Title rivals crack as Melton Town ease to 15th straight win

While Town were clocking up a 15th straight win and eighth successive clean sheet, rivals Anstey slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Burton Park.

It left the top three separated by just a point with form horses Melton still to play both in the title run-in.

The galeforce winds were certainly going to be a leveller at Lutterworth Athletic, with the visitors also missing leading scorer Michael Reeve.

Both teams started apprehensively as they got to grips with the conditions, but the first chance fell to Melton as home keeper Faulkner punched Josh Hill’s free-kick to Blaize Punter whose shot brushed the top of the bar.

Parsons then sent a first-time shot inches over he bar after great link-up play between Tom Rigby and Jordan Lever.

Then with just 11 minutes gone Melton broke the deadlock from the penalty spot.

Laithan Hammond found himself one-on-one with Faulkner who got a touch on the ball, but only to the charging Callum Westwood who was crudely tripped as he shaped to shoot.

Hammond sent the keeper the wrong way with the spot-kick.

Hammond then dived low to guide Hill’s corner agonisingly wide as Melton continued to pressure, particularly through the lively Westwood.

Midway through the half, another Westwood run down the right found Hammond who turned and fired in a bullet of a shot which had Faulkner scrambling to push around the post.

But Town did double their lead in the 28th minute when Lever received the ball 40 yards out. He broke two Lutterworth tackles before firing low into the opposite corner for his seventh goal of the campaign.

Parsons almost got in on the act when he received a short corner and tried his luck from just inside the byline only to see it flash across goal.

Melton could have made it three just before half-time when Hammond struck a shot inches wide of the post.

Athletic almost created their first shot on goal as the second half got under way when Rapley and Rhodes combined, but the final shot was fluffed.

But just four minutes in, Westwood got his deserved goal.

Rob Peet cleared his lines with a long kick into the wind which caught out the Lutterworth defence, and Westwood nipped in to slide the ball past a helpless Faulkner.

Minutes later Hill’s free-kick from the right was headed down by Westwood and substitute Nathan Arnold smashed the ball past Faulkner for 4-0.

Lever’s goalbound shot was blocked by Kind after a one-two with Arnold as Melton continued to control the game.

But Lutterworth withstood the heavy pressure, with Town’s only real chance in the final 20 minutes coming when Hill’s free-kick drew a great save from Faulkner.

The title race now moves back to Melton Sports Village on Saturday for the visit of St Andrews (ko 3pm).

Town: Peet, Leon Fray, Rigby, Gilchrist, Punter, Wilson, Westwood (Levi Fray), Hill, Hammond (Hibbitt), Parsons (Arnold), Lever.