​Controversy in Melton loss at Wisbech Town

The Reds had begun the game well with Sam Beaver heading Toby Fura’s free-kick against the crossbar.

Though they had dominated the early exchanges, Melton found themselves trailing after ten minutes as Cenk Acar opened the scoring for the Fenmen.

Melton felt they should have had a penalty when debutant Kyle Jardine was brought down. The referee waved away the appeal but the Pork Pie Army were incensed by the decision.

Jardine was in the thick of the action again as he headed down a cross to Fura but his shot went narrowly wide. The referee then spoke to home goalkeeper Luke Pearson as early as the 22nd minute to warn him about time-wasting, though took no further action about it for another hour, despite it continuing throughout the match.

The next moment of controversy came in the 34th minute when the Melton players and fans were livid that what appeared to be a blatant handball in the area wasn’t given.

Further insult to injury was added when Sisa Tuntulwana scored in first half stoppage time to leave Melton trailing 2-0 at the break.

Beaver had another headed opportunity just before the hour mark, and there was no stopping this one as he headed in a rocket from Tom Manship’s corner.

The Reds were hamstrung just two minutes later when Sam Muggleton was sin-binned in the 59th minute.

Muggleton, bizarrely, was held off the pitch for 13 minutes, before eventually being allowed to re-enter the fray, just in time to see a penalty finally awarded in the 73rd minute. It was however, awarded to Wisbech. Mussa Bham brought his man down in the box and Rob Conyard coolly converted the spot kick.

Five minutes later, Melton were temporarily reduced to ten men again as Anderson became the latest to incur the wrath of ref Thomas Beeton.

Despite the numerical disadvantage a ball in from the left fell to Henry Dunn, who slotted in from eight yards to pull the Reds back to within one.

Melton threw everything at the hosts for the final ten minutes but couldn’t find an equaliser.

Melton head to Nottinghamshire on Saturday to face a Selston side rooted to the bottom of the table.