SANFORD STRIKE SINKS THE MELKS

MATCH REPORT BY KEVIN O'BRIEN

Shepton must like visiting Melksham's impressive new Oakfields Stadium, having been the first club to win there in the league shortly after the ground opened last Spring, as they handed out the hosts first league defeat of the new season after a thrilling finale to another highly entertaining game.
A bright start from Shepton saw James Billing side foot their first effort straight at home keeper Rob Brown, and then Tom Hill fire their next attempt wide. After 10 minutes Joe Morgan harried Melksham full back Alex Grimshaw in the corner and came away with the ball to race into the box and force a good stop from Brown, who could only knock the ball away as far as Tyson Pollard, who almost gave Shepton the lead with a shot against the home crossbar from 15 yards. Midway through the half, Brown saved further efforts from Pollard and then Morgan, before Mike Perrott headed Melksham's first decent try wide after 25 minutes from a free kick cross, and soon after Gary Higdon also headed a chance wide for the hosts. Shepton's two frontmen Pollard and Morgan set up chances for each other, Pollard's shot clearing the bar, and Morgan then bringing yet another save from Brown. Melksham's third chance was again via the aerial route, as Ollie Webb headed a 42nd minute cross over the bar, before Shepton's Cameron Sanford and Morgan combined well to set up a chance for Ash Willmott, who forced another good stop from Brown. Higdon missed a golden chance to give his side an unlikely half time lead right on the break when he somehow cleared the bar with a shot from about seven yards out.
A quiet opening to the second period ended on the hour mark when Morgan just beat Brown to a long Shepton clearance with the home defence nowhere in sight, only for Morgan to look on in anguish as his angled 25 yard shot saw the ball hit the wrong side of a post and go dead. Another Higdon header then went over the bar as the home side gradually started to press more, but Shepton's defence was in fine form and the next chances both fell to Shepton midway through the half from counter attacks that saw Hill have his shot well saved by Brown before Craig Loxton skied a shot from Morgan's pass. Tyler Sibbick and then Higdon again, missed good chances for Melksham,before Pollard and Morgan had shots blocked for Shepton as both sides loooked for the breakthrough goal, which fell to the home side with 10 minutes to go. After a relatively quiet afternoon such was the sterling work by the visitors defence, Shepton keeper Tom Easterbrook made two vital saves in quick succession, from Luke Ballinger after a strong run and then from a Dan Demkiv header at the expense of a corner. The subsequent cross fell among a mass of bodies in the Shepton six yard box and the alert Sibbick reacted first to prod it over the line to put his side in front on his debut. Easterbrook did well to prevent Ballinger setting up a potential second for his side as he dived to mop up a dangerous cross with 5 minutes left, but soon after Shepton turned the game on it's head as they roared back with two goals of their own. Loxton stepped up to crash a low 25 yard free kick past Brown for an 87th minute equaliser, before Pollard sent the overlapping substitute Harry Ratcliffe clear down the left in the last minute. Ratcliffe hit a fine cross to the far side and Morgan knocked the ball back to another Shepton substitute Elliot Nicholson , who drilled a rising 25 yard shot that Brown did well to tip over the bar for a corner. Pollard hit the corner kick to the far post, where Shepton's Liam Watson's aerial challenge prevented Brown and his defence clearing the danger, allowing Sanford to smash the loose ball in from close range to give Shepton a well deserved victory, their 3rd in eight days.
MoM Shepton's Craig Loxton.

Team
1.T.Easterbrook
2. L.Watson....cautioned
3.O.Bryant
4.G.Morris-Edwards
5.J.Billing
6.C.Loxton....scored one goal
7.C.Sanford....scored one goal
8. T.Hill
9.T.Pollard
10.J.Morgan
11.A.Willmott

subs used
E.Nicholson
H.Ratcliffe

attendance 323