Melton fall to second straight loss as Sleaford take the points

Having lost their first match in the month the previous week and ultimately the top spot, Melton were looking to bounce back against a side they have never beaten and who are also in the promotion race.

The first ten minutes saw the visitors dominate possession but only had a speculative shot from 30 yards by Carl Adiku to show for it.

Melton’s first chance came in the 13th minute when Jorrin John flicked on the ball to Mason Lee who was clean through on goal only for Liam Flitton to race out from goal and close down the attacker and clear his lines.

Then in the 15th minute came a game changer when, what looked like a 50/50 challenge, led to Tom Manship being shown a red card and Henry Eze sin binned for ten minutes.

The nine men of Melton defended well and the best chance of the half came from the hosts when Toby Fura sent a corner to the back post where Eze’s header needed a finger-tip save from Flitton.

Sleaford came out in the second half and put the game to bed in 20 minutes. The first goal came from a cross from the right from Jacob Fenton which found Rushen free in front of goal to nod into the left corner.

Then minutes later another Fenton cross found Rushen again in the six yard box and he touched it into the open net.

Rushen should have had his hat-trick when he was sent through on goal but his chip hit the foot of the post.

Three minutes later he did have his hat-trick when an Akeel Francis snap shot was well saved by Bill Harrison only for the follow up to fall to Rushen who made no mistake from two feet away. With 20 minutes to go, a Fura freekick picked out Eze, whose header found Muggleton three yards out where he made no mistake, smashing it low into the net.

Sam Beaver and Laithan Hammond both saw chances go close late on, Sleaford ultimately emerging with the points.

Melton host Belper United on Saturday as they look for a return to winning ways.