Clarke magic completes Melton Town comeback against Lutterworth

Melton Town produced their best performance of the season to come from behind and secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over Lutterworth Athletic Reserves in the Leicestershire Senior League on Saturday.

Melton made the perfect start and could have been ahead inside two minutes when Harry Clarke picked up possession on the halfway line and ghosted past two defenders before unleashing a shot which forced a fine save from Max Harbin.

The breakthrough arrived just a minute later. A long ball over the Lutterworth defence sent Cristian Bottini racing clear and, after beating Dom Ivens for pace, he kept his composure to slot the ball past the advancing Harbin.

Lutterworth gradually found their feet and came close to an equaliser in the 17th minute, Dylan Maguire touching Oliver Kula’s low cross against the post.

Melton continued to threaten and Clarke was denied a second goal when his free-kick from the edge of the D was brilliantly tipped around the post by Harbin.

The game then exploded into life just after the half-hour mark.

First, Theo Sackey-Mensah raced down the right and delivered into the area, but Bottini's first-time effort flew inches wide.

Lutterworth immediately countered and a through ball caught the Melton defence on the wrong side, Maguire beat the offside trap and calmly fired into the far corner to level.

Melton were almost caught cold from the restart as Fin Hardwick's ball from the touchline found Fin Thomas unmarked in the box, but his low effort went narrowly wide.

The chances kept coming and, in the 35th minute, Melton almost regained the lead.

Cam Gilchrist picked out David Briggs with a superb diagonal ball and Briggs drove towards the area before finding Bottini six yards out, his effort well saved by Harbin.

Lutterworth dominated possession after the interval and went close early on when an inswinging corner reached the unmarked Garner at the back post, but his effort shaved the outside of the upright.

The pressure finally told in the 64th minute. Kula again caused problems down the wing before firing a hard cross into the Melton area, with the ball deflecting off Gilchrist and into his own net.

Melton's response was immediate.

Just two minutes later, Clarke drove forward on a counter-attack before sliding the ball inside to Oliver Pearce-Smith. The forward beat two defenders before unleashing a spectacular strike into the top corner.

Melton were now back in the ascendancy and should have gone ahead 10 minutes later when Kamsi Ojukwu's cross found Jack Hickey just two yards from goal. Somehow, his header sailed over the bar.

But the winner was only three minutes away.

A long ball found Hickey on the edge of the area and he laid it into Clarke's path.

The Melton man then produced another piece of individual brilliance, dancing through three defenders before smashing the ball into the roof of the net to complete the comeback.

There was still time for Melton to make the ending more comfortable bu Hickey and Briggs both missed late chances.

Next up is another tough test, with Melton travelling to third-placed Burbage & Huncote on Saturday.