FA Trophy

Slimbridge 2

Melksham Town 3

By Rob Peck

MELKSHAM Town came from behind to advance beyond the first FA Trophy preliminary round on Saturday, beating Slimbridge 3-2 at Thornhill Park.

After Wednesday’s victory in the league cup, Slimbridge manager Lee Driver-Dickerson kept faith with youngsters Lewis Adams and Jayden Maddock, captain Dean Turner and striker Edji Mbunga returning to the side after being rested and Eric Edge taking a place on the bench after injury.

The home started well against a strong physical Melksham side, however it was the visitors that got the first real chance Rob Hobbs cross had to be dealt with by the dependable Korey Pring in the heart of the Slimbridge defence heading out for a corner with a number of Melksham players lining up to pounce.

Adams did well to save Jon Davies close range shot on 12 minutes; Slimbridge immediately went on the counter attack Dunbar’s 20 yard strike being saved by Darren Bechet in the visitor’s goal. Another Swans chance on 17 minutes a neat passing move involving Christien Turner, Mbunga and Maddock who crossed to Ben Hands who forced a save from Bechet with his feet from 10 yards.

A trip by Max Harper-Emerson on Neikell Plummer just inside the home box on 23 minutes resulted in the referee pointing to the spot, Jon Davies dispatching the penalty to give the visitors the lead. The home side responded Mbunga’s run through the middle and squaring to Jamie Martin but his shot at keeper Bechet was saved.

The equaliser arrived soon after, Martin laying off the ball to Dunbar on the left and after skipping past one of the visitor’s defenders fired into the bottom corner to level the scores with 28 minutes gone. After a spell of heavy pressure from the visitors, Slimbridge managed to see of the danger and hold the score going in level at half time.

Melksham took advantage of the wind in the second half putting Slimbridge under constant pressure, Adams in the home goal having difficulty kicking the ball down field. Davies had a couple of half chances around the hour mark, blasting over from 18 yards and wide from 25 yards.

Slimbridge trying to counter break, almost took the lead through the industrious Yashaya Lomotey getting onto the end of a Mbunga cross but Bechet was quick to react with a point blank save. A goal did come on 63 minutes, Maddock winning the ball in his own box passing it up field to Lomotey who laid the ball off to Mbunga in the middle passing right the Martin whose pinpoint cross found Dunbar to fire home from close range.

With the home side starting to tire and the visitors pressing deep into the Slimbridge half a Melksham cross from left to right found Luke Ballinger unmarked in space on the edge of the 18-yard box and he made no mistake firing into the bottom left corner to level the scores with 15 minutes of the game remaining.

Michael Perrott pulled of a great tackle with ten minutes remaining as Ben Hands was about to shoot after some great link up play between Dunbar and substitute Will Hawes. Ballinger once again found himself in clear space on the right in an identical move to his goal but this time placed his shot over the bar.

As the game entered injury time with a replay looming, Ballinger fired in a cross from the right to the far post where Neikell Plummer was lurking to head in the winner for the visitors.

The Swans return to league action when they entertain Fleet Town at Thornhill Park on Saturday, 3pm..

Slimbridge: Adams, Maddock, Harper-Emerson, Pring, C Turner, Hands, D Turner, Lomotey (Hawes72), Dunbar, Martin (Wilton 90), Mbunga

Attendance: 81

Supporters' man-of-the match: Ewen Dunbar.