Melton Town end the year in style with a home win over in-form Ashby Ivanhoe

Melton players celebrate at the end of the win over Ashby. Picture by Mark Woolterton.

It was manager Tom Manship's 200th game in charge so there was incentive enough to get a result - and losing at Ashby only a few weeks back was a further reason.

Melton were laboured in the first half and trailed 1-0 at the break.

But they dominated the second half and produced some clinical finishing which left them just six points from the top.

And with a trip to league leaders Sherwood looming on Saturday the Reds have a great chance of further closing the gap on the promotion spot.

Against Ashby was the visitors that started on the front foot and in just the fourth minute a deflected ball fell nicely to Acott who tried to chip Harrison, but the Melton keeper managed to get a hand to it to prevent the goal.

A few minutes later and the early Ivanhoe pressure was rewarded when a ball into Sam Grouse on the edge of the area saw him rifle in a shot that took a deflection and wrong-footed Harrison to put the visitors one up.

Melton's first effort came midway through the half when Anderson found Wakley out wide and he tried a speculative shot which Taylor saved with ease.

Calver also had a long range effort that never really troubled the keeper.

Ashby played with the wind in the second half and in just the second minute a long clearance from Taylor caught out the defence and Groocock's attempted chip went inches over the bar.

Melton went up a gear and started to dominate the game.

Mills made a run down the left and sent in a great cross which found Wakley unmarked in the six yard box only for his cushioned shot to go over the bar.

Then on the hour mark a quick passing move from Melton saw the ball arrive at Calver's feet, who from 25 yards out fired a shot past the keeper to level the score.

With 13 minutes to go a free kick on the edge of the D saw Mills hitting the wall and go out wide to Anderson who floated the ball back into the area where Palmer saw his glancing header beat the keeper.

Ashby came close to levelling in the 83rd minute when a low ball into the Melton penalty area fell to Grouse, who turned and stabbed a shot that hit the foot of the post.

But in the 88th minute Melton put the game to bed.

A defensive error was pounced upon by Wakley, who sent in a low cross which Edwards-John collected and calmly moved towards the penalty spot before finding the bottom corner with a powerful shot.