First ever win for Melton Town at Sleaford Town as Reds keep pace at the top

With Sleaford also in the play-off picture, this felt like a very important three points in a very tight game with only three shots on target all afternoon.

Victory at the Longwater Stadium also completed a quickfire league double for the Reds over the Greens.

Melton now welcome bottom side Pinchbeck on Saturday, who were hammered 7-1 at home by leaders Sherwood Colliery last weekend.

The Sleaford match started at a slow pace with the first chance falling to Anderson in the 13th minute, which saw him trying his luck from 20 yards out which went over the bar.

The game became a physical battle with the ball in the air a lot.

The hosts' first chance came on the half-hour mark when a free kick was blocked and fell nicely to Lewis Daff, whose powerful shot went wide of the far post.

The only other effort on goal came with a quick Melton break down the left which saw Anderson slipping in Mikkel, but his quick turn and shot went inches wide.

Sleaford nearly broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when the ball was sent into the six yard box and was touched on by Francis and blocked on the line.

Melton went straight onto the attack with Anderson speeding past two defenders before cutting in and, from a tight angle, putting in a low shot that needed a great save from Flitton.

The only goal of the game finally came from a Gregory Mills free kick out wide which he hit low with power and it caught everyone out as it went through a crowd of players and into the corner of the net on 73 minutes.

Near the end a scramble in the Melton box saw Fenton shooting over the bar from three yards out before Rushen flashed a ball across goal with no other Greens present to snatch a late leveller.