Agony for Melton as they lose double-header to pair of promotion rivals

Anstey are both local rivals and promotion favourites and a bumper crowd saw them snatch victory in stoppage time.

Then, on Tuesday, Loughborough scored three in ten minutes either side of half-time, with strikes from Toby Fura and Sam Beaver not enough for Melton who are now eight points adrift of Loughborough, who also have a game in hand.

Saturday saw Melton off to flying start as minutes in Mason Lee went down the left touchline before sending in a cross which took a deflection and flew past the far post.

The game descended into a feisty affair with both teams looking tense. It took until the 22nd minute before Anstey had a shot on target when the ball was floated into the area and Luis Rose hit a scuffed effort which Josh Barnes saved with some ease.

The only other chance of a poor half came in the 37th minute from a Sam Muggleton long throw which was headed down to Kairo Edwards-John, whose half volley flew just over the bar.

The second half continued much the same as the first half ended with a midfield stalemate. Jack Astill made a run down the right before playing a ball to Michael Reeve, whose powerful shot went just wide.

Melton then took command of the game and were awarded a penalty when Jorrin John was brought down by the byline, but Edwards-John put his spot-kick over the bar.

Minutes later, Edwards-John muscled his way into the box before unleashing a shot which was well saved by Conrad Logan.

A minute later Lee had a dinked effort which shaved the post and a low shot by John had Logan making a diving save. Anstey came back into the game and with seven minutes to go saw Barnes make a save from a Henry Beswick effort. With two minutes to go a Fura free-kick saw Muggleton’s header hit the crossbar.

But in the 90th minute the visitors did a smash and grab on Melton when Astill drove into the area and the ball fell kindly to Rose who smashed it into the net from three yards out.