Match Report  |  Gresley Rovers vs Melton Town

Rovers suffered a heavy defeat at the Moat Ground as visitors Melton Town served up an attacking style of football which at times saw their players slice through the home defence on more than one occasion with ease.

Maybe two of the goals could have been avoided but there was no denying that Melton fully deserved their win and, on this showing, will be in contention come next April.

Melton were the best side Rovers had faced in the first few fixtures of the season and they showed what was to come when after just 5 minutes they were in front. A corner from the right was powerfully headed home by the unmarked Sam Weaver.

They doubled their lead on 18 minutes. There was a scrappy moment in front of Rovers goalmouth where the home defence failed to clear the loose ball which was eventually smashed home by Will Norcross.

The only attempt on goal from Rovers came just before the break but Jamie Sleigh’s low shot was easily dealt with by visiting keeper Bill Harrison.

Rovers made a change for the second half with Bekir Halil replacing Danny Munday but within three minutes of start Melton extended their advantage with Kairo Edwards-John beating his marker before beating Charlie Wood for goal number three.

Goal number four followed soon after. On 53 minutes a fine individual effort saw Norcross weave his way into the area from the left before curling a low shot into the far bottom corner of the net.

Rovers made another change bringing on Dylan Hunniford for Jake Meakin and moments later the home side created a rare effort on goal. A free kick from the left flashed across Melton’s goalmouth with Alby Lansdowne almost getting a foot to it at the far post.

The lively Norcross went close to completing his hat-trick as once more he broke through the home back line only to be denied by a fine block by Wood.

It was the turn of the visitors to make changes as they wanted to make all three points secure. Player manager and former Moatman Tom Manship along with Syme Mulvaney replacing Lewis Carr and Norcross respectively.

Sleigh went close for Rovers having a shot blocked by Harrison but chances for Rovers were scarce as Melton defended well. The lead could have been increased when another breach of the Rovers back line allowed Kieran Hayes a free run on goal but he pulled his shot wide of the upright with only Wood to beat.

Another former Moatman Keenan King replaced Edwards-John and he would have a say in the final score. However, before then Hunniford score a consolation goal for his team finishing a good multi pass move with a thunderous low shot from distance leaving Harrison motionless.

The four-goal advantage was restored five minutes later when once again Rovers’ defenced was sliced in two leaving King to cooly lob the onrushing Wood. He could have added another almost on the final whistle hitting a shot from the left bye line which took a deflection and cleared.

Rovers were handed a hard lesson and reminded that this league will be a tough one with those at the top providing tough opposition.