Free-scoring start is down to team effort

Town have scored 41 times in their opening nine games in all competitions. In three of those games they failed to find the net, but when Melton are in rampant form it appears there’s no stopping them.

Zak Munton has scored four hat-tricks - 13 goals - from the past five matches, but Manship believes the squad deserve to share the headlines.

“He’s been doing really well. He’s taken the chances he’s been given but its’ a team thing,” the manager said.

“He’ll tell you that himself. A few of those goals he’s scored himself, but I would say the majority of his goals his teammates have contributed with the build up play and he’s on the end of it to finish it - which is what his job is.

“He’s been doing really well but the whole team need to take credit for the goals we’ve scored.

“Its great, we’ve got goals all over our team. The four who play up there are all chipping in with goals.

“If they’re not chipping in with goals they’re chipping in with assists. It’s really good when it clicks and we now need to find that consistency.”

Munton scored four while teammates Tom Harris and Laithan Hammond bagged braces in Saturday’s 8-1 FA Vase victory over Birstall.

Melton have now reached the Vase’s first round for the first time in their history and have been drawn at UCL Premier Shepshed Dynamo on October 31.

Town return to UCL Division One action this week as they travel to struggling Irchester United on Saturday (KO 3pm) and host basement side Burton Park Wanderers on Tuesday (KO 7.45pm).

“Irchester were in and around it last year and they’ve got a similar group this seson,” Manship said. “Burton have beaten a team from a league higher (ON Chenecks in the FA Vase), there are no gimmes in this league.”

Holwell Sports’ three-game unbeaten run ended on Tuesday in a 3-1 defeat at Lutterworth Athletic.

They return to action on Saturday as they host Wellingborough Whitworth (KO 3pm).