DISALLOWED GOAL & TWO DUBIOUS PENALTIES CONDEMN 1ST TEAM TO ANOTHER DEFEAT (November 14, 2007)
The 1st Team lost 2-1 at home to Saffron Walden Town last night in an evenly contested Ridgeons League First Division match.
The game turned on a disallowed Ashley Skeggs goal on 32 minutes when the ball clearly crossed the line, and two dubious second half penalties that Saffron Walden midfielder Kevin Vallis duly dispatched.
One bright spot was a first goal for the club for substitute Neil Hayward deep into stoppage time, but it was not a lot of consolation after a disappointing performance from the officials who seemed to be influenced all evening by the visitors' constant appealing.
The early exchanges were even, with Walden trying their luck from distance with several wayward shots but little in the way of clear cut chances for either side.
On 19 minutes Melford were saved by an exceptional tackle from Steve Adams in the penalty area with the Walden forward through on goal, but the home side created chances too - with Ashley Skeggs testing Walden keeper Lewis with a fierce left foot drive on 26 minutes.
On 32 minutes Melford scored a perfectly good goal, yet somehow the assistant referee missed the fact that Skeggs' header had clearly crossed the line. David Thurkettle broke free down the left, checked back and put in a deep cross that was met at the far post in the air by Skeggs. Lewis made the save but only after the ball had crossed the line.
Walden then had a good spell of pressure with Vallis shooting wide after a well worked move on 35 minutes, but then Melford stepped up a gear and were well on top as half-time approached. Moments before the break, substitute Luke Simpson (on for Tony French with Skeggs switching to centre forward) hit a superb shot that hit the post and the ball was cleared to safety - the second time in three matches that Melford have hit the post.
The beginning of the second half saw both sides fighting hard but little in the way of flowing football or genuine chances, until the hour mark when Greg Strong hit a dipping free kick that narrowly cleared the Melford bar.
Two minutes later and Melford debutant Steve Day, who impressed all evening with his clever hold-up play and neat touches, broke through on goal but snatched at his chance and saw his shot comfortably saved by Lewis.
With the 70 minute mark approaching Melford conceded a penalty when it looked a pretty innocuous challenge but the Walden players had gone down easily all night and thanks to the assistant flagging for the penalty the referee gave it. Kevin Vallis confidently dispatched the spot kick.
This inevitably gave Walden a lift and Liam Cawtheray came to the rescue for Melford with a goal line clearance in the ensuing minutes as the visitors looked to kill the game off.
Approximately 10 minutes after the opening goal, another dubious penalty was awarded when yet again a Walden forward went down very easily under an innocuous challenge and the referee was too quick to point to the spot. Again Vallis finished well with a similar penalty to the first.
Melford kept going but would have been forgiven for feeling sorry for themselves as in all the match had been unfairly taken away from them and they didn't deserve to be 2-0 down.
A consolation goal came in the 90th minute and this was the very least Melford deserved - substitute Scott Barr did well to put in a dangerous cross into the area and there was Hayward to place the ball into the bottom corner to register his first goal for the club.
TEAM: Floyd Croll, Liam Cawtheray, Danny Brind, Steve Adams, Mark Alder, Matt Wilson, Dave Thurkettle, Paul Walker, Steve Day, Tony French, Ashley Skeggs
SUBS: Neil Hayward (for Wilson), Luke Simpson (for French), Scott Barr (for Day), Ryan Owens
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