think anything has gone right for us today,” he said. “We’ve had a long, long chat in there after the game. We’ve been out-worked, out-ran, out-fought, by a team that cares way more than us about local football. Today we’ve had 700, 800 people here to witness one of the more gutless displays I’ve managed throughout my career.

“That was embarrassing. And I won’t tolerate it long term…I’ll take as much responsibility as anyone…It’s important now we take the last three games and see what we can conjure up.”

But he vowed, “We’re not down yet…We’ll be in training on Wednesday. I’m absolutely fuming with today but we’ll see what we can do away at Hartpury.”