Portishead Town 2 Melksham Town 1
Match Report by Matt Gillett / 28th February
Southern League Division One South
Another hard-fought and deserved victory as Portishead Town came from behind to beat Melksham Town 2-1. Portishead stay third, strengthening their bid for the playoffs.
Posset’s squad has been strengthened by players returning from long and short-term injuries. Mason Winter started at left-back, hissecond appearance after a lengthy spell out, Hamish Hurst was at the heart of the defence and Kyle Egan available from the bench.
Posset’s characteristic high press saw full backs pushed up with Melksham having little chance to settle. The game came alive on 18 minutes as eventual man-of-the-match Mitch Osmond’s fierce drive was deflected over. Osmond then recycled the corner to Jack Thorne; he fed Hurst whose right foot shot from the angle went just wide. Next Owen Humphries, frequently running at Melksham, fired over as Portishead stole possession again.
In the 28th minute, after Jamie Adams won a challenge high up, Humphries passed to Winter who set Thorne for a shot. Then, after Winter’s run and cross, Humphries’ shot was held by Melksham keeper Adam Forster.
Melksham had created nothing of note but from their first corner in the 34th minute Mark Cooper rose highest to head them in front. Swift response from Posset: four minutes later Osmond found Humphries, his measured pass set Jay Murray clear in the box. Closing on goal Murray was felled from behind, getting up he sent a perfect penalty into the corner of the net for 1-1.
Desperate Melksham defending, blocking successive shots, prevented Posset registering again in added time. Egan replaced Thorne at halftime and was soon showing his trademark eye for a sweeping pass. Melksham were again under the cosh as Egan, twice, and Murray came close before Posset went ahead. After 53 minutes Humphries accelerated through the defence, his shot came back off the inside of the post and Adams followed up to make it 2-1.
Portishead won the ball and broke from the restart, Ethan Feltham firing just wide. From the non-stop Tom Llewellyn’s fine 60thminute pass, Feltham spun and shot as Posset’s pass and move combinations tested Melksham. Forster saved low down on 73 minutes after another Humphries run and shot. The visitors charged up field bringing a strong save from Posset keeper Jakob Glover, a reminder that at 2-1 the visitors were still in it.
Substitutes Jaden Neale, Lucas Vowles and Matt Britton joined the action as Portishead strove to put the game to bed. Even so Ollie Woodhouse needed to make a well-timed tackle and then a good block as Melksham refused to give it up.
Portishead’s day, solid all round. Next an exciting visit to play-off rivals Bishops Cleeve in this season that just keeps on giving.
Darren Vowles