More points slip away for Melton Town as late double see St Patricks take the win

Two goals in the final 10 minutes saw St Patricks snatch all three points as Melton Town saw another lead disappear in a 4-3 defeat last night.

The match started at a blistering pace, with the first attack producing a goal for Melton.

A loose pass in midfield allowed Jack Hickey to pounce on the ball before going past two defenders and the goalkeeper to slot into the empty net.

Two minutes later, the hosts were level. Brady Doherty went on a run across the Melton penalty area before seeing his shot saved by a diving Harrison Eley-Gaunt.

Unfortunately for Melton, the resulting corner was met by Alfie Bunch, whose header deflected into his own net.

Melton responded immediately from the restart, going straight up the other end and winning a corner.

The inswinging delivery found the in-form Hickey at the back post, and he tucked the ball just inside the near post to restore the hosts lead.

Melton continued to threaten, with a Bunch through ball finding Dillon Asher, whose shot flew across goal and required a diving save from Lewis Warner to prevent a third.

The hosts should have extended their advantage in the 17th minute when Mo Sumra beat Niall McMahon for pace before cutting in from the byline and picking out Tom Wakely six yards out. However, Wakely put his shot wide of the upright.

Harry Clarke then tested Warner with a curling effort that required a good save, before St Patricks responded midway through a hectic first half.

Danny Cocks beat two defenders before sending a low shot across goal, but Eley-Gaunt was equal to it with another good save.

On the half-hour mark, Wakely tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area, forcing Warner to palm the ball around the post.

The hosts were then handed a golden opportunity to equalise in the 40th minute.

A St Patricks corner was cleared to Sam Higgins, who returned the ball into the penalty area.

Bunch appeared to foul his marker, and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. George Robbins stepped up to take the penalty, but his effort was easily saved by Eley-Gaunt.

The ball quickly went up the other end, where Clarke played a diagonal pass to Sumra.

He cut inside Higgins before unleashing a powerful shot that Warner could only fumble, but the goalkeeper managed to keep the ball out.

St Patricks started the second half on the front foot.

Robbins made a run down the touchline before cutting inside and seeing his shot saved.

Two minutes later, he repeated the move, this time beating Rhys Brailsford for pace before sending a low cross to the far post, where Doherty was on hand to tap the ball into the empty net and level the scores.

The hosts should have taken the lead just after the hour mark when a Robbins corner found Higgins unmarked two yards from goal, but his header went inches wide.

Then, against the run of play in the 65th minute, Melton regained the lead.

A through ball caught the St Patricks defence out, allowing Hickey to beat the offside trap and race clear on goal.

The goalkeeper forced him wide, but Hickey showed excellent composure to slot the ball inside the near post and complete his hat-trick.

St Patricks came close to equalising in the 77th minute when a through ball sent Solomon Agyeman clear on goal.

However, Eley-Gaunt narrowed the angle and blocked his eventual effort.

Agyeman was beginning to cause Melton real problems, and in the 81st minute he raced down the right, beating Brailsford for pace before picking out Doherty, who smashed the ball into the net to make it 3-3.

Just four minutes later, St Patricks completed the turnaround.

A long diagonal ball found Agyeman, who cut inside Brailsford before firing a powerful shot into the roof of the net to give the hosts the lead for the first time.

Melton had no time to recover, and St Patricks held on to claim all three points.

It was an entertaining match, with both teams giving everything, but once again Melton were left to rue a late collapse.

For the second time in three weeks, Hickey scored a hat-trick only to end up on the losing side.

Melton will need to learn how to see these games out, having now surrendered leads in the final 10 minutes for the third time in their last four matches.

Until they address that problem, points will continue to slip away.