MELKSHAM Town's dreams of a visit to Villa Park are still very much alive after a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory in their second round FA Vase clash at AFC Totton on Saturday.

An extra-time winner from substitute Matty Messenger booked Melkham's place in the last 64 after player-manager Robbie Lardner had levelled the tie with ten minutes of normal time remaining

And the club have been rewarded with a plum third round home tie against mid-table Eagle Bitter United Counties Premier Division outfit St Neots Town.

Lardner was satisfied with the draw and will be making the long trip to Cambridgeshire to watch Melksham's next opponents before they travel to The Conigre on December 8.

Said Lardner: "I don't know a lot about them. I would have preferred to have drawn St Trinian's, but I'm not sure that was ever going to happen.

"It was really important to get a home draw and, on our day, we can beat anybody.

"I'll have to go up and watch them in the next couple of weeks. It is important to do your homework.

Melksham were forced to come from behind to clinch their second round victory at Totton.

Will Halliwell and Frank Coleman came close to breaking the deadlock for the visitors in the opening half before Totton went in front nine minutes after the break through a Nigel Mottashed header.

Mottashed turned from hero to villain midway through the half when he illegally stopped Lardner's clear run on goal. Jeremy Christopher rifled the free kick over the bar and Steve Seals was denied by goalkeeper Wayne Shaw.

The equaliser came on 80 minutes when Lardner pounced to fire into the bottom corner of Shaw's net to send the game into extra time. Melksham's top scorer Messenger slipped past two Totton challenges to bag the decisive goal in the first period of extra-time.

Melksham face an awesome test tomorrow when they return to league action with a daunting trip to Taunton Town.