Melksham Town 1, Corsham Town 2 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Melksham Town 1, Corsham Town 2

CORSHAM Town took the spoils in a high-tempo derby match at The Conigre on Monday night thanks to two goals by Frankie Coleman.

Corsham took the lead in the first half when Coleman was played through by Scott Lye on 34 minutes and coolly slid the ball under Melksham Town goalkeeper Gareth Evans in one of few meaningful first-half attacks.

In the second-half Melksham pulled a goal back on 52 minutes after a well-worked goal but within 60 seconds Corsham punished the home defence for switching off with Coleman scoring the winner.

Melksham manager Kelvin Highmore was left gutted with the result.

He said: "I felt we were robbed. I felt we did enough for a draw.

"We were back in it and then gave a goal away.

"We just switched off and it proved to be critical. How many times do you see that?

"But to be fair we kept going and going and I think we should have had a draw."

Corsham assistant manager John Woods, deputising for boss Colin Bush who is on holiday, was delighted to see his side bounce back after a disappointing result at Bideford on Saturday.

"That's our fourth game in nine days and we have won three and lost one away to Bideford, which people probably expected us to lose," said Woods.

"We played well on Saturday and we had a lot of confidence and I am delighted for Frankie. He's come back to form and scored our two goals. It was a great time to get our second goal just as they had hauled themselves back into the game."

Corsham had the better first-half opportunities with Lye and Jerad O'Pray showing good touches.

On seven minutes Lye fired in a swirling dipping free kick as a show of intent and three minutes later O'Pray struck the ball from just outside the box which was well saved down low to Evans' left.

After Adam Gingell had chipped the ball over for Melksham on 14 minutes, Eldred had a low shot gathered at the second attempt by Evans before Coleman struck his first goal.

Seven minutes after the restart the home side scored after Evans' long kick was not controlled by Dave Hopkins.

The ball was snatched from his feet by Dave Macey who laid the ball out wide to the lively Gavin Eyre.

His cross beat Corsham goalkeeper Craig Chaplin and was headed in by Simon Price at the back post in the best move of the game.

But Corsham came back with a sucker punch as Eldred played the left-winger through and Coleman dinked the ball over Evans.

On 73 minutes Corsham almost snatched a third as Hopkins' deep free kick from just inside his own half was headed wide by Tony Colborne as Evans flapped at the ball.

Two minutes later Hopkins fed Eldred down the right-wing and knocked the ball to Colborne who in turn fed the ball laterally across the box to his strike partner O'Pray only for the former Westbury United man to strike the ball wide of the near post.

With eight minutes to go Colborne played the ball from the left to Lye who turned inside before firing a shot over the bar from 25 yards.