Melton keep the pressure on at the top with win over Newark & Sherwood

It means Tom Manship’s men are five points behind the table-toppers going into the weekend’s games, this win following up the victory over Belper United the week before.

The match got off to an unexpected start when straight from the kick-off a ball through the visitors’ defence found Kairo Edwards-John, he in turn drove into the area and slotted past Warren Squires to put Melton into a first minute lead.

It took Sherwood just seven minutes to beat the Melton offside trap as Ethan Wiesztort slotted a low shot past Ben Newton for the equaliser.

Four minutes later and the same move saw Wiesztort again beating the offside trap, but this time he squared the ball to Liam Theakstone who tapped into an open net.

Melton stepped up the pressure and in the 17th minute a Toby Fura free-kick smashed the crossbar with the follow up scrambled home by Manship.

The game became end-to-end and in the 26th minute Melton restored their lead when Fura sent in a low cross from out wide which found Mason Lee at the far end of the six yard box. His first touch was mis-controlled but he retrieved the loose ball and smacked a low shot through a crowd of players and into the net.

On the half hour Melton were unlucky not to extend their lead when Edwards-John beat Ricky Starbuck for pace and from the by-line sent a low cross into the box, and a scuffle at the foot of the post saw Lee touch the ball goal wards only for it to be blocked on the line.

A Paul Anderson cross was then met with a powerful header from Edwards-John which needed clearing from under the crossbar.

Right on half time, Melton’s pressure brought its just reward when a Fura corner was headed in by Sam Beaver.

Melton came out in the second half with an attitude to defend the two-goal lead rather than go gung-ho. The only real chance for the hosts saw Lee beating the offside trap and from a tight angle he had a low shot which needed Squires to save with his feet.

The only chance Sherwood had in the half came from a James Matthews freekick which clipped the crossbar and went out to safety.

Melton welcome Kimberley MW to The Sign Right this Saturday, a team that have already tasted victory in the FA Vase at the same venue.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​