Munton double and Fura free kick secure point for Melton Town against in-form Loughborough Students

When you have two defeats in a row, the last thing you need is to welcome the league's in-form team.

Loughborough Students are fourth in the UCL Premier North table and had six wins on the bounce when they arrived at Melton Town on Saturday, writes Sam Ellis.

Loughborough started the better of two sides but Melton's first attack of the game in the fourth minute saw debutant Karl Whymark play a ball out wide to Tom Harris who beat Finlay Brennan for pace and sent in a low pass back to Whymark.

He was tripped well inside the area.

Zak Munton stepped up and sent the spot kick right down the middle.

Both teams were playing a fast passing game and in the 14th minute The Students almost equalised when a ball into the box found Meneath.

A quick one two with Olusanya Fadahunsi saw the latter fire off a shot which flashed past the far post.

Minutes later a Loughborough corner was headed on and found Ethan O’Toole on the line, who scrambled the ball inches over the line for the visitors' equaliser.

Chances became rare as both teams defended well.

A freekick on the half hour mark found Henry Eze, whose powerful header had to cleared off the line by Ben Whiting.

Whymark floated a free kick into the box and Cameron Gilchrist's volley went just over the bar.

A repeat of the first half saw the visitors start the better but a similar move to the first goal saw Whymark, in the 49th minute, playing a ball out wide to Harris, who beat his man for pace and send in a cross which Whiting fumbled.

Munton pounced to tap the ball into an open net.

It didn’t take long for the visitors to equalise for a second time when a low cross found O’Toole unmarked in the six yard box, and he side footed into the net.

Loughborough should have taken the lead halfway through the second half when Melton's defence failed to clear a ball and the ball fell to Dylan Edwards with an open goal - but the ball seem to get stuck under his foot and the chance went begging.

O’Toole had a half volley from the edge of the area which went inches over.

The game became end to end as both teams went for the win with The Students striking first on 75 minutes when a ball down the middle found substitute Tony Lynn.

He beat the offside trap and slotted the ball into the corner.

Minutes later and Anthony Lynn had the chance to put the game to bed but managed to fire over the bar from five yards out.

Then with five minutes to go a Toby Fura free kick 20 yards out hit the crossbar and went in.

Three minutes into injury time and the hosts almost snatched the victory when Munton played a ball behind the defence, Syme Mulvaney turning his defender and seeing his low shot go agonisingly wide of the far post.

This was an entertaining game of football by two teams that like to play the ball on the ground and Melton should be happy with the four points they have taken from one the league's best teams this season.

They now move to a home game against Boston Town on Saturday in a bid to climb into the top six.

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