Melton Town hit five in biggest win of season at CFA

Melton Town recorded their biggest win of the season to move into the top half of the Leicestershire Senior League table with a 5-1 away success at Community Football Academy on Saturday.

The match got underway in thick fog, making visibility across much of the pitch difficult.

Despite the conditions, Melton dominated the early stages and looked the more dangerous side.

Tom Wakley and Cam Gilchrist came close with early chances while on 18 minutes, Jack Hickey’s curling shot shaved the upright.

Halfway through the first half, a long ball from Alfie Bunch found Rood tight against the touchline.

He used his pace to get past Dave Williams before firing a low shot from a tight angle, forcing Aadil Mulla into a scrambling save at his near post.

However, against the run of play in the 26th minute, the hosts took the lead.

Dhiadienne Zereg drove forward through the middle of the pitch before laying the ball off to his left, where Jaseem Khamkar struck a first-time shot across goal and into the far corner.

It took Melton just four minutes to get back on level terms.

A ball played into the penalty area was chested down by Wakley into the path of Elliott Pratt, who made no mistake, smashing the ball into the net.

Melton continued to press and took the lead just nine minutes later.

A corner was not properly cleared and the ball fell to Rood on the corner of the six-yard box. He connected with a superb volley which flew into the roof of the net.

Two minutes later, Pratt broke into the penalty area and sent in a low shot which beat the keeper but came back off the post.

The fog had cleared by the start of the second half, but Melton's dominance continued.

Pratt went on a driving run across the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a shot which saw Mulla dive full stretch to palm the ball away.

Two minutes later, Ollie Pearce-Smith tried his luck from the edge of the area, again forcing Mulla into an excellent diving save.

But Melton extended their lead in the 51st minute. A throw-in found Pratt, who slipped the ball into Wakley on the edge of the D and he produced a wonderful strike which flew into the top corner.

Just three minutes later, another Melton throw-in found Bunch, who was brought down by Ewis Okeke, leaving the referee with little option but to point to the penalty spot.

Hickey stepped up and dispatched the spot-kick with power to make it 4-1.

Adam Naeem went close with a long-range effort for the hosts, but in the 68th minute Melton put the result beyond doubt.

A free-kick struck the defensive wall and fell kindly to Pearce-Smith, who, from around 25 yards out, smashed the ball through a crowd of players and into the middle of the goal.

This was an excellent all-round performance with five U18 players named in Melton’s starting line-up.

Melton now have two consecutive home fixtures, starting on Saturday when Leicester Atletico visit.