Toolstation Western League
Premier Division
Bridgwater Town 0, Melksham Town 3

A CONTENTIOUS penalty proved the turning point in Saturday afternoon's game at Fairfax Park, as two goals from Gary Higdon helped Melksham Town claim the points while condemning Bridgwater Town to a fourth straight defeat.

The first half was largely uneventful, with the hosts clearly missing the cutting edge of suspended striker Jack Taylor - though Aaron Harper-Penman, a new signing from Barnstaple Town, impressed with a very solid performance at centre-back.

Melksham sat third in the standings and had knocked the Robins out of the FA Vase, but neither side were able to hold onto the ball for long in what was a stop-start and often bad-tempered first 45 minutes.

Ben Thomson sent an ambitious snapshot fizzing wide of Jake Viney's goal, and the Bridgwater goalkeeper was fortunate when his rushed clearance fell to Higdon, but although the Melksham dangerman's strike was on target, it lacked pace and Viney got back to recover.

It took half an hour for the home side to get a shot on target, and both Harry Horton and Jack Jenkins' efforts were routine enough for visiting goalkeeper Gareth Evans.

The Robins ended the first half marginally the better side, and they made a positive start to the second half too - Horton and Mike Duffy linking well - but it all went wrong just after the hour mark.

A hopeful ball into the Bridgwater box was claimed by Viney, but Lee Begg had taken out Higdon, and the referee pointed to the spot.

The home crowd and players did not like the decision, but - soft or not - it looked an unnecessary challenge, one which was punished as Higdon sent Viney the wrong way as his spot-kick found the top right-hand corner.

Horton had a sight of goal after a defensive mix-up, only to slip at the vital moment, and Melksham then scored a second, very fortunate, goal with 15 minutes left.

Higdon miscued his cross from the right, but it arced under the crossbar and the backpedalling Viney could only parry it out, with Jon Davies pouncing to score.

If the game wasn't finished then, it certainly was seven minutes later, as Higdon showed his class by picking the ball up on the left-hand side of the box, spotting Viney off his line, and lobbing the keeper to score a sublime second, and Melksham's third.

The hosts could not muster even a consolation goal, and so slumped to a fourth consecutive loss.

Things don't get much easier for the Robins, as Tuesday sees them host second-placed Bradford Town (ko 7.45pm), before they go to Melksham for the reverse fixture on Thursday (ko 7.30pm).

Bridgwater Town: Jake Viney, Dave Thorne, Kurt Robinson, Mark Armstrong, Lee Begg, Aaron Harper-Penman (Tom Stone 85), Mike Duffy, Jack Jenkins, Syd Camper, Harry Horton, Jake Llewellyn.
Subs not used: Dave Pearse, Steve Holland, Charlie White.