On the back on their excellent 4-0 victory over Staverton Rangers, Melksham Town Development played hosts to Trowbridge Windows, sponsored, Trowbridge League, Division One leaders The Duke FC on Friday evening at Oakfields.
When the sides met at the start of September, the Duke took the spoils thanks to a 3-0 success and although it took longer than expected, Jake Packer’s side finally secured an eighth straight victory, as they found their scoring boots in the second period to claim a 5-0 triumph.
GOAL 0-1: Although neither team managed a shot in anger in the opening 15 minutes, the visitors who were held at bay by some resolute defending, finally broke the deadlock on 17 minutes when an error in the Melksham defence was seized upon by Tom Blackman who skipped past a defender before powering home the opener.
Almost from the restart Melksham could have been on level terms, but Mason Phelps wasted a glorious chance for an immediate response and shortly after Jack Woolsgrove saw his hopeful long range strike sail the wrong side of the upright.
At the other end Sam McQueen’s week effort was on target but failed to trouble keeper Tyler Scott, who in turn started the move that saw Aaron Thorburn but the ball in the net for the hosts only for his celebrations to be cut short as the goal was ruled out for offside.
The Duke went close to making it 2-0, Blackman pounced on another defensive slip up, but was denied his and Duke’s second as his glorious strike crashed against the post. Two minutes later only Sam McQueen will know how he failed to make it 2-0 with a close range headed that looked easier to score than miss.
Having bossed much of the first half, Duke were almost undone at the start of the second period, a Ben Winn corner picked out Thorburn who just failed to turn the ball home to restore parity.
GOAL 0-2: The Duke doubled their advantage on 53 minutes when Drew Adams headed home to make it 2-0.
RED CARD: The leaders were reduced to 10 men in the 62nd minute, following a couple of warnings, the red mist descended on Brandon Wheeler who was rightly dismissed after kicking out at a Melksham player.
GOAL 0-3: Down to 10 men, the Duke raised their game and a second of the evening from Tom Blackman made it 3-0, like his opener, Blackman’s second was a excellent finish beyond a hapless Tyler Scott.
GOAL 0-4: The Duke’s fourth arrived in the 79th minute, Joe Maloney’s corner beating everyone and ending up in the back of the Melksham net.
GOAL 0-5: The visitors saved the best to last and Drew Adams put the icing on the cake with his second and Duke’s fifth of the night, after picking up the ball some 45 yards from goal he cut in from the right hand side before rifling home a sublime long range strike to make the final score 5-0 to the visitors.